ВЫСТУПЛЕНИЕ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА РТ НА МЕЖДУНАРОДНОЙ КОНФЕРЕНЦИИ ПО УКРЕПЛЕНИЮ ГРАНИЦ ( англ. версия)

         SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN EMOMALI RAHMON AT THE CONFERENCE ON BORDERMANAGEMENT AND DRUG CONTROLIN CENTRAL ASIA         Dear participants of the conference,         Ladies and gentlemen,          First of all, let me greet you on our earth and wish a successful work within the framework of this Conference and good impressions of your stay in Tajikistan. I am also eager to thank the European Union for its great work in the organization of today's event, touching upon important questions concerning management of borders and counteractions to drug trafficking. We reckon that the Conference will give an opportunity to generalize the stored experience of wide interaction between various states, international organizations and other institutes and establishments, and to reveal new directions of coordination of our joint efforts aimed at the strengthening of security and stability in the region of Central Asia.           For Tajikistan, due to a number of geopolitical and historical factors, the questions included in the agenda of our Conference have a great importance, and consequently I consider useful to make short historical excursion. After the Soviet Union's disintegration new borders were formed on the post-Soviet territory, and this factor demands development and security organization of borders without damage to external boundaries safeguarding. In the conditions of the internal political conflict which burst in our country after gaining the state independence, and the absence of respective military structures, not mentioning any experience in management of borders, the solution of this problem was interfaced to serious difficulties.            Moreover, at the beginning it was the situation on southern borders which affected negatively the atmosphere in our country. Penetration of weapon, terrorists, and subversive literature on our territory through badly guarded boundaries promoted the escalation of intensity. At the expense of lives, great efforts, considerable expenses and resources mobilization we succeeded in regaining the control over situation.           Here I want to mention a special role of Russia, which, understanding the existing complexities, took up the burdens of guarding our external borders.  Concurrently with it, our own boundary forces were in the process of their formation, and since July, 2005 they incurred the control over borders through all perimeter. Subsequently according to existing tendencies and proceeding from character of contemporary threats, necessary measures on branch reforming were undertaken. In course of their realization, the structure and essence of Frontier troops have been brought into accord with time requirements and nowadays they have become the organized military and law-enforcement structure.            At the present time the Government Frontier Troops Development Program and reconstruction of frontier of the Republic of Tajikistan calculated for the period till 2014 is being implemented. All these achievements could not be possible without adjustment of the wide-range international cooperation and the countries-partners assistance. Due to such support the personnel, professional and material potential of our frontier troops has become stronger.            During the period from 2003, within the framework of projects and programs in the course of implementation, various kinds of techniques, uniform, communication facility, computers and office equipment, special means and other equipment were supplied, repair and modernization of check-points and frontier posts were realized. You are well informed about examples of this cooperation and I suppose participants of the conference will mention them time after time. I would like to pay attention of the honorable audience to those positions which, to our opinion, require improvement.           The practice of the projects' implementation has shown that, along with undoubtedly positive results, there is a number of lacks which basically are caused by the absence of accurate coordination between the Frontier troops which are the main addressees of the assistance and international partners realized these projects. The rendered assistance, although it has helped to improve material equipment of the Frontier troops, nevertheless cannot be considered as sufficient for providing qualitative and effective solution of problems facing them. There are defects in what regards correspondence of the delivered equipment and means with real requirements.            Held seminars and trainings are designed to promote the strengthening of personnel potential and vocational training (professional development) of the frontier guards who are on a line of border and should cover a considerable quantity of military men. However, in a reality the attraction of enough number of trainees, especially to the most dangerous sites of state border is problematic and may cause the weakening of the boundary control. There are censures on quality and rate of repair-civil work realization in the most important and significant directions where adequate control over contractors and progress of planned work are not always provided.            