HCM City (VNA)ꦅ – A joint statement on enhancing cooperation in preventing and fighting drugs among Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia was signed at the closing ceremony of their 15th ministerial meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on December 10. 

Accordingly, the three countries agreed to maintain annual all-level meetings, while enhancing links in research, survey, technical assistance, and training related to the field, towards effectively combating drug crimes.  They also underlined the need to promote the role played by the Border Liaison Office (BLO) of each country in ensuring security and order in border areas.  As drug crimes, especially cross-border drugs trafficking, are growing complicatedly, the countries committed to doubling efforts to give top priority to realise a drug-free ASEAN post 2015.  The three countries will foster multi-faceted links with other ASEAN member nations and actively join the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Drugs in order to take advantage of assistance and coordination from the regional countries. The countries will also step up ties with member countries of the Memorandum of Understanding on Drug Control in the Greater Mekong sub-region reached in 1993 (MOU 1993) to implement the 9th Sub - Regional Action Plan (SAP 9 ) on Drug Control, which focuses on legal enforcement and judicial cooperation, reduction of drug use and HIV/AIDS infection and the replacement of opium plants. They also agreed on priorities to taking measures to deal with drugs illegal trade and transport crossing the border, and conducting joint patrols along the shared borderlines to control drug-related crimes.  Communication campaigns to raise public awareness of the danger of drugs crimes, especially in areas sharing border lines, will be launched, contributing to building the border areas of peace and friendship.-VNA