ASEAN Meetings on Transnational Crime Concludes in Siem Reap
Siem Reap, Cambodia, 19 November 2009
ASEAN Ministers responsible for combating transnational crime have called for the expeditious ratification of the ASEAN Convention on Counter Terrorism, which was signed in 2007. To date, Singapore and Thailand have ratified the Convention.
The Ministers made the call during the Seventh ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) that was held on 17-18 November in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The AMMTC was followed by the 4th AMMTC + 3 Consultation and the inaugural AMMTC + China Consultation. H.E. Samdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, delivered the keynote address at the opening ceremony.
The Ministers endorsed the ASEAN Comprehensive Plan of Action on Counter Terrorism and also adopted the ASEAN Work Plan on Combating Illicit Drug Production, Trafficking and Use (2009-2015), which would help the region in achieving ASEAN Drug Free 2015.
A revised ASEAN-China Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Non-Traditional Security Issues was signed during the series of meetings. The MOU, to be implemented from January 2010 until 2014, was signed by Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN, and Mr Zhang Xinfeng, Vice Minister of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China.
In the very first AMMTC + China Consultation, the Ministers noted with satisfaction the successful implementation of previous MOU (2004-2008/9) through annual work plans and hoped the resultant new MOU would bring about more cohesive and robust activities conducive to regional response to transnational crime.
In their meeting with their counterparts from the Plus Three countries (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea), the Ministers called for greater commitment and more expeditious implementation of existing cooperative mechanisms between ASEAN and the Plus Three countries in response to transnational crime issues. The Ministers also agreed to continue exploring the possible cooperative activities under the framework of the ASEAN Plus Three Work Plan to Combat Transnational Crime.
Indonesia will host the next series of meetings on transnational crime in November 2011.
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