Bolivia plans to seek help from Russia for its counternarcotics efforts after the US refused to back anti-drug campaign in the country.
The development comes as Bolivian President Evo Morales who has accused the US of "blackmailing" the country in drug war is to visit Europe on Sunday.
"Meetings are planned with Russian and European Union authorities in order to recognize and share this responsibility" in combating drug traffickers, said Bolivian diplomatic chief David Choquehuanca.
"We have a shared responsibility because if there weren't an illegal market, coca leaf would not be made into cocaine. I'm sorry that the United States is not complying. When they talk about cooperation, it's not cooperation but a kind of blackmail," Morales said earlier.
Morales created an independent agency to combat drug trafficking after booting the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) late last year, accusing the US government of conspiring against his government.
During his visit to Moscow, Morales also hopes to reinforce cooperation in the production of natural gas.
Following the signing of agreements in 2008, Russian energy giant Gazprom already has a presence in Bolivia.
Bolivia's first indigenous president is scheduled to visit France on Tuesday.
A government spokesman said that Morales would meet President Nicolas Sarkozy to "examine trade negotiations between the Andean Community (CAN) and the European Union."
Bolivia has not participated in free trade negotiations with the EU, due to the lack of consensus with other Andean bloc countries -- Columbia, Peru and Ecuador -- currently in bilateral talks with Brussels.
The development comes as Bolivian President Evo Morales who has accused the US of "blackmailing" the country in drug war is to visit Europe on Sunday.
"Meetings are planned with Russian and European Union authorities in order to recognize and share this responsibility" in combating drug traffickers, said Bolivian diplomatic chief David Choquehuanca.
"We have a shared responsibility because if there weren't an illegal market, coca leaf would not be made into cocaine. I'm sorry that the United States is not complying. When they talk about cooperation, it's not cooperation but a kind of blackmail," Morales said earlier.
Morales created an independent agency to combat drug trafficking after booting the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) late last year, accusing the US government of conspiring against his government.
During his visit to Moscow, Morales also hopes to reinforce cooperation in the production of natural gas.
Following the signing of agreements in 2008, Russian energy giant Gazprom already has a presence in Bolivia.
Bolivia's first indigenous president is scheduled to visit France on Tuesday.
A government spokesman said that Morales would meet President Nicolas Sarkozy to "examine trade negotiations between the Andean Community (CAN) and the European Union."
Bolivia has not participated in free trade negotiations with the EU, due to the lack of consensus with other Andean bloc countries -- Columbia, Peru and Ecuador -- currently in bilateral talks with Brussels.
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