Французская Республика
Session of the Russian-French Working Group to counteract new challenges and threats
PRESS RELEASE
The 18 October saw the first session of the Russian-French interagency Working Group to counteract new challenges and threats, under the co-presidency of the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cooperation in the Fight against Terrorism and Cross-Border Organized Crime, Alexander Zmeevsky, and the Ambassador-at-large of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Michèle Ramis, who is responsible for issues concerning the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking.
The parties discussed key aspects of interaction in the area of the fightagainst illegal drug turnover, terrorism and transnational organised crime, both in the bilateral format and within international structures – the UN, the G8, the Global Counterterrorism Forum - in detail.
Special attention was devoted to issues of coordination of efforts in the area of counteracting the global drug threat, including taking into consideration Russia's presidency of the G8 in 2014.
There was an exchange of estimates of terrorist threats in different regions of the world, including the situation in the Sahara-Sahel region, North and West Africa and Afghanistan. The growing risks of distribution of terrorist and extremist ideology were highlighted.
The group will function under the aegis of the Russian-French Council for Cooperation on issues of security, headed by the foreign and defence ministers. The plan is to conduct another session in France in 2014.
21 October 2013