VIENNA, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Antonio Maria Costa discussed international cooperation to counter drug trafficking from Afghanistan at a meeting with Victor Ivanov, director of the Federal Drug Control Service of the Russian Federation on Thursday.

    Costa thanked Russia for its support for the Paris Pact, an initiative launched in 2003 to promote coordinated measures to counter narco-trafficking in and from Afghanistan, as well as a project to strengthen security on the Tajik-Afghan border, according to the press release issued by the UN Information Service Vienna.

    He applauded Russia's support for the project to train counter-narcotics and law enforcement personnel in Central Asia and Afghanistan. "This is a clear demonstration of Russia's commitment to bolstering security in Afghanistan and beyond its borders," Costa said.

    Ivanov expressed the concern about "relentless flows of illegal drugs," especially through the so-called "northern route" crossing countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) including Russia, and called for stronger partnerships with UNODC.

    "We consider UNODC an important partner in fighting the Afghan drug threat and support UNODC's cooperation with the regional security mechanisms active in Central Asia," he said.