DUSHANBE , May 15, Asia-Plus - Tajikistan having a more than 1,300-kilometer common border with Afghanistan has become “a buffer zone against flow of drugs from the neighboring country,” Rahmonov said telling the international conference on fighting drug trafficking today.  

According to him, Tajikistan has signed a series of international documents on fighting drug trafficking and the country’s legislation has been completely adapted to contemporary conditions.  

“I have made speeches in the United Nations 13 times and Tajikistan has come out three time with initiative to create anti-drug belt around Afghanistan since 1998,” said Rahmonov, “This measure could allow fighting with drug threat emanating from Afghanistan more efficiently.”

Rahmonov noted that Tajikistan had seized 60 tons of drugs, with more than a half of them being heroin, over the past several years.  He noted that Tajikistan topped CIS in drug seizures.  “At present Tajikistan stands first place among the CIS states in terms of the amount of drugs seized and in fourth place globally,” Rahmonov said, noting that Tajikistan accounted for 60 percent of drugs seized within the CIS area.   

The president also noted that a number of Tajiks detained in the CIS states for drug trafficking had decreased from 1,800 in 2000 to 400 in 2005.  Over the past five years, a number of people suffering from drug addiction in Tajikistan has reduced from 29,000 to 6,000, according to him.  

Rahmonov also noted that measures taken by Tajikistan to fight this evil had saved millions of human lives and averted of possible receipt by terrorists of billionth revenues.

“Many international experts underestimate this problem,” said Rahmonov, “Terrorism has no borders and the September 11 tragedy in the United States is an obvious example of this.”  Rahmonov stressed that drugs were the problem not only of Tajikistan , Afghanistan and Central Asia but also of the whole international community.  

“Taking part at many international conferences and events, Tajikistan has risen the problem of Afghan drugs but they say over and over again that “it is your problem and the problem of Central Asia ,” stated Rahmonov, “No one country in the world is able to address this threat alone and we have to work out a common concept of the fight against drugs in Afghanistan .  We are ready to cooperate with all countries and international organizations in the fight against drug trafficking, terrorism, and extremism in order to establish order in the region.”

The president also expressed concern about increase in production of drugs in Afghanistan .  He noted that despite of the ongoing international antiterrorist operation in the neighboring country, production of drugs in Afghanistan had increased three times over the past five years.  

“We should nip this evil in the bud in Afghanistan ,” Rahmonov said, noting that “drug problem is not our blame but it is our trouble.”