For this moment a damage control on the frontier post, Hirmandjo of the Shuroabad boundary group has not been finished yet, works in the High Boundary School has not been begun yet, for 8 months of current year from outside the Afghani company "Sufiani" high-grade civil work on frontier posts "Kokul", "Sayod" and "Rybhoz" of Hamadoni boundary group has not started yet, and in a number of outposts especially in Badahshan direction, created conditions do not correspond to a heavy climate of high Pamir mountains.            There are also arrangements which remain on paper or whose practical implementation is unreasonably dragged along. Another direction of common efforts, to our opinion, is the perfection of such cooperation mechanisms, as the Parisian Pact, the Automated Donor Assistance Mechanism (ADAM), the Boundary International Group (BIG), and the Central Asia Border Security Initiative (CABSI) etc. To our opinion, the basic attention should be concentrated on the following moments:           1. It is necessary to improve material and technical equipment of Frontier troops including repair, equipment of check-points by necessary means according to the international standards. It is necessary to create a uniform information network and a database on management of borders with the software for its functioning. For high-grade and qualitative realization of these purposes it is expedient to elaborate separate program of the technical assistance which would consider requirements and co-ordinate efforts of donors.           2. The question of an infrastructure improvement as on a border line in frontier posts so in controls divisions in boundary groups is not of so little significance. At this moment, it is necessary to construct 4 new frontier posts only on the Afghani direction and to repair over 100 outposts, to carry out major repairs of Shaartuz, Pyandj, Hamadoni, Darvaz and Murghab boundary groups which were constructed in the thirtieth and fortieth of the past century. The Shuroabad boundary group securing the most difficult in all plans a site of border, demands capital re-structuring and repair.            Besides it technical constructions and observant towers on all extent of the line border need restoration. At the present moment the basic attention in realized projects is directed only on the southern site of border while it is also necessary to create a modern boundary infrastructure in the north of the country. Results of the operative office activity demonstrate that various groupings are active in this direction, except of the consumer goods contraband they are engaged in the drug trafficking and involved in the international terrorism.             We hope that the expressed wishes and offers will become a subject of analysis and be management to the further co-coordinated actions of all our partners because Tajikistan due to its location is on the first line of counteraction to global threats and maintenance of a reliable barrier is the contribution to our common security. Certainly the main condition of stability on our boundaries is a close cooperation with our neighbors, after all the common borders are not only control and safeguard but also opportunity for regional trade expansion, contacts between people, renewal of the historical links put still at the time of the ancient Silk way.             Ladies and gentlemen,             We believe the examination of issues concerning the maintenance of the reliable control over borders connected with counteraction to such global threat, as the narcotics-trafficking, is rather useful. Tajikistan considers that drugs are global harm and struggle against them is the essential task of the whole world community. I want to remind that Tajikistan is not the country of the drugs manufacture, however due to its geopolitical site and almost border in 1500 with Afghanistan with a difficult relief, has become one of the main barriers on the way of drug transportation to Europe, America and other continents and world regions.            A main factor defining development of narcotics situation not only in Tajikistan, but also in the Central Asia as a whole is stable growth of drugs manufacture in Afghanistan. According to the United Nations' official data, last year areas under crops of an opium poppy in Afghanistan have made 193 thousand hectares, and the volume of output has exceeded 8 thousand 200 tons. Besides it last years there is a tendency of the fast increase in scales of areas under cannabis crops in Afghanistan.             In case of the further development of this process in the nearest future Afghanistan can monopolize also manufacture of drugs of cannabis groups along with opiates. For the last 9 years on the territory of Republic of Tajikistan more than 60 tons of drugs of opium groups including 28 tons 625 kg of heroin were withdrawn from illegal circulation. If it has reached consumers such quantity of heroin could make addicts over 30 million people through the world.            Results of law enforcement bodies and frontier troops' activity for the last 3 years testify that Tajikistan remains a reliable board of the Afghani drugs' distribution in the region. In the first half of 2008 the share of Tajikistan in drugs of opium groups' withdrawal has made 43 % in the CIS, and 66 % in the Central Asia. Due to the expansion of the Afghani drugs' contraband and the threat proceeding from them, our country urged not once the world community to unite efforts in the sphere of drugs counteraction, having transformed it into our common cause.             