DUSHANBE, December 14, 2011, Asia-Plus — Rustam Nazarov, the director of the Drug Control Agency (DCA) under the President of Tajikistan, participated in the ninth Paris Pact policy consultative group meeting that took place in Vienna, Austria in early December, the DCA press center reports.
Representatives of 40 countries and international organizations, such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC), ECO, OSCE and some others, attended the ninth Paris Pact policy consultative group meeting
The Paris Pact Policy Consultative Group Meetings (PCGM) convene annually to identify and set in motion concrete measures to stem the increasing levels of opiates trafficked from Afghanistan and address the drug abuse situation in priority countries. The meetings bring together policy-makers from several countries and international organizations who can decide upon expert recommendations and influence resource allocation.
The Paris Pact Initiative is a partnership of more than 50 countries and international organizations to combat traffic in and consumption of Afghan opiates.
During his stay in Vienna, Tajik drug control chief also took part in the closed meeting of heads of counternarcotics agencies from Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan that considered the UNODC 2011- 2014 Regional Programme to boost coordinated counternarcotics efforts and regional stability.
The Regional Programme is a strategic framework for the work of UNODC and multilateral partners, and focuses largely on counter-narcotics and the rule of law in order to respond effectively to drug trafficking and organized crime. Building on past successes, examples of future work may include training counter-narcotics law enforcement officials; conducting joint raids, drug seizures and border patrols; and tackling cross-border illicit money flows.
Besides, Tajik drug control chief held bilateral meeting with UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov in Vienna. Fedotov reportedly highly appraised the level of bilateral cooperation. UNODC executive director is expected to visit Tajikistan in June 2012.
Rustam Nazarov also met with Afghan delegation, led by Baz Mohammad Ahmadi, Deputy Minister of Interiors for Counter Narcotics. They discussed bilateral cooperation and activity of the DCA liaison officers operating in Afghanistan. The sides agreed to hold a working meeting of heads of counternarcotics agencies of Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan in Dushanbe in late December this year or early January 2012.
In Moscow, Rustam Nazarov met with Viktor Ivanov, director of Russia’s Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN). The two reportedly discussed a broad range of issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation and trends in the drug situation in Eurasia, the source said.
