ARMENIA HAS OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME REGIONAL CENTER OF RESCUE SERVICE

NOYAN TAPAN
June 11, 2008

Armenia has the opportunity of becoming a regional center of rescue
service. This statement was made by Mher Shahgeldian, the RA Minister
of Emergency Situations, at the press conference, which was held on
June 10. He also added that the rescue service created after the
Spitak earthquake with its accumulated experience is one of its
preconditions. The Minister mentioned that Armenian rescuers have
for many times taken part in the work directed at saving the life
of people, who had run the risk of danger and disaster, in other
countries, in particular, in Iran and Turkey.

Mher Shahgeldian stated that at present work is being conducted in
Armenia in the direction of the development of the National Service
of Seismic Protection, hydrometeorology, decrease in the infuence of
atmospheric exhaustion, and technical security.

The formation of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Armenia,
according to Mher Shahgeldian, was a state approach, the objective of
which was to create a structure developing and implementing complex
policy in this sphere. It was also mentioned that the main functions
of the ministry are previsions and preventions, rescue activity and
elimination of disaster consequences. The modernization and conformity
of the laws regulating the sphere to the international standards is
one of the supremacies of the ministry. Mher Shahgeldian stated that
the strategy of the development of the sphere will be submitted for
the discussion of the RA government within the two coming months.