Iran’s first issue is settlement of quake survivors
Together with State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, Health Minister Recep Akdag, Public Works and Housing Minister Zeki Ergezen, Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Ahmet Inal, Turkish Ambassador to Iran Selahattin Alpar, Deputy Director General for International Assistance Tunc Ugdul and Turkish Emergency Management Director General Hasan Ipek, State Minister Sahin paid a visit to the quake-stricken Bam city of Iran.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Muhsin Eminzade and Bam Governor Mohammad Ali Kerimi accompanied Turkish delegation.
Sahin conveyed messages of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Kerimi.
Expressing their profound sorrow over loss of many lives in the quake disaster, Sahin said, "as a country which has suffered much from earthquakes in recent years, Turkey has mobilized to fulfill its humanitarian duties in an effort to heal the wounds of Iranian people. Our visit to Bam city aims at conveying the best wishes of Turkish people and determining urgent requirements of quake survivors."
Sahin said that the most urgent requirement of nearly 90 thousand quake survivors was erection of prefabricated huts.
"The region is exposed to frequent desert storms. Therefore, prefabricated huts should be erected in the region as soon as possible. Turkey will erect 800 huts, however, this number will not be sufficient. Together with Iran and the other countries, we should expand efforts to resolve this problem," he added.
Meanwhile, Bam Governor Kerimi thanked Turkey for commiserating with them.
"Nearly 300 planes carrying humanitarian aid landed at the Bam Airport. We have received assistance from more than 30 countries. However, we got the most important relief from Turkey," he said.
Noting that Bam city had a population of 90 thousand people, Kerimi said, "together with adjacent towns and villages, nearly 120 thousand people have been affected. A total of 26 thousand 500 bodies were recovered from the rubble. There are 13 thousand 500 injured people. We fear that the death toll could increase up to 30 thousand."
