MOSCOW, July 27 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) – The Head of the Russia’s Interior Ministry Vladimir Kolokoltsev has proposed to conduct a joint international operation to search for criminals addressing the leaders of police structures of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a press-release issued by the Ministry reads.

In his speech the Minister held at an ASEAN meeting in Manila, Kolokoltsev offered to consider such an operation to be carried out under aegis of ASEANPOL. He noted that this year alone seven Russian citizens, charged with grave crimes, were extradited to the homeland from the ASEAN countries having not only highly appreciated cooperation in this sphere but also stressing its potential.

ASEAN includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos, Myanmar and Brunei.  A full-scale partnership between Russia and the ASEAN member countries was launched in July 1996.