Hanoi (VNA) – The 18th trilateral/bilateral ministerial meeting on drug prevention and control betweenCambodia, Laos and Vietnam (CLV) took place in Hanoi on September 11.
The trilateral and bilateral cooperationmechanisms between the three countries have been proving effective since itsestablishment in 1998, said Vietnamese Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam,who is also Vice Chairman of the National Committee on AIDS, Drugs andProstitution Prevention and Control.
He called on the three countries to strengthencoordination and promote internal resources while optimising external supportto prevent drugs, especially cross-border drug trafficking.
The minister suggested improving publicawareness raising campaigns and strengthening capacity of anti-drug forces,stressing that the trilateral coordination will be an important factor toensure successful prevention and control of drugs in each country.
The three countries agreed to focus all effortson realising the goal of protecting the ASEAN Community against illicit drugsin 2016-2025 without tolerating drugs and accepting the legalisation of druguse.
They vowed to persistently pursue the post-2015drug-free ASEAN vision and consider this as a common goal of the three nations.
The three countries agreed to implementeffective measures to prevent cross-border drug crime and improve theefficiency of periodic meetings between shared border localities according tothe spirit of the signed agreement and action coordination plan.
They concurred to improve the operation ofcross-border liaison offices (BLO) and open more BLO in hotspot areas, as wellas facilitate the coordination between functional agencies to crack down ondrug-related crimes./.
