NATO envoy, Turkmen president discuss fight against drugs, terrorism,

ASHGABAT, June 25 (Itar-Tass) -- NATO attaches great importance to
cooperation with Turkmenistan as a recognized peace-making center, which
plays a key role in Central Asia, the special representative of NATO's
Secretary-General for Central Asia and the Caucasus, James Appathurai,
said at a meeting with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on
Friday.
The president of Turkmenistan, as it has been reported by his press
office, "noted with satisfaction the fruitful cooperation with NATO,"
called for "the continuation of the traditional cooperation within the
framework of NATO's Partnership for Peace program" and expressed
confidence that "constructive relations between Turkmenistan and NATO will
continue to thrive and serve the interests of universal peace and
prosperity."
During the meeting Appathurai and Berdimuhamedov exchanged views on
prospects for cooperation in disaster effects elimination, struggle
against illegal drug trafficking, international terrorism and organized
crime. They also noted the importance of strengthening contacts in the
scientific-educational sphere, the improvement which is one of the key
aspects of Turkmenistan's state policy.
A separate theme of the meeting was support for Afghanistan's quest
for stability and peace.
NATO appreciates the effectiveness of assistance provided by the
Turkmen state in the reconstruction of social and economic infrastructures
in neighboring Afghanistan, said Appathurai. In this regard, the theme was
raised of a gas pipeline project Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India
(TAPI), which should contribute to the sustainable development of the
Asian region.

.Ukraine in relations with EU moves farther than expected - FM.

DONETSK, June 25 (Itar-Tass) -- Ukraine in its relations with the
European Union has moved much farther than it originally expected, Foreign
Minister Konstantin Grishchenko said on the first national TV channel on
Friday evening.
"Over a little more than a year we have made progress in relations
with the European Union, that, in principle, it was difficult to expect
even for those who were great optimists one and a half years ago." But, as
the minister said, for further success decisions are to be taken the
previous governments had failed to make.
In his view, for the liberalization of the visa regimen with the EU
the Ukrainian side should be prepared to exchange information directly
with those responsible for the safety of the Schengen area. Grishchenko
said that there had already been adopted an action plan to liberalize the
visa regimen with the EU.

.Six-point earthquake hits Hokkaido.

VLADIVOSTOK, June 25 (Itar-Tass) -- An earthquake measuring 5.6 points
hit Japan's island of Hokkaido last night, the geophysical service of the
Russian Academy of Sciences has said.
The center of the earth tremor was at a depth of 60 kilometers, 100
kilometers southwest of the port town of Tomakomai, with a population of
170,000. There have been no immediate reports of casualties.