ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
July 2, 2004 Friday
Prospects for cooperation in fighting organized crime
By Svetlana Alikina and Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
Prospects for cooperation in fighting organized crime and cleansing the
Russian and Armenian economies of criminality will be discussed on
Friday at a meeting of the governing boards of the Russian Interior
Ministry and the Armenian police force.
Russia’s Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev and Armenian police chief
Gaik Arutyunian, as well as the leaders of the directorates subordinate
to them will take part in the meeting.
This will be the fifth meeting of the interior ministers of the two
countries since 2000, the Russian interior minister Nurgaliyev noted.
He said the creation of a common law-enforcement space of the two
states was the key priority.
The meeting will also discuss interaction in the struggle against
organized criminal groups and communities operating on an international
level. The parties also plan to dwell on fighting drug trafficking and
suppressing trade in people.
According to the Russian Interior Ministry, there has been a noticeable
reduction in the overall number of crimes committed by CIS citizens.
Lately, 254 members and 45 leaders of criminal groups organized by
natives of Armenia have been taken to criminal account; and 165
criminal cases have been opened.