YEREVAN, JUNE 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian Red Cross Organization will conduct a teaching program of mine risks in 16 communities of five border regions of Armenia, within the framework of which the population will be informed of the dangers of unexploded ammunition in the places where there is possibility of discovering them. Anna Yeghiazarian, the Secretary General of the Armenian Red Cross Organization, told journalists on June 26 that the sum of 1 million 510 thousand drams (about 4.3 thousand U.S. dollars) necessary for the implementation of the program was collected during the charity supper organized by Anthony Godfrey, the U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Armenia, this April. A. Yeghiazarian stated that according to the 2005 data, suspiciously polluted territories of Armenia make about 321 sq km, and the total number of those who suffered from mines and unexploded ammunition makes 394 thousand people, 110 of whom died, and 284 were injured. Moreover, 14 cases have been registered lately. Anthony Godfrey mentioned that the problems concerning the mine risks are so widely spread that the authorities cannot solve them by themselves. "This is a great task, and Armenian organizations will join it and have a more active participation in similar tasks," he said.

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