"Guided by this agreement, the drug police of the two countries will join efforts to uncover and eliminate channels used by drug barons in financing international terrorism, to carry out joint operations, to develop direct contacts, to exchange experience and to introduce plans of vocational training," reports the Russian drug control service.
The same source says that the signed document has been worked out at the initiative of both sides. This is the first inter-ministerial document on cooperation between two independent anti-drug agencies in the CIS environment.
On signing the document, Viktor Cherkesov qualified the agreement at a press-conference as an important step forward.
"The closer we are to the region from which drugs are coming, the safer and more effective the barrier to drug threat will be," said Mr. Cherkesov.
Viktor Cherkesov and Kurmanbek Kubatbekov expressed confidence that the agreement signed would contribute in the fight against drug trafficking via the so-called "Northern route" from Afghanistan.
The drug control service praised a number of joint operations already accomplished by the two agencies set up only last year. In particular, they have exposed one of the long-standing international drug channels from Tajikistan into Kyrgyzstan and then to Russia.
"As a result of the Yekaterinburg operation, three members of a criminal group who tried to sell 13 kilograms of heroin were caught red-handed. All in all, over 21 kilos of heroin have been confiscated since the beginning of the year due to Russian-Kyrgyz cooperation," added the source.
As the Russian drug control service's delegation continued its visit to Bishkek this Wednesday, Mr. Cherkesov met with Kyrgyzstan's Prime Minister Nikolai Tanayev to discuss further contacts in anti-drug campaigns.
The Russian delegation is expected to be soon received by Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev.
