Azerbaijani parl’t deputy speaker highlights illicit drug trafficking in Nagorno-Karabakh at int’l conference in Moscow

Azerbaijani parl’t deputy speaker highlights illicit drug trafficking in Nagorno-Karabakh at int’l conference in Moscow
# 04 December 2017 14:21 (UTC +04:00)

An international conference entitled "Parliamentarians Against Drugs" kicked off in the Russian State Duma on Monday.

An Azerbaijani delegation headed by First Deputy Speaker Ziyafat Asgarov is present at the conference, an APA correspondent reported from Moscow.

The conference brought together parliamentarians, officials and leading experts from 44 countries. Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yury Fedotov, Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova, the speakers of the parliaments of Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, the United States, Uzbekistan, and Ecuador, deputy speakers of the parliaments of a number of countries, and NGO representatives made speeches at the conference

After the plenary session, the conference proceeded with the sections entitled "Drug Addiction: A Modern Approach to Treatment and Rehabilitation", "Improving Legislative Regulation of the Fight against Illicit Drug Trafficking", and "The Role of NGOs in the Fight against Drug Threat".

Speaking on the theme “Improving Legislative Regulation of the Fight against Illicit Drug Trafficking", First Deputy Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Ziyafat Asgarov shared his views on drug trafficking and the fight against drug addiction.

He noted that combating illicit drug trafficking must be carried out on a global scale through cooperation.

According to Asgarov, illicit drug trafficking is directly linked to terrorism, separatism and the financing of illegal armed groups.

“Under various slogans, as well as the interpretation of the right to self-determination which is incompatible with the principles of international law, “gray zones” are created in a bid to carry out illegal activities, including illicit drug trafficking. From this point of view, it is clear that separatism, violation of territorial integrity of states, including the separation of parts of territories have close connection to such crimes as drug smuggling, illegal arms sale and terrorism financing. This causes a serious concern in relation to Nagorno-Karabakh,” he said.

The activities of the central government in occupied Nagorno-Karabakh are completely excluded, stressed Asgarov.

“This creates a fertile background for the activities of various criminal groups, including those involved in illicit drug trafficking,” he added.

The deputy speaker also emphasized that complex measures are being taken in Azerbaijan to return drug users to social life.

He also spoke about the penalties referred to in the Azerbaijani legislation on drugs, as well as the conditions created for the re-socialization of drug addicts in the country.

A joint declaration will be adopted after the two-day conference.

Nagorno Garabagh

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