ARF FMs Agree to Jointly Fight Transnational CrimesForeign Ministers attending the 7th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF) Thursday agreed to join hands to fight transnational crimes.They recognized that transnational crimes could not only pose challenges to regional peace and stability, but also impair individual countries' efforts in improving economic development and people's livelihood, according to the Chairman's Statement issued at the closing of the ARF meeting. Noting the seriousness of the implications of drug production, money laundering, corruption and computer crime, they stressed that cooperative approaches are necessary to deal with the problem. They also discussed issues pertaining illegal migration, trafficking in women and children and arms. Underlining the importance of greater bilateral, regional and international cooperative efforts in this regard, the foreign ministers voiced support for the on-going negotiations of international anti-crime conventions. They pledged that ARF will continue to address transnational crime issues, which affect security of the Asia-Pacific region, and explore ways to increase regional anti-crime awareness. ARF, initiated in 1993 and comprising 23 members, is a multilateral consultative mechanism for security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. |
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