The message reads, in part:
“You have gathered to discuss the most important issues related to natural and technological disaster prevention and relief. The international community today needs not just new approaches to forecasting disasters, but also common efforts to carry out relief operations. It is clear today that broad-based international cooperation can resolve these problems more effectively.
The fight against the wild fires in Russia provided one example of this kind of cooperation. We are sincerely grateful to the fire fighters, pilots and specialists from many countries, who battled the wildfires side by side with their Russian colleagues.
I hope that your meeting will produce new cooperation mechanisms for dealing with crisis situations, further develop cooperation between the fire-fighting and rescue services, and ensure reliable protection for people.”
The forum, which is taking place in Moscow on October 1–2, 2010, brings together more than 300 delegates from emergency, fire-fighting and rescue services from 62 countries.