Russia suggests China exchanging databases on emergencies

Russian Minister for Emergencies Sergei
Shoigu suggests Chinese colleagues exchanging databases and holding joint
monitoring of emergency situations.
"The Russian Ministry for Emergencies held on Thursday a meeting with
a Chinese delegation, led by Minister of Civil Affairs Li Liguo,"
Itar-Tass learnt from chief of the ministry's public relations service
Irina Andrianova.
"The Russian minister for emergencies suggested the Chinese side
preparing and adopting an additional Agreement to operating Treaty on
Cooperation between the Ministry for Emergencies and the Chinese Ministry
of Civil Affairs concerning databases and monitoring of emergency
situations," she said.
"We pay special attention to cooperation with China concerning border
cooperation in the sphere of protection of population, monitoring and
forecasting of emergencies as well as developing warning system," Shoigu
said. He instanced the situation in Japan, the disaster at the Fukushima-1
nuclear power station, following the earthquake and the tsunami.
"Radiation as well as diseases know no borders. Work on monitoring and
notification of population is important in this case," the Russian
minister noted.
The Chinese delegation inspected the operation of the main
administration of the ministry for St. Petersburg and the National
Administration Centre for Crisis Situations.
"We are filling up now databases of the National Administration Centre
to simulate situations to prepare efficiently and quickly forecasts of
emergency situations and to minimize negative consequences of emergency
situations," Shoigu said.
He called attention to the fact that the Beijing anti-crisis centre
and the Russian national centre created a system for exchanging
information.
The Russian minister suggested the Chinese side inspecting the Russian
system of early warning of tsunamis, that was developed on an instruction
of the Russian government, following the tsunami in South East Asia in
2004. It proved its efficiency during the earthquake in Japan, helping to
notify within 14 minutes and evacuate population from dangerous areas.
Shoigu also said that the ministry is developing a warning system for
places of mass congregation of people. "We should like to get acquainted
with China's experience in this sphere," he stated.
The minister also pointed to active cooperation between China and the
International Civil Defence Organisation (ICDO). At the same time, he
suggested involving more efficiently ICDO mechanisms in rendering
assistance to third countries. "We should like to raise the role of this
organisation in the international arena in rendering assistance to third
countries," Shoigu added.
"The Chinese delegation supported all Russian initiatives and
suggested holding the second meeting of the heads of services for
emergencies in border districts of the two countries for the most
efficient preparation of an additional Agreement," Andrianova stated.