Antinarcotics initiatives of Tajikistan find support from the leading states of the world, authoritative international organizations and first of all the United Nations Organization. Particularly the Tajik initiative on the "security belt" creation around Afghanistan cited on the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization in June, 1998, has found the wide response. And our appeal about formation of "Global partnership on counteraction to narcotic danger" was included into the list of "The most important initiatives of 2003 in the sphere of peace and security maintenance".            Nevertheless I must say that till the present time effective measures on its realization have not been undertaken yet. On April, 29 of 2005 the Republic of Tajikistan was elected as constant member of the UN International Committee for Control on Drugs with an absolute majority by the UN Economic and Social Council. We consider this fact as the high appreciation of the country efforts in the combating against illegal drug circulation and also as the fact of Tajikistan achievements recognition in this sphere by the International Community.            Our country is the participant of all the United Nations' antinarcotics conventions and the great work on the legislative base's adaptation to contemporary requirements was accomplished at the national level. Particularly, the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan was altered, laws "About narcotics, psychotropic substances and precursors", "About licensing of some kinds of activity" were adopted, National Lists of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (on which the state control are widespread) were confirmed, and the government programs defining strategy of combating against illegal drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors circulation came into force.        Simultaneously with it the independent divisions authorized to combat against drug trafficking were created in structure of the corresponding ministries and state departments, the State Commission for Control on Drugs was formed.            Hereafter under the United Nations Organization effective support in June, 1999 the Agency for Drugs Control under the President of Republic of Tajikistan was formed. It was the first similar project in practice of the United Nations and along with supporters it had also opponents. However results of the Agency practical activities have shown that the formation of this body was absolutely timely and correct. Today the international experts estimate the Tajik antinarcotics project as one of the best in the United Nations system.            The positive experience of the Tajik Agency's activity became the precondition for creation of the similar specialized structures in Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. At the period the Agency's activity in the country and across the border 13 tons 367 kg of narcotics were withdrawn from illegal circulation and 4 tons 659 kg were withdrawn conjointly with law enforcement bodies of the CIS states and Afghanistan, activity of 236 criminal narcotics smuggler groupings, including tens of groupings with international contacts, were exposed. Considering the necessity of the accumulated unique experience distribution, Tajikistan suggests to organize the international conference devoted to the 10th anniversary of the Agency's formation under the aegis of the United Nations in summer of the next year.            It is quite obvious that in combating against the transnational organized narcotics smuggler groupings to achieve notable results with efforts of the only one state is almost impossible. Therefore one of the key conditions in formation of effective counteraction to drug threat is creation of multilevel system of the international cooperation. With due consideration of it and also the developing narcotics situation on the Tajik-Afghani we pay a great attention to strengthening and development of cooperation with law enforcement bodies and special services of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.           In Badahshan, Tahor, Kunduz and Balh provinces, adjacent with Tajikistan, officers of communication service of the Agency for Drugs Control under the President of Republic of Tajikistan work in close interaction with the Afghani colleagues. It is necessary to notice that for the last 2 years over 50 joint operations were organized directly on territories of Afghanistan cross-bordered with Tajikistan by officers of communication service of the Agency conjointly with Afghani competent bodies it is spent. Besides it the considerable quantity of weapon, ammunition, explosives was withdrawn, 12 laboratories on heroin manufacture were destroyed.            Law enforcement bodies, special services of Tajikistan and Afghanistan have a mutual information exchange of timely information on international contrabandists, facts and figures involved in illegal drug circulation. Close interaction with cross bordered countries is adjusted within the framework of regional organizations where Tajikistan is also entered. Particularly I am eager to mention about great positive experience acquired within the framework of operative prophylactic operations "Channel" organized by the Collective Security Treaty Organization.            