The 20th session of CIS Interstate Council on Natural and Man-Caused Emergency Situations opened in Yerevan September 26. During the 3-day meeting representatives of rescue services of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine will consider the draft Inter-State Program on Joint Scientific Research on CIS member states' organizations to prevent and eliminate emergency situations up to 2010. During the session its participants will also consider draft documents on creation of an international center for training specialists for rescue diving services of the CIS, interaction of the CIS Corps of Forces and rescue medical services of CIS countries. In the words of Director of the Department of the international activities of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations Yuri Brazhnikov within the framework of the session the issue on command and staff exercises of the CIS Corps of Forces for coping with emergency situations will also be discussed.

Brazhnikov also noted that the agenda does not include making efforts or providing assistance to eliminate fires in territories controlled by Nagorno Karabakh. He also stressed that CIS forces can provide assistance within their powers, "however it does not mean they should move to eliminate outcomes of the fires, as the issue is considered from the political point of view." "If there are serious requests according to the order established, of course Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan and many other countries will take measures for the fires to be put off," he assures, reports IA Regnum.