Bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Afghanistan could reduce drug trafficking from the war-torn state, a deputy Russian economics minister said on Wednesday.

"We think that besides military and political efforts, a whole complex of measures are needed to develop the Afghan economy," Igor Manylov told the international anti-drugs forum in Moscow.

Dale Scott: “To solve the drug problem, will be a major major contribution to solving the security problem”

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Dale Scott: “To solve the drug problem, will be a major major contribution to solving the security problem”

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Manylov said Russia already had experience of working with Afghanistan in the spheres of energy, construction and gas, but trade had been blocked between the two countries since 2005.

He said Russian-Afghan trade reached $350 million in 2009, with some 95% accounted for by Russia. In the past five months the figure has fallen by 28%.

Among the key spheres of cooperation between Russia and Afghanistan Manylov named electric power, construction and agriculture.

"There is a need for innovative decisions, including the establishment of alternative agriculture," he said.

Russia's drugs control chief Viktor Ivanov called on the forum participants to establish a special agency on Afghanistan, which could promote the economic development of the country.

Nearly 200 experts, politicians and drug-control specialists from 40 countries are attending the anti-drugs forum in Moscow on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss ways of stopping drug traffic from Afghanistan, which has caused a sharp rise in heroin consumption, especially in Russia.

MOSCOW, June 9 (RIA Novosti)