MUNICH, Feb 7: Nato forces in Afghanistan are turning a blind eye to a flourishing drug trade that threatens the security of Russia and its neighbours, Russia's defence minister said on Saturday.

Sergei Ivanov told an international security conference in Munich that Afghanistan currently produces nine times as many drugs as it did under the Taliban rule.

"It is understandable that by allowing drug peddling in Afghanistan, the (NATO) alliance ensures loyalty of warlords on the ground and of some Afghan leaders," Mr Ivanov said.

"Nevertheless, the drug flow from Afghanistan is posing a serious threat to the national security of all of the Central Asian CIS states and Russia. It results from the absence of a truly international approach toward stabilization in Afghanistan."

He proposed that Russia, its allies in Central Asia and the NATO alliance set up a joint effort to crack down on Afghan production and export of drugs ranging from hashish to poppies used for heroin.

"Following the operation in Afghanistan, this state once again has turned into a major source of drug trafficking, which crosses the CIS and Russia on to Western Europe," the Russian minister said.

Germany has a large number of troops in the Afghan peacekeeping force, but German Defence Minister Peter Struck told the conference his country's parliament had forbidden its troops to become involved in any fighting against the drug trade there. He said it was a job for Afghan police.

Colour photographs of "blooming poppies" sent round the world might be something that "we have to live with for some time to come", he said.

US warships have in recent months intercepted a number of small sailing vessels in the Gulf and Indian Ocean filled with bags of hashish. But Mr Ivanov said the efforts fell short of promises by NATO and Washington to curb Afghanistan's drug trade.

Moscow, Washington and its Western allies have accused Al Qaeda and other guerilla groups of using drug profits to help finance their attacks.-Reuters