Russia called for international support for its efforts against the terrorists active in its breakaway republic of Chechnya and the North Caucasus region as a whole at a ministerial meeting opened on October 19 in Moscow on combating transnational organized crime.

　 At the two-day meeting, which is expected to adopt a joint statement on combating terrorism, Russia's acting Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov pointed out that many international criminals are now active in Chechnya under the cover of various ideologies including Islam, and urged help to strip them of financial support in order to halt their activities.

　 He noted that the terrorists in Chechnya have received about 30 million US dollars from foreign sponsors to buy arms and drugs. Specifically, he said the Chechen militants are aided by groups in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Algeria, Tajikistan and the Baltic countries, the Interfax news agency reported.

　 It is necessary for the international communities to plan joint anti-terrorist efforts to curb international crime, Ustinov stressed at the meeting attended by law enforcement officials from Russia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United State as well as representatives from the European Union.

　 Russia has launched an offensive against Islamic militants in Chechnya following two waves of armed incursions into Daghestan led by Chechen warlords Shamil Basayev and Khattab. Basayev and Khattab, a Jordanian national known only by his last name, have been accused of masterminding several terrorist attacks in Moscow and other Russian cities that killed about 300 people.

　 Besides terrorism, money laundering was also a major topic at the ministerial meeting. There have been widespread media reports in the West of alleged money laundering by Russian mobsters and even government officials.

　 Moscow has dismissed the reports as attempts to defame Russia and stop Western investment in the country.

　 However, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, addressing the meeting, said Russia "is interested more than others to see that dirty money is not laundered in banks and financial institutions of other countries."

　 "We are ready to cover our part of the road in this struggle, but we are against over-politicizing the subject or speculations," Putin said.

　 He said Russia would improve its legislation on the prevention of money laundering and sign the convention of the Council of Europe on combating corruption. (Xinhua)