Russia and its neighbors argued at a conference Friday that they should play a stronger role in stabilizing Afghanistan because the threat of drugs and terrorism on their doorstep gives them a vital stake in the matter.

"Afghan drug traffic has become a most serious threat to the security of Russia and countries of Central Asia. The efforts being taken to fight this evil so far are insufficient," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a daylong conference of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which is led by Russia and China and includes four Central Asian countries.

The SCO and the Afghan government proposed an "action plan" to step up the training of drug agencies, combat the laundering of drug money, improve border controls and carry out joint operations.

Russia is the world's biggest heroin consumer and has been alarmed by a surge in trafficking of the opiate through Central Asia and across its territory. Twelve tons of pure heroin, enough for about 3 billion single doses, arrive in Russia each year from Afghanistan, according to the Federal Drug Control Agency.

Russia's NATO envoy, Dmitry Rogozin, said the West should do more to target drug money that funded the Taliban and al-Qaida.

Lavrov offered to boost cooperation with regional powers and U.S.-led forces fighting in Afghanistan, where insurgent violence is at its highest since the militant Taliban movement was ousted in late 2001.

"Russia is ready for active joint steps aimed at normalizing the situation in this country," he said.

While opposed to the expansion of U.S. military interests in Central Asia, the Kremlin says that in Afghanistan it wants to expand cooperation with U.S. President Barack Obama, who on Friday unveiled a new Afghan strategy designed to beat al-Qaida.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the conference that he was counting on the SCO to come through with a "strong follow-up" to its pledges.

A U.S. official said the meeting was positive.

"These are positive steps, and we will look at where we might be able to contribute," U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Patrick Moon said of the organization's action plan.

The SCO has been used by Russia and China to limit Western influence in Central Asia, and its members have sent mixed signals about their support for U.S. and NATO efforts in Afghanistan.

They are allowing the U.S. and NATO to transport nonlethal supplies to Afghanistan across their territory, but Kyrgyzstan last month gave the United States 180 days to vacate an air base that has been a key support facility for Afghanistan operations -- just after winning a pledge of more than $2 billion from Russia.