Iran's Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar on Tuesday called for joint efforts among the regional states to curb drug trafficking, IRNA reported.
He made the remarks while addressing the Regional Ministerial Conference on Counter-narcotics.
He said that determination in the relentless combat against narcotic material is in fact a universal predicament. "We also reiterate on strengthening and expanding our cooperation and coordination in carrying out the agreed programs in different dimensions of combat against narcotic materials," the Iranian minister said.
"There are abundant capacities to promote the level of the existing cooperation either quantitatively or qualitatively and the triangular initiative between Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, whose sixth ministerial meeting is scheduled to be held in Tehran, is a good example of the joint endeavors of the member countries and United Nations in making use of the existing capabilities in fulfilling the commitments they have made in materializing the principle of common responsibility," said Mostafa Mohammad Najjar.
He said that proper attention has to be paid to the complexities related to the process from production to illegal trafficking of narcotic materials.
"One of the cases that should receive our attention to further limit the activities of narcotic trafficking networks is in fact strengthening the systems of intelligence exchanging at the regional level," he viewed.
"Here I thank UNODC for their efforts in establishing regional centers for intelligence exchange including Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center and Joint Planning Cell," Iran's Interior Minister said.
He went on to say that the ongoing situation in Afghanistan is worrisome although we have so far supported every measure to curb plantation and production of narcotic materials through reviving the alternative development programs.
"The issue of drugs production has to be followed properly in regional and international scenes," said the Iranian minister.
Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said that the agreement between Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan to formulate a framework for intelligence exchange and cooperation in border control could be among the most effective measures at the regional level and in the area of combat against narcotic materials with an approach to consolidate regional structures.
He opined that the presence of high ranking officials from countries in South West Asia, Central Asia in the meeting offers a good opportunity to exchange views and jointly formulate effective mechanism in the combat against narcotic materials.
Mostafa Mohammad Najjar lauded the efforts of Pakistani government for holding the regional conference to counter narcotics.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik expressing his views said that Regional Ministerial Conference on Counter-narcotics was an initiative of President Asif Ali Zardari. He said that terrorists and drug dealers have close links in Afghanistan. "Taliban ensure that war continues in Afghanistan," he said.
He added that Iran and Pakistan are suffering from the menace of drugs trafficking. The minister said that illegal economic activities in Afghanistan are affecting legal activities in the country.
He said that western drug dealers should reduce their demands of drugs. "Pakistan is making all efforts to curb drug trafficking," he said.
"We are victims of terrorism, narcotics and money laundering," said Rehman Malik. He said that the regional states have to establish some kind of common mechanism to stop drug trafficking.
"We have to have strong border controls," he said.
Interior Minister of Turkey Idris Naim Şahin expressing his views said that drug trafficking, financing terrorism are main crimes. "Drug trafficking disturbs the world peace," he said. The Turkish minister said that his country has given special attention to curb drug crimes.
In the end of the conference a joint declaration to eliminate drug trafficking was also adopted.
The first session of the conference was chaired by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar while Interior Minister Rehman Malik chaired the second session.
President Asif Ali Zardari addressing the inaugural session of the conference said that merchants of death do not recognize any boundaries - political, geographical, ethical, or legal-and were destroying the youth, no matter what passport they possess.
Two-day Regional Ministerial Conference on Counter-narcotics began in Islamabad on Monday.
The senior officials from thirteen regional countries participated in the conference.
The delegations from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime participated in the meeting.