CSTO ready to discuss, agree intl efforts against Afghan drug threat
- Written by Interfax
MOSCOW. Nov 28 (Interfax) . The international community needs to develop a common mechanism to counter the drug threat coming fromAfghanistan,Russia's envoy to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Igor Lyakin-Frolov told Interfax.
"In our opinion, it is important to develop a single mechanism to coordinate cooperation in combating the drug threat from Afghanistan that would include different structures representing the UN, the OSCE [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe], the CSTO and other international organizations. It is highly important to join forces and work together. We are ready to discuss and agree our steps," he said.
The Russian diplomat mentioned individual ideas concerning the fight against the drug threat, including a counter-drug initiative for Central Asian countries recently proposed by the United States.
"We have not rejected it. On the contrary, we are closely following the drafting of this initiative and keeping in touch with the U.S. We are ready to discuss proposals for cooperation in this area certainly without damaging our national interests in Central Asia," he said.
"However, our position is that this initiative should not substitute existing multilateral and unilateral mechanisms of cooperation, but it should smoothly fit into the international community's joint efforts aimed at countering the drug threat coming from Afghanistan," Lyakin-Frolov said.
