"The signatories to the memorandum are members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), the Collective Security Treaty Organization and other regional structures. Accordingly, we see all components of the anti-drug bloc to prevent the heroin flow from Afghanistan and links between terrorists and drug dealers," Mr. Lavrov said. "As NATO assumes more and more responsibility for the operations of the International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) in Afghanistan, the interaction between the North-Atlantic Alliance and the above-mentioned regional structures is getting more vital," he emphasized.
According to him, this year Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Nikolai Bordyuzha forwarded an official proposal to NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer to establish contacts between these organizations, in particular, in the anti-drug sphere.
"At the recent session of the Russia-NATO Council the Russian side confirmed the interest in anti-drug contacts and cooperation between the North-Atlantic Alliance and the Collective Security Treaty Organization," the Russian Foreign Minister stressed.
"The NATO Secretary General confirmed that NATO was interested in this interaction," Sergei Lavrov said.
In his opinion, a regional information and coordination center should be set up to combat Afghanistan's drug threat. "This center should be organized as soon as possible to make an additional contribution to our common efforts," the Russian minister noted.
