Islam Times - NATO unwilling to boost Afghan anti-drug cooperation: Putin

Islam Times - Russian President Vladimir Putin says the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states are reluctant to cooperate with Moscow in the battle against illicit drugs in Afghanistan.

“Our partners, those present in Afghanistan, are unwilling to work together in this area," Putin said at a meeting of the State Council Presidium in Moscow on Wednesday.

He further expressed Russia’s opposition to the legalization of light drugs, calling on Russia's Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) to step up pro-active cooperation to combat drug addiction and trafficking.

“All major international sites and organizations, first and foremost, the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the BRICS group [of five leading emerging economies] and the CSTO (the Collective Security Treaty Organization) should be used for this purpose," the Russian president added.

Wednesday’s presidium meeting was reportedly focused on issues such as implementing Russia’s state anti-drug policy as well as cutting the circulation and non-medical use of drugs and minimizing their consequences.

Last month, Russia's Federal Drug Control Service warned that illegal drug production in Afghanistan has increased 50-fold since the US-led invasion of the country fourteen years ago.

Afghanistan currently produces some 90 percent of the world’s illicit opium. Taliban militants often tax poppy farmers and use the money to fund their militant activities in the war-torn state.

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. Although the offensive removed Taliban from power, insecurity still remains across the country.

The US-led combat mission in Afghanistan ended on December 31, 2014. However, at least 13,500 foreign forces have remained in the country in what Washington calls a support mission.