SPEECH BY S.V. LAVROV AT THE OPENING OF THE PHOTO EXHIBITION ON THE NATO-RUSSIA COUNCIL PILOT PROJECT ON COUNTER-NARCOTICS OF AFGHAN AND CENTRAL ASIAN PERSONNEL

(NATO HQ, Brussels, 7 December 2007)

Unofficial translation

Thank you. I am pleased to be taking part in this presentation.

We launched the Pilot Project for Counter-Narcotics Training of Afghan and Central Asian Personnel at a ministerial meeting in Brussels two years ago. The All-Russian Advanced Training Institute of the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation in Domodedovo is an important participant in this project.

By the end of this year almost 350 anti-narcotics specialists from the region will have been trained in the first phase of the project (2006-2007) - almost 150 of them at the Domodedovo centre, where eight training courses have been held.

At the anniversary meeting of the NRC held in Moscow in June, it was decided to launch the second phase of the project for 2008-2009. We plan to take eight groups of 18 students at the Institute next year.

Overall, the project is developing very successfully. As the NATO Secretary General said, we can cooperate successfully when there is the interest and political will for this. The Domodedovo centre is training specialists not only in combating the illegal drug trade, but also in countering terrorism and illegal immigration, ensuring transport safety, and participating in peacekeeping missions.

We think that the experience of training anti-narcotics personnel could be extended to other areas of activity in the future. The Institute has all necessary facilities for this.