MOSCOW. Nov 22 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia is reinforcing its position on the international humanitarian services market, Deputy Emergency Situations Minister Yuri Brazhnikov told Interfax on Friday.
The ministry has supplied over 30,000 tonnes of cargo in several humanitarian projects abroad in 2002, he said.
Among the projects, Brazhnikov listed humanitarian activities in Afghanistan and Tajikistan and aid to Central European countries hit by catastrophic floods in August.
The ministry has been promoting advanced Russian fire-fighting techniques on the international humanitarian market, Brazhnikov said. The ministry's team won the praise of the Greek government for the skill of Russian pilots, the efficiency of Russian fire- fighting techniques and reliable organization in extinguishing fires for five summer months, he said.
"France, Spain, other south European countries and Australia may need this kind of humanitarian aid in the future," Brazhnikov said.
The ministry plans to use the latest multi-purpose BE-200 plane, which was developed at the G.M. Beriyev company under a contract with the ministry to fight natural forest fires and fires caused by men, Brazhnikov said. The plane has made a demonstration tour in Europe.
The plane is the best of its kind in the world and has every chance of winning a large share of the market, Brazhnikov said.
The ministry also has developed a technique to use airplanes to disperse depressants, chemicals to fight large oil slicks in the sea and coastal areas, and is prepared to help other countries fight this kind of disaster, he said.
"Providing high technology to deal with the consequences of emergencies to countries in need is a top priority in the ministry's foreign operations," Brazhnikov said.