Four leaders agree to step up fight against terrorism, drugs.

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18/8 Tass 332

SOCHI, August 18 (Itar-Tass) - Russia, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and
Pakistan intend to step up joint efforts in fight against terrorism and
drugs, said a joint statement passed on the results of the summit meeting
on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters.
The foreign minister noted that the four presidents had focused on the
situation in Afghanistan, fight against the threat of terrorism and
illegal drug trafficking.
According to Lavrov, terrorism and the spread of drugs are qualified
in the joint statement as "a threat to peace and stability".
The four leaders expressed readiness to boost fight in these
directions, including within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (CSO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The foreign minister reminded reporters that the operation Channel, aimed
to stop the illegal circulation of drugs, was held on a regular basis
under the CSTO aegis.
Russia and Tajikistan take part in this operation as full members,
while Pakistan and Afghanistan - as observers. Besides, the presidents
discussed economic and energy cooperation as well as cooperation in the
sphere of transport infrastructure and mining operations, Lavrov said.
He said the four leaders had discussed "a need to develop and
implement joint regional projects". According to Lavrov, the presidents
emphasized a need to concretize offers on how to restore the Salang tunnel
(in Afghanistan), to look into the issue of Afghanistan's hydropower
facilities taking into consideration the already existing power plants.
According to the top Russian diplomat, much attention was also paid to
assistance to Pakistan that has suffered from strong floods. He noted that
Russia had already rendered necessary aid, and that it would submit some
other proposals at the next conference on the issue under the U.N. aegis.
The foreign minister also said that the presidents had decided to
launch cooperation within the same format of four parties between the
ministers of economic and foreign affairs of Russia, Afghanistan,
Tajikistan and Pakistan.
"At the suggestion of Tajikistan the next such meeting will be held in
Dushanbe," Lavrov added.
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