DUSHANBE, November 12, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) ratified the agreement on the establishment of Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center (CARICC) at a November 12 sitting, presided by its chairman, Saydullo Khairulloyev. 

Presenting the document, the Drug Control Agency director Rustam Nazarov noted that director of the CARICC''s main goal was to promote cooperation among law enforcement agencies in the region to enhance counternarcotics activities.   

 Asked about the possibility of participation of Afghanistan in the Center, the drug control chief noted that that issue would be considered after the Center becomes fully operational.  Moreover, Afghanistan has expressed wish to join the Center, Nazarov said.

Over the last decade, criminal organizations have increasingly smuggled Afghan heroin through Central Asia, and to counter the illicit drug trafficking, UNODC has launched the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center (CARICC) this year.  To this end, CARICC serves as the region''s main center for information exchange and analysis on transnational crime as well as a center for the coordination of joint operations. The Center is in Almaty, Kazakhstan.  Presently, the Center is in a pilot phase; for it to become fully operational, at least four countries must ratify the CARICC Agreement.

The center has liaison officers seconded from member states whose role is to ensure cooperation between CARICC and the competent authorities in the respective country.  At present, it has liaison officers from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.  The center has established good contacts with Interpol.  Interpol plans to establish a liaison office at CARICC as soon as the Agreement enters into force.