The world community has rushed to aid families and victims of the North Ossetian school hostage crisis with the United States, Canada, Italy, Ukraine and even Australia setting aside funds and humanitarian aid for the Russian Federation. (06-SEP-04)
Two U.S. planes are set to arrive in North Ossetia with several tons of medicines and medical equipment to help victims of the hostage siege.
The Italian Civil Protection Department announced Sunday that a plane carrying medical aid has flown to the Russian Federation to help the injured people at the school. The aid includes antibiotics, supplies for the treatment of cuts and burns as well as antidepressants and tranquilizers. A team of emergency medical workers was also aboard the plane.
A second plane flew out Monday morning from Italy.
Canada, meanwhile, has set aside $100,000 for aid to the hostage crisis victims, and will transfer the money to families through UNICEF and Red Cross channels.
Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma signed an order to send humanitarian aid to the Russian Federation by the end of the week.
Russian authorities, meanwhile, have accepted Norway s offer of medical assistance for the Beslan siege victims.
Norwegian health authorities are set to ship medicine and medical equipment to North Ossetia, and the nation has also offered to receive up to 10 children in need of acute medical treatment at Norwegian hospitals. The second offer was politely turned down by the Russians, Norwegian news agencies reported.
Australia went as far as to offer its own police squad to help deal with the aftermath of the tragedy. The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, says the Australian Federal Police have valuable experience in dealing with terrorism, Radio Australia reported. The Russian side has not yet responded to the offer.
Source: www.mosnews.com
