Moscow welcomes UN recommendations on Afghan drug trafficking

MOSCOW, August 26 (Itar-Tass) -- Moscow welcomes recommendations of
the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to discuss at the upcoming 66th
session of the UN General Assembly the problem of Afghanistan's drug
trafficking, spokesman of Russia's Foreign Ministry Alexander Lukashevich
said on Thursday.
"Of special interest is the part of the report, which reads about the
problem of spread and use of drugs in 2000s, which has become of global
character," he said. "It was said correctly that cultivation of all kinds
of drugs is expanding, and the number of new synthetic drugs causes
concern."
Russia's supports the idea expressed by Ban Ki-moon about the
importance of the role of the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime in fighting
illegal turnover of drugs.
"Since this year, Russia has increased its annual payment to the UN
Office on Drugs and Crime to two million US dollars, and we plan to use a
part of that money on financing of a regional programme for Afghanistan
and neighbouring countries, as well as on several other anti-drug projects
in Central Asia," Lukashevich said. "The priority is fighting drug
trafficking from Afghanistan, which threatens international peace and
security."
Lukashevich highlighted the importance and interest for Russia in a
Central Asian regional information and coordination centre on fighting
illegal turnover of drugs.
"Russia joined it in February of 2011, and one of the events, which
Russia organises jointly with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime is the
third ministerial conference of the Paris pact on prevention of opiate
from Afghanistan," he said.
Ban Ki-moon's report was made in compliance with the resolution,
adopted at the 65th session of the UN General Assembly on December 21,
2010 and contains review of major tendencies in fighting illegal turnover
of drugs and activities of the UN main bodies and structures, involved in
the problem.