At the consultation, ASEANcountries acknowledged and highly valued the cooperation mechanism betweenASEAN and partner and dialogue countries.
They said the coordination andsupport of partner and dialogue countries in terms of information sharing,capacity improvement and provision of equipment and techniques have contributedgreatly to the fight against transnational crime in the ASEAN as well as inASEAN member countries.
Addressing the event, Minister ToLam stressed the importance of the cooperative mechanism between ASEAN andChina, the Republic of Korea and Japan over the past two decades, which he saidhas contributed to peace, security and development of the East Asian region.
For Vietnam, China, the RoK andJapan have helped with the training to improve law enforcement capacity, Lamsaid, adding that meetings and contacts between Vietnam’s Ministry of PublicSecurity and law enforcement agencies of those countries have been maintained.
The Vietnamese minister urged thesides to continue implementing the ASEAN 3 plan of action to combat terrorismand transnational crime for 2018-2020.
He also suggested that the threepartner countries continue helping ASEAN countries with the training of lawenforcement officers in cybercrime, drug crime and human trafficking crime.
He said Vietnam is honoured tohost the 11th AMMTC 3 Consultation in the framework of the 14th AMMTC and related meetings in 2020.
The 10th AMMTC 3 Consultation ended with the adoption of ajoint statement reiterating the commitment to further bolster the ASEAN 3cooperative mechanism and cooperation in fighting transnational crime.
On the sidelines of the 13th AMMTC and the 10th AMMTC 3 Consultation which took place in Bangkokon November 27 and 28, Minister Lam held meetings with officials from China,Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Brunei to discuss bilateral collaboration in thetime ahead.
Meeting with Chinese DeputyMinister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong, Lam underlined thepositive and substantive outcomes of the partnership between the two publicsecurity ministries since January this year.
The two sides agreed to enhancecoordination in the fight against all types of crime as well as in training.
Meanwhile, Lam and his Laocounterpart Vilay Lakhamphong pledged to maintain close cooperation toensure security and order along the Vietnam-Laos border, while working togetherin investigating, arresting and questioning suspects in transnational drug,criminal, economic and human trafficking crimes.
At the meeting between Lam and Malaysia’sMinister of Home Affairs Muhyiddin Yassin, the twoministers agreed to push for the organization of the first session of thedeputy ministerial-level joint working group on transnationalcrime under the framework of the agreement on cooperation in preventing andcombating transnational crimes signed back in 2015. They also reached consensuson accelerating negotiations on a draft agreement on cooperation in preventingand combating human trafficking.
Talking to Minister of HomeAffairs of Myanmar Kyaw Swe, Minister Lam suggested the two sides continue to exchangeinformation on crimes related to the two countries’ security, especiallyworking together to counter individuals and organisations’ use of this country’sterritory for activities against the other country. The two ministers agreed tomaintain the exchange of delegations and the security dialogue at deputyministerial level.
Receiving Minister of Defence IIand Chairman of the National Security Committee of Brunei Awang Halbi bin HajiMohd Yussof, Lam and his guest shared the view that the two sides will continueto coordinate points of view and support each other at multilateral forums oncountering crime and enforcing law. The two sides are also set to increase the sharingof working experience, mutual visits and cultural and sporting exchangesbetween their law enforcement forces.
The two ministers also agreed towork for the signing of cooperation agreements between the two Governments onfighting transnational crime and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters./.