BISHKEK, August 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's president proposed Thursday creating financial security belts around Afghanistan to counter money laundering, and holding a special security conference on the country.

Vladimir Putin is currently on a visit to Kyrgyzstan, which hosted Thursday a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which comprises Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and has Iran, India, Pakistan and Mongolia as observers.

"It is essential to continue forming anti-drug security belts around Afghanistan, which could be complemented with financial security belts supervised by SCO financial monitors," the president said. "This will improve the effectiveness of measures to counter both drug trafficking and money laundering."

He said given that all SCO member states were interested in ensuring stability in Afghanistan, a special conference should be held to discuss means of helping the country. He proposed that SCO countries' foreign ministers make corresponding preparations.