Vladivostok to host frontiersmen of North Pacific countries

23.08.2010 Coast Guard ships of Russia, the U.S., Japan, S Korea, and China will hold a joint exercise to practice anti-smuggling, anti-poaching, and ship-salvage activities, reported RIA Novosti citing a representative of Russian FSB Frontier Service.

The maneuvers will be conducted within a framework of international North Pacific forum of frontiersmen opened Monday in Vladivostok, Russia.

"Delegations of Russian, American, Japanese, S Korean, and Chinese frontier services will take part in the forum in Aug 23-29 as well as crews of Coast Guard ships from the mentioned countries. Russian delegation will be headed by Gen. Col. Viktor Trufanov, deputy director of Russian FSB Frontier Service and the head of Coast Guard Dept", specified the interviewee.

According to him, the delegations will discuss the issues of cooperation while prevention of sea poaching, operational information exchange on drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and illegal fishing.

"A multilateral exercise of coast guard and patrol ships Pacific Co-operation for Security will be also conducted. Active phase will be held in Aug 24-25", said the official.

He specified that the drills will take place in the Peter the Great Bay near Vladivostok. The crews will practice interaction in search and detection of a ship sent alarm signal, suppression of illegal activities at sea, and rescue of a ship in distress.

"On Aug 24 coast guard ships and aviation of Russia, China, and S Korea will attend the exercise; on Aug 25 – Russia, Japan, and the U.S.", said the interviewee.

During the forum maritime frontiersmen of the five countries will hold friendly sport events, and visit Vladivostok's places of interest, pointed out the official.