Below is an article published by APSNYPRESS

The agreement between Abkhazia and Russia "On the procedure for the formation and operation of the Joint Information and Coordination Center of Internal Affairs Agencies" was signed in Sochi.

In pursuance of paragraph 3 of Art. 10 of the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Abkhazia "On Alliance and Strategic Partnership", signed on November 24, 2014, the Agreement between Abkhazia and Russia "On the Procedure for Forming andOperating the Joint Information and Coordination Center of Internal Affairs Bodies" was signed in Sochi. The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia reported.

The Center was created to coordinate the activities of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation to counter organized crime and other dangerous types of crime.

The activities of the Center are carried out on the basis of the principles of legality, respect for human and civil rights and freedoms, the sovereignty of states and non-interference in the internal affairs of the RA and RF.

The Center carries out tasks to organize the exchange of operationally meaningful information with law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation, as well as to maintain the necessary operational and forensic records, to maintain a special data bank on organized criminal communities, to promote the necessary concerted actions to combat dangerous types of crime that represent Threat to the security of the RA and RF.

In order to fulfill its tasks, the Center cooperates with law enforcement bodies and other state bodies of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation, as well as with law enforcement agencies of foreign states, international police organizations, public or other organizations, its activity is guided by international obligations of the RA and RF legislation. Including normative legal acts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

The structure and staff list of the Center are approved by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation on the proposal of Director of the Center within the staffing level, the maximum staffing of the Center is 20 units. Director of the Center and his deputy are appointed for a period of 3 years by a joint decision of the ministers of the RA and RF. Moreover, the leaders of the Center cannot be representatives of one state and are appointed alternately from each state on the principle of rotation. Employees assigned to full-time positions in the Center are seconded to the Center in accordance with the legislation of the sending state with leaving in the cadres of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

The legal status, tasks, functions, as well as the basis for organizing the activity of a Joint Information and Coordination Center of the Internal Affairs Bodies are determined by the Regulations on the Joint Information and Coordination Center of Internal Affairs Bodies. The Center has the rights of a legal entity without the right to conduct commercial activities.

The agreement on the formation and activities of the Joint Information and Coordination Center of Internal Affairs Agencies from the Republic of Abkhazia was signed by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Internal Affairs of Abkhazia Aslan Kobakhia.

On the part of the Russian Federation the above Agreement was signed by the State Secretary-Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation Igor Zubov.