OREANDA-NEWS. June 27, 2011. The International Conference on Transboundary Cooperation between Turkmenistan and Neighbouring Countries to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking started its work in the conference hall of the President Hotel in Ashgabat.

The delegations of the Caspian states, the United States, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Afghanistan, India, China, Japan, Korea, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and other countries take part in the forum being held on the initiative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Turkmenistan and organized by the Government of Turkmenistan. Forum participants represent the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the OSCE, the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC), Interpol, TIKA, the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), the ECO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Turkmenistan is represented by specialists of law enforcement agencies, a number of ministries and departments concerned and of diplomatic missions and large international organizations accredited to Turkmenistan and foreign and Turkmen journalists.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov congratulated participants of the International Conference on Transboundary Cooperation between Turkmenistan and Neighbouring Countries. He underlined that drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking were the complicated problems the world was facing today. Only concerted efforts of all countries and international organisations made it possible to fight effectively against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs which posed a threat to every country and the world community as a whole and had become a threat on a global scale.

Evaluating highly the important role of the international conference, which became a sign of confidence and respect from the United Nations Organisation to the status of neutrality of Turkmenistan and its peaceful foreign policy, the Turkmen leader expressed belief that the fruitful work of this international forum would give a powerful impetus to the activity aimed at elaborating and implementing the effective mechanisms to address the tasks to foster transboundary cooperation and combat illicit drug trafficking set to the United Nations.

The UNODC Coordinator in Turkmenistan Mr. Ercan Saka expressed deep gratitude to President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on behalf of all forum participants for providing active comprehensive support for the actions and initiatives to combat drug trafficking and strengthening the transboundary cooperation, in particular.

As is known cooperation between law enforcement agencies, departments and agencies concerned of neighbouring countries and competent international organizations are often put on the agenda of the forums held in Turkmenistan. Indeed, this problem, which poses a serious threat to all humanity, requires taking comprehensive and well-coordinated actions at national, regional and global levels.

Turkmenistan is an active party to the three international Conventions against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, which were adopted by the UN in 1961, 1971 and 1988. In this context, the membership of Turkmenistan in the UN Commission on Drugs for 2012-2015 is of paramount importance. Currently, a number of regional and national projects are implemented in Turkmenistan, and the bilateral projects aimed at combating illicit drug trafficking and strengthening border control have been launched in collaboration with the U.S. Government and the UK Government.

It was emphasized during the forum that standing steadfast to its commitments Turkmenistan, which had defined decisive and uncompromising struggle against this evil to be a priority of the state policy, worked closely with partner countries and international organizations.

Conference participants evaluated highly the work carried out by the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, which was opened in Ashgabat in 2007 and provides effective assistance to the Governments of the region in combating threats and potential challenges of our time.

The State Service of Turkmenistan on Drugs was established in Turkmenistan on the initiative of the Turkmen leader. In compliance with the Working plan to combat illicit drug trafficking and assist the persons addicted to narcotic and psychotropic substances for 2011-2015 the large-scale measures are taken in the country to suppress illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and detect and prevent drug abuse. Law enforcement agencies, health care and educational institutions and the public organizations of the Galkynysh National Movement carry out the activities to eradicate this evil and raise awareness of local population. The structures such as check-points and customs stations involved in these activities are supplied with state-of-the-art equipment, including computer and X-ray equipment, patrol vessels, control and other special devices.

The discussions focused on the promotion of cooperation between the border guard services of the Caspian states to ensure protection of their maritime borders.

Underlining significant importance of furthering cooperation in the sphere under discussion, conference participants put emphasis on the need to enhance the potential of cooperation to achieve the goals set to countries of the region and the world and jointly combat threats and challenges of the present time.