The personnel of the U.N. office in Armenia headed by the newly appointed Coordinator Ms Dafina Gercheva kept a minute of silence in memory of the Haiti earthquake victims. According to Gercheva, the Armenians understand the tragedy best of all, as the wounds of the Spitak earthquake are still fresh.

January 12, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti followed by 5.9 and 5.5 aftershocks. According to foreign press, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive told CNN that the quake death toll might reach 100 000 people. Nearly all houses, schools and hospitals, as well as parliament building were collapsed in the capital Port-au-Princ. The day before UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon informed about death of 16 UN officials, whereas 150 others are missing.

T.P.