OREANDA-NEWS. May 28, 2008. The Second Conference of ECO Interior Ministers closed in Ashgabat. During two day the heads, the leading specialists and experts law enforcement agencies from 10 countries worldwide and the representatives of the UN specialized committees considered the opportunities of concerting efforts to combat terrorism, illicit drug trafficking, illicit migration and suggested the effective measures to prevent the other crimes threatening the society.

The fruitful talks and discussions resulted in issuing the Ashgabat Declaration of ECO Law Enforcement Agencies, which evidenced the importance of the decisions made at the summits of the heads of the states to enhance co-operation in combating transnational crime activity. The forum participants were unanimous that organized crime encroached upon the fundamental factors of economic progress and development. Those present put emphasis on the necessity of implementing the joint strategy to combat illegal activity as well as further expanding co-operation with the relevant regional organisations and the UN agencies.

The interior ministers of the ECO member states expressed firm determination not to weaken the struggle against terrorism, to encourage exchange of information and expertise, to promote taking the effective measures to suppress this evil and to detect its primitive causes. The forum participants addressed a request to the UN specialized agencies to extend financial and technical assistance to the region for more effective control of cultivation and trafficking of narcotics. The important aspects of the Declaration included the proposals of the law enforcement agencies to the law making bodies of the countries in the region to improve the current legislation and adopt the new laws on illicit migration and human trafficking, corruption, money laundering and illicit trade in weapon.

Addressing the Conference the ECO Secretary General noted that accumulation of the threats and challenges endangered the welfare of the countries in the region and stated the necessity to oppose effective joint activity to these negative factors and to protect reliably the population especially a younger generation from encroachment of criminal communities. The ECO high-ranking official expressed gratitude to the Turkmen partners for good organisation of the forum.

The guests visited the landmarks of the Turkmen capital.