Moscow government to create regional security department

Moscow, Jan 19 (Itar-Tass) The Moscow government willcreate a regional security department, Moscow Mayor SergeiSobyanin said at a city government meeting.

"A new executive body will have the functions, whichearlier performed the security department in the Moscowgovernment," he said yesterday.

"This is not just a new name, but the need for thequalitative improvement of the law enforcement situation andfor creating an efficient system of cooperation between theMoscow government and federal law enforcement agencies," themayor noted.

"President Dmitry Medvedev set this task in his decree onvesting the regional chiefs with additional powers in securityand the creation of coordinating public security councils,"Sobyanin pointed out.

The mayor noted that the department is to combat threatscoming from organised crime, drug trafficking, terrorism,extremism, corruption, xenophobia and illegal migration.

"In this respect the new department will arrange the workof the city coordination council and the fulfilment of theaction plans for 2011," Sobyanin added.

On January 19, the traffic police will hold an enlargedboard for security in order to consider the creation of thisdepartment.

The mayor did not specify who will head this new body.

(Itar-Tass)