Russian Emergencies Minister to take part in general assembly of International Civil Defence Organization

The International Civil Defence Organization will hold a general assembly in Geneva on Friday, which be attended by Sergei Shoigu, Russian Emergencies Minister who is currently on a working visit in Switzerland.

Sergei Shoigu will deliver a report on the improvement and development of the system of international response to transborder emergencies.

In the evening of the previous day the Minister completed negotiations with Walther Fust, head of the Development and Cooperation Department of the Swiss Foreign Ministry and ICDO General Secretary Sadok Znaidi.

The Shoigu-Fust working meeting was devoted to the further development of Russian-Swiss relations in the sphere of civil defence, which both sides evaluate as rather productive.

Summing up its results, the Russian Emergencies Minister pointed out that "we are continuing several operations in third countries." He said, in particular, that in keeping with an agreement, a Russian-Swiss anti-mine centre will be opened in the capital of Afghanistan before the end of the current year. The two countries will continue cooperating in rendering assistance to rescue services of Mongolia. Switzerland will help to finance the rehabilitation work in Russia's southern regions which were hit by natural calamities.

Sergei Shoigu told pressmen about the work that is done to create an international association of operational response to emergency situations. The matter concerns Russia's initiative, the aim of which is close cooperation between a group of leading countries which possess considerable potential in eliminating the consequences of major natural calamities and technology-related calamities, Sergei Shoigu said that the relevant departments of Switzerland, Germany, France, Britain and Sweden display the interest in setting up the association.