MOSCOW, January 9 - RAPSI. Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted a bill to the State Duma protesting a reservation stipulated by Bolivia's reservation to the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, pursuant to which growing coca bushes is allowed in the country.

This information has been posted on the Russian parliamentary database.

Bolivia denounced the UN convention on June 29, 2011. At the same time, the Bolivian government announced its plans to accede to the 1961 convention once again, this time with a reservation specific to the chewing of coca leaves.

According to a UN press release issued at that time, "Bolivia planned to 'denounce' the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 before 1 July, in order to enter a reservation to the provision on coca leaf chewing, a practice that under the Convention had to be phased out in 25 years - now elapsed - and then rejoin the treaty on the same day, with that reservation..."

The government said that the new act on joining the convention will be amended pursuant to clause 3, article 50 so that the chewing of coca leaves and growing coca bushes to support this widespread practice would be permitted.

The explanatory note accompanying the draft legislation submitted by President Putin to the State Duma states that the proposed stipulation does not correspond to the spirit of the Convention, as it may lead to an increase in cocaine trafficking.