THE Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, Dr Soe Win, received Mr Kon­stantin Kanarev, Representative for Russia-Myanmar Trade Rela­tions, and a delegation from the Shamanov Foundation, one of the largest charitable organizations in the Russian Federation, at the ministry’s meeting hall yesterday morning.

Both parties cordially ex­changed views on the provision of humanitarian assistance by the Shamanov Foundation of the Rus­sian Federation for disaster-af­fected people in Myanmar, the status of cooperation towards the signing of a Memorandum of Un­derstanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and the Minis­try of the Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters (EMERCOM) to establish a Russia-Myanmar Joint Humanitarian Response Centre, international assistance, including that provided by Russia, in response to the major Manda­lay earthquake; and the minis­try’s ongoing activities in social protection, disaster management and rehabilitation.

The permanent secretary and directors-general, as well as the representative for Rus­sia-Myanmar Trade Relations and members of the Shamanov Foundation, were present on the occasion. — MNA/MKKS