A protocol on cooperation between Russian and Mongolian Interior Ministries has been signed in Mongolia

Russian Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov and Mongolian Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs Tsendiin Nyamdorj have completed their negotiations in Ulan Bator.

As a RIA Novosti correspondent reports, summing up the results of the negotiations, the Russian Interior Minister told reporters that his meeting with the Mongolian Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs had been fruitful. He said that on the results of the negotiations they had signed a protocol on cooperation between the two ministries for the year 2003.

Boris Gryzlov pointed out that the document, in particular, provided for coordinated joint operations in a bid to prevent, reveal, stop and disclose terrorist and other extremist activity, organised crime, crimes connected with the illegal trade in arms, ammunition and drugs, and crimes in the economic sphere, as well as crimes connected with illegal migration.

The agreement, said Boris Gryzlov, provides for exchanging operational, criminal and other information concerning the preparation of terrorist acts and other grave crimes.

An important aspect of the negotiations, according to the Russian Interior Minister, was the discussion of across-border cooperation between the two ministries.

Boris Gryzlov pointed out that with the aim of raising the efficiency of cooperation between the two countries' law enforcement bodies, the ministers considered the question of instituting a mission of the Interior Ministry of the Russian Federation at the Russian Embassy in Mongolia and a mission of the Mongolian Ministry of Justice in Russia.

The Russian Interior Minister said that the agreement provided for cooperation in training personnel for the Mongolian Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs in the St. Petersburg University of the Interior Ministry of the Russian Federation at the expense of the Russian side.