MOSCOW, June 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia and the United States signed Tuesday a protocol on extending bilateral cooperation in preemptive action for emergency situations, and ways of dealing with their consequences.
Russia and the U.S. signed in July 1996 a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in preventing man-made emergency situations and natural disasters, and dealing with their consequences.
"Our countries have been cooperating in rescuing people for more than 10 years... The newly-signed protocol will continue to serve people everywhere in the world where Russian and American rescuers work together," said Ruslan Tsalikov, the first deputy emergencies minister, who signed the new document together with U.S. Ambassador to Russia William Burns.
The bilateral agreement has been extended until July 18, 2017.
Under the document, Russia and the US agree to exchange experience of rescue service work and population evacuation technologies, share the use of specialized aircraft to extinguish forest fires, ensure protection of citizens from radioactive spillages, and share electronic databases and Internet resources in emergency situations.
The new protocol also stipulates for the first time that Russia and the U.S. will cooperate in dealing with the aftermath of terrorist attacks, in addition to industrial accidents and natural disasters.
