OFFICE OF DRUG CONTROL AND CRIME PREVENTION ANNOUNCES NEW COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH ASIAN COUNTRIES
Press Release
SOC/NAR/775
OFFICE OF DRUG CONTROL AND CRIME PREVENTION ANNOUNCES NEW COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH ASIAN COUNTRIES
19980309 VIENNA, 5 March (UN Information Service) -- The United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention said today it would assist the countries of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in their drug control activities in south-western and central Asia.The ECO is a regional organization which promotes economic, technical and cultural cooperation among its 10 member States: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The ECO region makes up the largest opium, morphine, heroin and cannabis producing and trafficking area in the world and has a population of 320 million people.
Pino Arlacchi, Director-General of United Nations Office at Vienna and Executive Director of the Drug Control and Crime Prevention Office, signed an agreement with the Secretary-General of the ECO, Onder Ozar, to provide assistance in the creation of a drug control coordination unit at the ECO secretariat headquarters in Tehran. The new accord also calls for new training support for drug control experts from all ECO member States and will establish a periodic reporting system on the drug situation in the region. Iran currently holds the presidency of the ECO and the Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations in Vienna, Amir Khazi, witnessed the signing agreement.
"This agreement will strongly contribute to the fight against the problem of drugs and drug trafficking in central Asia", Mr. Arlacchi said. "I am very glad to see this kind of cooperation agreement. It is an essential part of our overall strategy to strengthen drug control all over the world."
"We are ready to support your efforts and this agreement will constitute a concrete step in this direction", Mr. Ozar said. He continued by thanking Mr. Arlacchi and the Drug Control Office for "the resolute stand of your organization in the fight against drugs".
The ECO has had observer status with the General Assembly since 1993 and signed in 1995 a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations International Drug Control Programme to promote mutual cooperation in drug control.
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