BESLAN 9/9/2004 (ANA - F. Karaviti)
 The first consignment of humanitarian aid and pharmaceutical supplies from Greece for the relief of terror victims in the North Ossetia town of Beslan in Russia left Elefsina in a C-130 military transport plane. Four tons of pharmaceuticals, medical and school supplies were delivered to Russia's Crisis Management Ministry earlier on Wednesday.

According to Evripidis Stylianidis, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Greece had been one of the first countries to respond to the Russian government's call for assistance, through an initiative organized jointly by the foreign ministry and the Church of Greece non-governmental organization "Solidarity".

According to the minister, Greece was also the first country that had offered to provide emergency humanitarian relief in the framework of developmental cooperation, contributing to the rebuilding or replacement of the demolished school in Beslan where the tragedy occurred.
"This action by the State and Church indicates not only our condemnation of international terrorism but our hands-on sup-port for its innocent victims," the minister said.

The Greek delegation headed by Spyros Xanthopoulos, representative of the Foreign Affairs Ministry's Department of Inter-national Economic Relations and Development (YDAS) and Solidarity Director Dimitris Fourlemadis visited the school where the tragic events took place, the hospital where victims are being hospitalized, and the family of Yiannis Kanidis, the Greek 74-year old teacher who was among those killed in the siege and conveyed the condolences of the Greek government and of Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos.

 Aside from Greece, another 25 countries have sent humanitarian aid so far, including the US, Germany, Italy and others.

Source: Athens News Agency

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