ASEAN drugs conference in Bali

JAKARTA: Indonesia will host the Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) drugs conference next week to discuss common operational measures that the 10 member countries can implement to help curb drug trafficking in the region.

The three-day conference will start on Monday in Denpasar, Bali, with participants comprising ASEAN countries, donor countries China and Japan, and representatives of the United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP).

"The meeting will discuss four issues, including advocacy and preventive action for drug abusers, reduction in the demand for drugs, law enforcement and alternative development for people involved in the drug trade," National Coordination Board for Narcotics chairman Comr. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Tuesday.

He said that ASEAN countries had vowed to make the region free from drugs by the year 2015 and this was the first meeting to develop operational measures for tackling the problems. --JP