MOSCOW, March 6 - RAPSI. The Federation Council approved on Wednesday a bill objecting to Bolivia's reservation to the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, allowing coca bushes to grow in the country.

President Vladimir Putin submitted the bill to the State Duma in January.

The explanatory note accompanying the bill states that the proposed stipulation does not correspond with the spirit of the convention, as it may lead to increased cocaine trafficking.

Bolivia denounced the convention on June 29, 2011. At the same time, the government announced its plans to accede to the 1961 convention once again - this time with a reservation specific to the chewing of coca leaves for medical and religious purposes.

According to a UN press release issued at that time: "Bolivia planned to 'denounce' the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 before July 1 in order to enter a reservation to the provision on coca leaf chewing, a practice that under the convention had to be phased out over 25 years - a period that has now elapsed - and then rejoin the treaty on the same day, with the reservation."

The country acceded to the convention again in January, AP reported.

One-third of the 183 convention signatories have to put forth their objections to thwart Bolivia's move, the upper house's Foreign Affairs Committee reported.

The 12-month period during which the signatories could present their objections expired on January 10. Only 15 countries opposed Bolivia's demand, including the United States, the UK, Sweden, Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Russia, Netherlands, Israel, Finland, Portugal, Ireland, Japan, and Mexico.