26 Apr 2016 17:23

Attendees of SCO summit in Tashkent in June to discuss fight against drug mafia, transnational crime - Putin

MOSCOW. April 26 (Interfax) - New initiatives in countering drug mafia, extremism and transnational crime will be on the agenda of the next summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), due to be held in Tashkent this June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"We support the new initiatives that are due to be discussed at June's summit in Tashkent, including the fight against drug mafia and transnational organized crime," Putin said at a press conference after talks in Moscow with Uzbek president Islam Karimov.

"Uzbekistan is Russia's strategic partner and reliable ally," Putin said, while reaffirming the intention "to solidify this friendship and mutual support."