Russia, U.S. to discuss anti-drug efforts at Moscow meeting
The Russian-U.S. Drug Trafficking Working Group will hold its first session on Thursday in Moscow, Russia's Federal Drug Control Service said.
The co-chairmen of the group are Gil Kerlikowske, Director of U.S. National Drug Control Policy and his Russian counterpart, the head of the Federal Drug Control Service, Viktor Ivanov. The two officials have already met in Washington, in September 2009.
Kerlikowske earlier told RIA Novosti that situation in the world's largest heroin producer, Afghanistan, will be one of key issues on the meeting's agenda.
Russia is one of the main markets for drugs from Afghanistan, with at least 12 tons of pure heroin smuggled into the country each year.
Drug use is a growing problem in the country, particularly involving heroin smuggled via the former Soviet states in Central Asia, including Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. About 90% of drug users in Russia are heroin addicts.
In late January Russia's envoy to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, urged NATO to prioritize the fight against drug trafficking in Afghanistan, saying that "heroin aggression" was "the main threat to Russia."
The working group operates within the framework of the Russia-U.S. Bilateral Presidential Commission, established by the Russian and U.S. leaders during their meeting in last July.
