YEREVAN, June 28 (RIA Novosti) - Illegal migration has become one of the most pressing problems facing the world today, Russia's interior minister said Wednesday.
Russia has seen an unprecedented inflow of illegal migrants following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Interior Ministry estimates the number in Russia's Far East alone at between 400,000 and 700,000, but the true figure may be higher.
"Illegal migration has become a serious problem, as it is closely related to terrorism, international organized crime, drug trafficking and trade in people," Rashid Nurgaliyev told a joint Russian-Armenian interior ministries' session in Yerevan, the Armenian capital.
He said that, as a transit country, Russia was particularly interested in cooperation in the field, both multilateral and bilateral, and added that interaction with Armenia would be prioritized.
