Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has been playing an active and responsible role inASEAN cooperation in fighting cross-border crimes, Lt. Gen. Nguyen Thanh Son, headof the Foreign Relations Department under the Ministry of Public Security, hassaid.

Sonmade the remarks in an article published ahead of the 20th ASEANSenior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC-20), scheduled to beheld online on September 24.

Inhis article, the officer pointed to serious crime developments in the region,especially terrorism, human trafficking, illegal migration, drug crime, armssmuggling, money laundering, high-tech and economic crime, piracy, wood andwildlife trafficking.

Giventhis, intra-bloc cooperation has been considered an effective way to ensuresecurity, safety and prosperity of each member state and the entire region,contributing to consolidating the sustainable development of the ASEANCommunity, he said.

Vietnamhas officially joined the SOMTC and AMMTC mechanisms since 2003, Son said,adding that the country and other ASEAN nations are now members of manyinternational conventions and agreements in this sphere, notably the UNConvention on Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) signed in 2003.

Thegrouping has also made stride in anti-terrorism and the fight against humantrafficking, especially the trafficking of women and children.

Sonhighlighted Vietnam’s efforts in promoting relevant frameworks and mechanismsin the region by completing legal documents, sharing information andexperience, and joining hands in implementing and funding major projects inthis regard, bilaterally and within cooperation frameworks between ASEAN andits partners.

Vietnamesecompetent agencies have maintained their close coordination with lawenforcement agencies in Southeast Asia in the combat, he added.

Vietnamexpects to propose establishing a direct communication line between ministersof AMMTC in order to enable them to promptly exchange information and tacklerelevant issues in the time ahead.

Son said AMMTC-14 will offer an opportunity for the Vietnamese Ministryof Public Security to prove its constructive role in joint efforts in handling thornyissues as well as regional and global challenges, thus helping Vietnam toimprove its position in the new situation./.