The European Union is planning to grant [as heard] 44m euros to Central Asian states by 2013. All the resources will be used for rebuilding and equipping border checkpoints.

Talaybek Usubaliyev, deputy manager of the EC’s Border Management and Drug Action in Central Asia programmes, said "This money is being granted by the European Commission by a decision of the European Union. It is being allocated for the purpose of assisting border management in Central Asia, as well as for fighting drugs. Agreements on bilateral cooperation and on a code of conduct for border officers at state borders have been signed with our two neighbours."

Zamir Moldoshev, the head of the Kyrgyz Border Service, said "I have already signed separate agreements with the chairman of the Kazakh border service. I have also signed similar agreements with Tajikistan. We are expecting that similar agreements will be signed with Uzbekistan in the nearest future."

The deputy commander of the Hungarian Border Guards Istvan Samu said that transparent borders were not a myth for Central Asia.

Istvan Samu added "This is absolutely real. I see that this is real. If not everywhere, we can do this at first at the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border. We see no problems there which can make this impossible. Border officers are already doing the common work."

The Hungarian guest also mentioned the problem of the Uzbek-Afghan border where, as he said, arms and drugs trafficking never stops.

We do not want these countries to close [their borders] or isolate themselves from one another. They had lived without any borders in this region for a long time. Certainly, there are threats which they must stop, said Istvan Samu.

A two-day conference will start in Bishkek tomorrow to discuss the issues of border management and preventing drugs trafficking in Central Asia. It is planned that the conference will discuss all the problems which have been mentioned and ways of solving them.