Since the day of its foundation the Armenian National Survey for Seismic Protection made close links with international organizations well known in the field of seismic hazard and seismic risk assessment and reduction, giving importance to the experience of these organizations and aiming to adjust it to local conditions. In this connection business trips to US Geological Survey were arranged, where Armenian specialists learned the earthquake protection structure that allows avoiding or reducing the subsequences of the disaster such as human lives and property losses. It is known that in case of equal or stronger earthquake that the Spitak earthquake was, human losses in US weren’t more than few dozens and the buildings and structures are barely damaged. Summarizing the international experience, the Armenian NSSP has organized two conferences on 1993 and 1998 in the frame of Disaster Reduction Decade announced by UN. More than 1000 specialists from 54 countries working in the field of seismic protection participated in these conferences.
By the assistance of the Public Relations and International Cooperation Division (PRIC) of the NSSP more than twenty international and regional programs were and are being implemented, directed to seismic risk assessment and seismic risk reduction. Scientific and technical relations of the Armenian NSSP and similar organizations are developing strongly; it becomes obvious from the number and geography of signed agreements:
International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
GeoforscungsZentrum-Postdam, Department of Disaster Research
High School of Earths Physics and Star Observatory of Salzburg (France)
Institute of Geophysics of Italy
University of Athens (Greece)
Greece Agency of Earthquake Prediction and Seismic Protection
Unified Institute of the Physics of Earth of Russian Federation
Massachusetts Institute of Technology of USA
Japan Meteorological Agency
US Geological Survey
Georgian Institute of Earths Physics, Georgian State Department of Geology
National Center of Earthquake Research of Azerbaijan Geological Institute and other institutions working in the field of seismic risk assessment and seismic risk reduction.
The specialists of Armenian NSSP, by the assistance of PRIC division participate actively in the international scientific and organizational activities. Since 1991, 95 specialists of NSSP had participated in about 110 international scientific forums and training courses performing presentations and reports, which were highly appraised by the international scientific society. Among them noteworthy is the humanitarian mission carried out by NSSP in 2001, when Armenian Reconnaissance Team comprising the seismologists, engineers, geologists, psychologists and rescuers lend a helping hand to Indian people to overcome the consequences of the Gujarat’s devastating earthquake (about 100000 victims). Armenian specialists investigated 80 buildings and gave their recommendations on the buildings conditions. The respect and trust of Indian people to Armenians was so great, that residents agreed to return to their damaged homes only after the approval of Armenian specialists. Armenian Team was the only one among the international teams that by the results of the mission presented to Gujarat governor and Indian Government detailed report of disaster reasons outlining the ways of recovery and rehabilitation. High quality work of Armenian Team deserved high appraisal and sincere gratitude of Mr. Kailashnatan, the Governor of Gujarat State, India. Since 2000, the NSSP is implementing a number of activities on granting an international cooperation status to the issues of seismic protection. It has started and continues the process of agreement assignment in the field of seismic protection between the Government of RA and USA, Japan, Greece, Arabic Republic of Egypt, China, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine Governments.
It has been verified and successfully implemented the agreements on the cooperation in the field of seismic protection between the Government of RA and the Government of Republic of Argentina as well as between the Government of RA and the Government of Islamic Republic of Iran, which evidence is the visit of Armenian delegation lead by Prof. A. Antonyan to Iran where a number of issues of mutual interest were discussed. The response visit took place in October 2005, when in the frame of intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding, it was signed mutual agreements about the activities in the field of earthquake engineering, public education and seismotectonics.
In Nov 26, 2003 during the visit of the president of Tajikistan to Armenia it was assigned intergovernmental agreement of cooperation in the field of seismic protection.
Appreciating greatly the valuable contribution that Armenian NSSP and its specialist made in the field of seismic risk reduction, in 1999 the UN granted the survey with the highest award in the field of disaster reduction, i.e. UN Sasakawa award for “Distinct Achievements for disaster reduction and for development of strategy of International society” and in 2002, former president of Armenian NSSP, Prof. Balassanian was granted with Sasakawa’s individual award.