The 13th ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC 13) concluded in the central city of Da Nang on June 20.

Addressing the closing ceremony, Director General of the Ministry of Public Security’s General Department of Crime Prevention and Combat Lt. Gen. Phan Van Vinh hailed the efforts and contributions of the participants to the success of the meeting.

He expressed hope that with the efforts of each member nation as well as the joint efforts of the ASEAN community, friendship and cooperative relations between the members in economic development in general and crime combating in particular will reach their desired goals of peace, stability and an equal development environment.

Under the chair of Vietnam , ASEAN delegations were updated on the results of the 2010-2012 SOMTC Programme and recommended ideas for the 2013-2015 term.

The participants exchanged views on national and regional efforts in combating trans-national crime. Reports show that with the improvement of science and technology and transport between countries, the problem is growing more complicated.

To cope with this situation, ASEAN members have implemented numerous effective measures, including sharing information, collaborating in trans-national crime investigations, perfecting legal systems, as well as cooperating in training law enforcement officials.

Vietnam has actively implemented its commitment to ASEAN cooperation in the field. In addition to programmes and plans to repress crime, the country has enhanced cooperation with other countries in the region to reduce terrorism risks, organised and transnational crime through sharing information, organising training and collaborating in investigating crimes using high technologies.

In its report at SOMTC 13, the country reiterated its commitment to implementing statements on combating crime issued at ASEAN Summits and SOMTCs, contributing to successfully building the ASEAN Political-Security Community and an ASEAN Community by 2015.

In order to perfect the legal basis for international cooperation, Vietnam has amended articles related to terrorism, crimes using high technology and human trafficking in its Criminal Code. The country has also joined and ratified nine out of 16 international anti-terrorism treaties and is building its own law in its field.

In addition, Vietnam has ratified the UN Convention against Trans-national Crime (TOC) and the supplementary Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children. The country’s own law on preventing and fighting human trafficking took effect on January 1, 2012.-VNA