ASEAN urges action plan on transnational crime<\/p>\n
MANILA (AFP): Interior ministers of the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) yesterday called for the
\nconvening of a high-level group of experts to forge an action
\nplan on transnational crime.<\/p>\n
This is among the provisions in a declaration at the end of a
\nthree-day ASEAN ministerial conference on international crime.<\/p>\n
Philippine Interior Secretary Robert Barbers said the full
\ndeclaration would be released later but it included a provision
\nmandating the convening of the high-level group.<\/p>\n
It also includes a provision for a feasibility study on the
\nestablishment of an ASEAN center on transnational crime, he said.
\nBarbers said the meeting discussed measures for greater
\ncooperation between ASEAN members in curbing international crime.<\/p>\n
\"We shall henceforth, have a coordinated, synchronized and
\nmore dynamic mechanism for coping with and combating
\ntransnational crime.\"<\/p>\n
He said \"the rapid pace of globalization\" had made the ASEAN
\nregion open to such threats as \"terrorism, illicit drug
\ntrafficking, arms smuggling and money laundering,\" and warned
\nthat ASEAN must act \"as one family\" to counter this.<\/p>\n
Earlier yesterday Philippine President Fidel Ramos, in a
\nspeech to the conference, said international crime should be seen
\nas a regional security issue.<\/p>\n
\"The concept of regional security should extend beyond the
\nmere absence of armed conflict among and within nations,\" Ramos
\nsaid. \"Regional security continues to be assaulted by
\ntransnational crimes and, from time to time, international
\nterrorism.\"<\/p>\n
ASEAN deputy secretary Emmanuel Robert Inkiriwiang admitted
\nthat they had no statistics on the extent of transnational crimes
\nwithin ASEAN but said this would likely be compiled by the
\nproposed high-level group.<\/p>\n
Asked about allegations that Burma, a member of ASEAN, was not
\ndoing enough to stop the export of banned drugs, Barbers said it
\nwas discussed \"only in passing\" and would not elaborate.<\/p>\n
Asked about the extent of the threat from terrorism, Barbers
\nsaid they were concerned about Moslem fundamentalist groups from
\nthe Middle East and unspecified groups from Europe.<\/p>\n
He cited the foiled plan by foreign Moslem fundamentalists in
\n1995 to assassinate Pope John Paul II during a visit to the
\nPhilippines and to bomb foreign airlines.<\/p>\n
ASEAN will hold another meeting on transnational crime in
\nKuala Lumpur soon, Barbers said. The group links Brunei, Myanmar,
\nIndonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
\nand Vietnam.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-urges-action-plan-on-transnational-crime-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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