Posted on 09/02/2005 2:17:06 PM PDT by jb6
MOSCOW, September 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is waiting for the United States to confirm its readiness to accept assistance from Russia in dealing with the aftermath of the natural disaster that hit New Orleans, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.
"Besides concerns about the fate of our nationals, we again confirmed to the American leaders our readiness to render humanitarian and other assistance in the efforts being made by American authorities, including equipment to search for people under debris, installations to purify and desalinate water, medicine, and other things that may be necessary," Lavrov said.
The minister said three transport aircraft of the Emergency Situations Ministry with humanitarian supplies and helicopters on board were ready to head to the U.S. "They may take off at any moment," he added.
Go ahead and send them down there by the time they get there, im sure they will have a task for them.
Token offer. Sort of like the Canadian Navy offering help with two canoes and a rowboat.
I'm sure anyone who's suffering and gets some of that aid will keep your words to heart....no really. /sarcasm
Glad to see US and Russia working together to alleviate suffering of the Katrina victims.
16:18 | 02/ 09/ 2005
MOSCOW, September 2 (RIA Novosti) - Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Friday Russia was ready to send large cargo aircraft with equipment at a moment's notice to help New Orleans deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which hit the southern region of the United States on August 29. "We offered the United States our help the first day of the disaster," Ivanov said after talks with Canadian Defense Minister Bill Graham.
"We are waiting for a response. We have to know exactly what assistance the country needs. Russia is ready to provide it.
Ivanov said Russia had prepared transport aircraft that could carry even helicopters and electric generators to people in the hurricane zone.
Graham said so far the U.S. had not requested foreign aid for the clean-up efforts, adding that Canada had decided to prepare a ship loaded with special equipment, small boats, and lifeboats that could be used in the flooded areas.
Graham said his country's position was not to interfere but to help if need be. Depending on the United States' response, Canada was ready to help at any time, he said.
Ok comrade.
Russia offered assistance a day or two ago. The President's response was (paraphrase) "we can handle this ourselves".
If anybody has the exact wording from President Bush, please post it--I will search if I have time.
I wonder why our government is not accepting aid from foreign offers?
Three large Russian transports carrying helicopters, generators, and other supplies is hardly a token offer.
They don't use tavarish (comrade) anymore, they use Gospodin (Mister).
After the billions we've given them. I'd say so.
Most of what we gave them were IMF loans that they have now paid off.
'Cause we don't need it.
Token offer. Sort of like the Canadian Navy offering help with two canoes and a rowboat.
That may be one way of looking at it...if so then I did the same think this morning with my "little" donation. I prefer to look at the bottom line...with enough of these donations they seem to get the job done (I'll stand corrected if the UN is anyway involved though...)
Token offer. Sort of like the Canadian Navy offering help with two canoes and a rowboat.
That may be one way of looking at it...if so then I did the same think this morning with my "little" donation. I prefer to look at the bottom line...with enough of these donations they seem to get the job done (I'll stand corrected if the UN is anyway involved though...)
I think (even if it is token) we should accept the offer. It may matter sometime in the future as to how things will be perceived. This is not a pride vs pocketbook issue, I see it as an ongoing game of chess. One move early on doesn't make you "master of the game", it makes you a player.
I think (even if it is token) we should accept the offer. It may matter sometime in the future as to how things will be perceived. This is not a pride vs pocketbook issue, I see it as an ongoing game of chess. One move early on doesn't make you "master of the game", it makes you a player.
I wonder something else. Whenever there was a disaster all over the world, U.S. was among the first to help.
World got acustomed to the sight of planeloads of sacks of flour, sugar, etc. branded with "USAID Gift from American people" being distributed to disaster stricken.
Where is USAID today? Situation in NOLA, WAVELAND, is worse than in Haiti. PEOPLE DIE BECAUSE OF DEHYDRATION.
Are USAID sacks only foreign policy publicity props?
This is so sad.
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