Only this year in course of this operation on the territory of the CSTO member states over 946 kg of heroin and 788 kg of opium-raw (51,4 % of which is heroin and 36 % of which is opium) were withdrawn from illegal circulation by law enforcement bodies and frontier troops of Tajikistan. I would like to notice that during the last years the crimes connected with the drug trafficking get more and more transnational character. Particularly only this year country law enforcement bodies have stopped activity of 7 transnational groupings where citizens of Southern Africa, Philippines, Uganda and other countries entered and they intended to transport more than 50 kg of high-quality heroin of the Afghani manufacture.            These and other achievements of Tajikistan in sphere of counteraction to the drug trafficking and improvements of management of borders would not be possible without serious financial and material assistance rendered to Republic of Tajikistan by United Nations Organization, European Union, Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Governments of USA, Russian Federation, China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, other countries and international organizations. Taking the opportunity I would like to express our sincere gratitude for this help and assistance.             Dear participants of Conference,             As to our further joint steps on combating against this global call, I would like to notice that success of the common efforts depends on efficiency of actions realized directly in Afghanistan. Programs of agriculture reorientation of this country and encouragement of farmers on transition to cultivation of other cultures should be combined with strict measures of narcostructures. We completely share the point of view about inclusion of a question on combating against drugs in the mandate of the International Forces of the peace assistance in Afghanistan.              Necessity of activation of military means, including and aircraft, it is dictated by the obvious postulate giving the daily confirming facts that narcotics business is a financial support of the Taliban and forces of the international terrorism. Not only Afghanistan neighbors but first of all states — end users of the Afghani drugs should be active in the solution of the drug trafficking problem. They could reorient a part of their material expenses for the organization and expansion of cooperation with the countries adjacent to Afghanistan, and finance the actions connected with combating the Afghani drugs transit.           In this case the region countries can achieve great results in combating against drugs with the lesser forces and means issues. We suppose that this question will be also a point of issue at the international conference (organization of which was offered by us) under the aegis of the United Nations with wide participation of the corresponding states. The significant amount of precursors, and first of all, anhydride of acetic acid which are not produced in this country is required for large-scale manufacture of heroin in Afghanistan.          According to the international experts data thousand tons of chemicals are necessary for opium processing in Afghanistan. Therefore, the toughening of control measures on import in this country should become for the effective solution of the problem of the Afghani narcotics trafficking along with destruction of opium poppy crops, heroin confiscation, and destruction of laboratories on its manufacture. For this purpose, the exchange of real-time information on precursors' transition from manufacturers to consumers is strongly needed.            With a view of the further strengthening and expansion of antinarcotics cooperation in the region on the recently held Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Dushanbe we have made an offer to establish, in Dushanbe, the SCO Antinarcotics Centre on the basis of the Agency for Drugs Controls under the President of Republic of Tajikistan. Besides, we suggest to create the Specialized Educational Centre for studying and retraining of the law enforcement officers who are combating against the drug trafficking.  We also developed the project of creation of the Specialized National Dogs Training Centre which is planned to realize together with the United Nations and the EU.           It is necessary to notice that in the case of the establishment of the Specialized Educational Centre and the Specialized National Dog Breeder centre, with the account of the language and cultural generality between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, we could organize studying and retraining of law enforcement officers of Afghanistan, and also to make in their disposition dogs training specialists and police search-dogs.           Ladies and gentlemen,            Realization of the stated offers is possible only with the conjointly coordinated actions and we are convinced that due to the world community support our country can bring more powerful contribution in borders strengthening and narcotics trafficking suppression. I am sure that at this Conference many other offers which will be a point of issue and the careful analysis of experts will be cited and finally will find its realization in concrete projects and programs. I wish all of you successful work.