ARMENIA GRATEFUL TO RUSSIA FOR REHABILITATION ASSISTANCE AFTER SPITAK EARTHQUAKEDecember 4, 2003 - 22:04 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia is grateful to Russia for rehabilitation assistance after the Spitak earthquake of 1988, President of the World Armenian Congress and the Union of Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamian said at today's press conference with "Novosti" Russian agency on the eve of the 15-th anniversary of the catastrophe in Armenia. Within the initial hours after the destructive earthquake detachments of Armed Forces and frontier guards of the USSR came to rescue the victims, reminded major general Nikolay Tarakanov, who was in command of military formations engaged in rescuing people and removing the consequences of the calamity. "Within a few days the Yerevan regiment alone saved 400 people from under the obstruction," he reported. "We in Russia together with our Armenian friends mark this day as a commemoration day. The grief has made our peoples closer," the general said. It should be reminded that the earthquake took place December 7, 1988. The tremor of up to seven points on the Richter scale demolished Spitak, Leninakan, Stepanavan, Kirovakan towns within 30 seconds. 25 thousand people were killed, about the same number got injuries. 514 thousand were left without shelter. A total of 21 towns and regions, suffered from the earthquake, as well as 350 villages - 58 out of which were demolished. Top stories President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Achieving stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains a priority of the OSCE, said Ian Borg. The Cabinet of Ministers decided on Thursday, November 9 to allocated AMD 120 million to arrange the gathering. Michael Roth believes sanctions must be put on the table after Baku‘s ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. Prosecutors to appeal Armenia ex-President’s acquittal Sargsyan was acquitted on Friday, May 31 more than four years after going on trial on corruption charges. |