OSCE joint meeting to promote fighting the threat of illicit drugs

VIENNA, 27 June 2007 - In partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the OSCE Strategic Police Matters Unit is organizing a two-day conference on "Fighting the Threat of Illicit Drugs" that will start tomorrow.

The conference is designed to facilitate the exchange of information on the production of and trafficking in illicit drugs, to discuss the implementation of relevant OSCE commitments and to consider further measures to enhance international co-operation in fighting the threat of drugs.

The conference will focus on combating synthetic drugs throughout the OSCE area; countering illicit trafficking in cocaine and in Afghan opiates in the OSCE area; and enhancing cross-border co-operation and intelligence-sharing in fighting illicit drugs.

Participants representing international organizations, as well as ministries and institutions from Afghanistan, France, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkey, and the United States, will identify co-operation gaps, possible improvements and best practices.

The conference will be held behind closed doors. Journalists wishing to interview participants are encouraged to contact OSCE Senior Press and Public Information Officer Virginie Coulloudon before or during the event.