Press release

OSCE Centre organizes training for Turkmen border and customs officials

ASHGABAD, 3 May 2005 - Six members of Turkmenistan's border and customs services have taken part in a week-long training course in south Germany, organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabad with the support of the Government of Turkmenistan and Germany's Ministry of Finance.

The course was held at border crossing points between Germany, France and Switzerland and included visits to a regional customs centre and a customs criminal investigation office.

The Turkmen border and customs officials had the chance to see how busy different border crossing points are. For example, the one at Weil am Rhein, on the Swiss-German border, clears some 3000 trucks daily.

The participants exchanged their experience in border security and border management and discussed international commitments, covenants and regulations in the field. They also learned about the latest techniques to prevent and investigate drug trafficking and the illegal transfer of money across frontiers.

The OSCE Centre is assisting Turkmenistan in strengthening the professionalism and operational capacity of its border and customs services.

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Turkmen customs and border officials with their German and French colleagues at a police and customs co-operation Centre in Kehl, Germany, April 2005. (OSCE)