Russian Interpol won a high appraisal from the leadership of this international organization

On Wednesday the 31st Regional Conference of the Interpol European Committee started its work being attended by 160 representatives of 48 states, including Russia.

Sergei Pismensky, first deputy chief of the Central Bureau of the Russian Interpol under the Ministry of Interior stated that "the conference, in addition to consideration of issues of the struggle against international criminality, would elect two co-chairmen of the Committee".

Presently three applications for those posts from Poland, Estonia and Russia were filed in. According to Pismensky, "judging by the preparatory work carried out prior to the conference Warsaw and Tallinn got the biggest chances to take those positions." At the same time, in his opinion, it did not at all mean that the level of development of the Russian Interpol was lower.

Pismensky indicated that recently the Russian delegation visited the Interpol headquarters in Lyons where Secretary General of that organization Ronald Noble highly assessed the activity of the Russians.

Pismensky reported that in ten days Ronald Noble would arrive on an official visit to Moscow on the invitation of the Russian minister of Interior. He stated that Noble would discuss with head of the Russian Ministry of Interior Boris Gryzlov matters of the struggle against international terrorism which were of a priority character for both parties. Noble will also have meetings with leadership of the Russian Ministry of Interior, Prosecutor's General office, State Duma deputies.

Pismensky indicated that "activity of the Russian Interpol became more important not only within the framework of the Interpol European Committee but within the framework of the whole international organization". Presently Russia participates in 12 Interpol projects including such areas as illegal immigration, illegal drugs trafficking.

According to him, in the course of the current year the Russian Interpol returned to Russia stolen cultural valuables worth several hundred million dollars.