MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Some Western countries are trying to suspend Moscow’s Interpol membership, Russia’s Interior Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday following a Riyadh meeting between Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev and his Saudi counterpart Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif.

According to Russian Interior Ministry Spokesperson Irina Volk, the parties discussed ways to boost law enforcement cooperation.

"Vladimir Kolokoltsev pointed to attempts by a number of Western countries’ to limit Russia’s capacity to use Interpol channels to search for criminals, and even suspend Russia’s membership. According to the minister, such actions expose the desire of some members to change Interpol’s constitution in order to be able to put political pressure on any unwanted government in the future," the statement reads.

The ministry pointed out that Article 3 of the organization’s constitution is of particular importance here, as it strictly bans any interference in the domestic affairs of member states and engagement in political activities.

Kolokoltsev noted that attempts to politicize international law enforcement cooperation were harmful to the fight against cross-border crime. According to the Russian interior minister, Western intelligence agencies were actually conducting special operations at the expense of the Ukrainian people to illegally trade weapons, which can turn up in any part of the world. In addition, Ukraine has become integral in the trafficking of opiates from Afghanistan to Europe via the Balkan route.

Kolokoltsev emphasized the need to further boost concerted efforts to combat extremism and drug trafficking.