MOSCOW. Jan 11 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia has earmarked around USD12m for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, the deputy head of the Emergency Situations Ministry's International Cooperation Department, Valery Shuikov, said.
"This does not include the hospital, but only humanitarian in the documents. We are providing it for humanitarian reasons. Moreover, Russia must show its influence there," Shuikov said in an interview to the Vremya Novostei newspaper.
Repairing the Salang tunnel is this year's priority. This elaborate structure with ventilation systems runs for 2.2 kilometers through the mountains and links Afghanistan's south and north. "This is Afghanistan's unity. The tunnel is important for shipping cargo from Termez and Khairaton to central and southern Afghanistan. We are working with two non-governmental organizations, one from Britain and the other from France. We started clearing from the south and have covered around 250 meters, he said.
Other projects include equipping the Kabul hospital and a floating bridge across the Panj River. "A ferry ships up to 30 trucks per day there. The amount of cargo will be doubled thanks to four pontoon sections. In many spheres in Afghanistan, participation is possible with modest financing," he said.
About 200 Russians are working in Afghanistan. Of these, the personnel of the Emergency Situations Ministry totals 90 people and the rest are diplomats and guards. Diplomats are located next to the Emergency Situations Ministry's humanitarian center. It is impossible to work in the huge and ruined complex of the former USSR Embassy. Up to 40,000 refugees are living there and they throw stones at anyone who tries to oust them. Another building was selected near our center and renovated for the Embassy's staff," he said.
"We are not going to increase the number of our people working in Afghanistan. None of our military units have remained there," he said.