SECOND ASIAN MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON DISASTER RISK REDUCTION TAKES PLACE IN INDIA

Noyan Tapan
Nov 12 2007

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. On November 7-8 the Second
Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction took place
in New Delhi and 50 delegations representing the Asian and Pacific
Ocean region, as well as representatives of international and
non-governmental organizations took part in its proceedings. In
the conference Armenia was represented by Lieutenant-General Edik
Barseghian, the Head of the Rescue Service of the RA Ministry of
Territorial Administration, Colonel Arman Avagian, the Head of the
International Cooperation Administration of the Rescue Service, and
Ashot Kocharian, the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to India.

Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India, United Progressive
Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Shivraj Patil, the Minister
of Home Affairs of India, made speeches in the opening sitting of
the conference.

According to the information provided to Noyan Tapan by the Press
and Information Department of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
the agenda of the conference includes issues concerning early
warning, risk reduction mechanisms, degree of preparedness in states
of emergency, global change in climate, exchange of information,
international cooperation, and implementation of strategic programs
of governments. As a result of the proceedings of the conference,
the declaration of Delhi on disaster reduction in Asia was adopted.

A decision was made on holding the next third conference in Kuala
Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, in the second half of 2008.