Russia, U.S. pledge joint efforts against Afghan drug problem

MOSCOW, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Russia and the United States on Thursday vowed to crack down on drug production and trafficking in Afghanistan, Russian news agencies reported.

Russia has complained that the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have not done enough to prevent the flow of drugs from Afghanistan, which has triggered a rise in addiction rates in Russia.

Viktor Ivanov, the head of Russia's drug control agency, and his U.S. counterpart, Gil Kerlikowske, on Thursday signed a series of framework documents on joint anti-drug efforts here.

The agreements stipulate the activities of a Russia-U.S. drug control group, the group's participants and areas of cooperation.

"Russia and the United States are convinced that solving this problem requires the efforts of the governments of both countries," according to a joint statement signed by Ivanov and Kerlikowske.

The joint work must extend beyond law enforcement to include prevention, treatment, financial controls, and information and personnel exchanges, the statement says.