Russia, the Central Asian states and Iran should work jointly within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to boost the fight against Afghan drugs, Richard Weitz, senior editor of World Politics Review and senior fellow and director of the Hudson Institute Center for Political-Military Analysis, told RIA Novosti while commenting on the results of the Moscow forum “Drug Production in Afghanistan: A Challenge for the International Community,” held June 9-10, 2010.

“One can integrate Russian, Central Asian, and Iranian anti-drug efforts within the framework of the SCO, perhaps linked to the CSTO,” Weitz said, answering a question about what Russia could contribute to combating drug trafficking from Afghanistan.

He also thinks Russia could take other effective actions.
“Russia can organize additional training of Afghan counternarcotics personnel,” he said.

In addition, Weitz said that Russia “can develop better alternative treatment programs at home; help curb drug addiction within Afghanistan itself.”
Speaking about the main tools in the fight against drug trafficking, the analyst said it is very important to conduct an effective public information campaign.

Other measures include “offering opium farmers alternative livelihood opportunities that would redirect them into legal employment activities; enhancing the capacity of Afghan law enforcement agencies to prosecute major narcotraffickers through their imprisonment or extradition; directly eradicating opium poppy crops; and interdicting the flow of narcotics within and beyond Afghanistan,” Weitz said.

He thinks Russia and the United States could cooperate in the fight against drugs.

“I like the idea of deepening cooperation between NATO and CSTO to improve interdiction efforts as well as more joint training of Afghan counterterrorist personnel and funding of programs to reduce Afghan drug addiction,” the analyst said.

“The crack cocaine epidemic has fortunately been reduced, as has the misuse of methamphetamines,” Weitz commented on the United States’ main achievements in this sphere.

He praised the outcome of “Drug Production in Afghanistan: A Challenge for the International Community” international forum convened at RIA Novosti’s initiative in Moscow.

“It was a very interesting combination of political leaders, subject experts, and media. It may be hard to reproduce often given how busy these important people are,” Weitz said.

WASHINGTON (RIA Novosti’s correspondent Maria Tabak)