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PUTIN: SPAIN CAN HELP IMPROVE RUSSIA-EU RELATIONS(Interfax News Agency Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)MADRID. Feb 9 (Interfax) - Spain could play a significant role in improving relations between Russia and the European Union, President Vladimir Putin said. "Spain, as an active member of the European Union, can, of course, play a significant role in improving relations between Russia and the European Union as a whole," Putin told the Spanish parliament in Madrid on Thursday. Russia attaches priority importance to the formation of a common security space and to other tasks charted jointly with the EU, he said, adding that cooperation between Russian and Spanish special services and law enforcement agencies has been on the rise. Besides terrorism, the global challenges to peace and security include organized crime, and illegal arms trade and drug trafficking, the Russian president said. "Russia is largely being used as a transit territory for drug flows from Afghanistan towards Western Europe, which are increasing with every passing year" he said. Regrettably, said Putin, the international community and "the anti- terror coalition based in Afghanistan, have not been able to counter this in any way." "This puts special responsibility on our special services," Putin told the Spanish parliament. |