TOKYO A two-day international meeting on drug control opened here on Tuesday, with discussions expected to focus on ways to stop the production of opium and heroin in Afghanistan.

Some 80 representatives from 35 nations and economies as well as international organizations such as the United Nations International Drug Control Program are taking part in the International Drug Control Summit 2002, AFP reported.

Hosted by Japan, the summit is the first such meeting on drug control to be held in Asia.

Discussions on drug control in Afghanistan, which is now undergoing reconstruction following the U.S.-led anti-terror campaign, are high on the agenda, Japanese officials said.

"It is desperately important for Afghanistan to revive its economy without relying on opium cultivation," former prime minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said in his opening speech.

Hashimoto called on Afghan participants to express their "strong intention to root out opium cultivation" during the meeting, which will end on Wednesday.

He said cases drug smuggling through the Internet was growing.

"It is inevitable for us to further boost investigative cooperation with other countries concerned," Hashimoto said.

Among Asian countries participating the meeting are Afghanistan, Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Tajikistan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Others include Belgium, Bolivia, Britain, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia and the United Dtates.