Second regional anti-drug conference takes place in Kabul

DUSHANBE, September 5, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Senior representatives of drug control agencies have arrived in the Afghan capital Kabul to attend the second regional anti-drug conference between Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Russia (the Central Asian anti-drug quartet) that is being held there today.

Director of the Drug Control Agency (DCA), Lieutenant-General Rustam Nazarov, is representing Tajikistan at the mentioned conference. 

Russian news agency, Itar-Tass, reports the conference participants intend to discuss in earnest the heroin production situation in Afghanistan.  About 90 officers from the drug watchdogs of several countries and high-ranking UN, NATO officials and ambassadors from several countries accredited in Afghanistan are reportedly participating in the conference.

Director of Russian Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN), Viktor Ivanov was quoted as saying that “a behind-closed-doors round of discussions will be held on Monday morning to exchange opinions on the measures proposed to step up the struggle against the drug production in Afghanistan.” “Then several bilateral meetings will be held and I will meet with the leadership of the Afghan Drug Control Ministry,” Ivanov noted.

Russia already offered the international community the action plan to destroy the drug production in Afghanistan codenamed Raduga-2 (Rainbow), in which many countries interested and stated about their intentions to implement this action plan engaging all the capabilities of the UN Security Council, Itar-Tass reports.

The conference is expected to result in signing of a joint statement by the chiefs of the drug control agencies of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Tajikistan.

We will recall that drug control chiefs from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Tajikistan signed a joint declaration in Moscow to set up a Central Asian Anti-Drug Quartet in December 2010.