MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday it was highly important to protect Russia’s borders from terrorists, illegal migrants and drug trafficking.
"First of all, it is necessary to use a comprehensive approach to neutralizing risks and threats in relation to border security," the head of state said at a session of Russia’s Security Council.
As the Russian president said, "the point at issue is the reliable protection of our territory from terrorists and extremists, from trans-national and cross-border crime, the active work to bust the channels of drug trafficking, illegal migration, the smuggling of material and cultural values, strategic raw materials and bio-resources."
"It is obvious that the result in this sphere directly depends on clear-cut and effective coordination, coordinated actions by all the structures and services both working directly at the border and as a whole responsible for the security of our state and our citizens," the president stressed.
As Putin stated, "the situation is changing; moreover, it is changing quickly and constantly, and new challenges and tasks are emerging in the border sphere and other areas."
"Thus, NATO is building up its military potential near our borders and attempts are being made to halt integration processes with Russia’s participation, provoke new and stir up old conflicts in the post-Soviet space and in regions neighboring on Russia with all the ensuing consequences - military and political instability, the growth of smuggling and crime and acute humanitarian problems," the Russian leader said.
In Putin’s opinion, "a key task in these conditions is to ensure the reliable protection and defense of our frontiers, quickly and effectively neutralize potential threats."
"At the same time, we must consistently follow the path of increasing our country’s openness while the Russian border must remain well-protected and be maximally transparent for all who crosses it legally and with good intentions," Putin pointed out.
As the Russian president noted, "I see in this the most important factor, which defines our country’s image in the world, the quality of the business environment and national jurisdiction, creates new possibilities for economic, humanitarian and border cooperation, for the promotion of integration processes in the Eurasian space."
According to Putin, "all these approaches are reflected in the draft Fundamentals of the State Border Policy," which are being examined by the Security Council’s current session.
Delimitation of sea spaces
Putin has proposed to continue delineation of the borders of Russia’s continental shelf proceeding from national interests.
"It’s important to continue persistent scrupulous work for international legal formalization of the Russian state border and delimitation of sea spaces, including the boundaries of our continental shelf," he said at a meeting of Russia’s Security Council. "We must act in this sphere consistently and on the basis of solid arguments and defend our national interests resolutely."
Putin recalled that Russia has a record of successful actions in the solution of tasks of this kind.
"I mean, of course, international recognition in 2014 of Russia’s rights to the section of the Sea of Okhotsk that was considered to be international waters previously," he said.