Latvian help for Georgians

RIGA-Latvia has received an official request from Georgia for humanitarian aid, said Latvian Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins.

Georgia has asked Latvia to help with first aid materials, medicines, blood supplies for civilians. The Foreign Ministry has already spoken to the EmergencyMedicineCenter and the StateBloodDonorCenter on the issue.

The ministers will make the decision during the closed part of the government meeting on Monday.

State Blood Donor Center spokeswoman Zane Mistre told BNS that there had been talks with the center, and if the government and the Health Ministry requests, the center will ask people to be more active and donate blood.

The Latvian Red Cross organization plans to contact the International Red Cross Federation and Georgia's representatives to find out what assistance is most needed.

The Emergency Medicine Center head Martins Sics told BNS that it is too early to say what help and at what amount will be sent to Georgia as information should be gathered what exactly the people in the war territory need most.

"As it is a war territory, there are many specific ways how Latvia might help. Assistance is internationally coordinated to avoid a situation that all countries are sending one kind of assistance to Georgia," said Sics.

He said that the help should not be abstract, and Latvia is ready to offer the assistance.

An initiative to raise donations for Georgia has also been launched.  .

Responding to the Georgian government's appeal for international support, the Latvian-Georgian Cooperation foundation has started to raise donations for Georgia. Currently the organization is gathering information from governmental and public institutions to find out what civil defense measures in Georgia need assistance most, said Andrejs Kruskops, chairman of the foundation.

The Foundation for Latvian-Georgian Cooperation has opened a special bank account for the fundraising purpose.