Thursday, 29 September 2005
Today a regular meeting of the Council of CIS-member States Ministers of Interior has started at the Reception Hall of the Government of Armenia. At the opening session of the meeting, Prime Minister A. Margaryan addressed the attendance with a few remarks, which read as follows:
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Allow me, on behalf of the government of the Republic of Armenia and myself, to welcome you to the ancient land of Armenia.
It is my pleasure to note that more than once the Ministers of Interior of CIS-member States have met in Yerevan and I am convinced that your present agenda will affect favorably the existing and ever-expanding cooperation of CIS-member States' Ministries of Internal Affairs.
Dear Participants,
Today as quite different challenges are facing the world, we find ourselves in the need of developing a common strategy to counteract effectively the most dangerous manifestations of crime.
Terrorism and organized crime, illegal cross-country traffic of drugs and weapons and human trafficking as transboundary phenomena acting in outrage of national and political frontiers are representing a real force susceptible to oppose itself to State authorities and threaten the national security of individual States.
The issues to be discussed at this forum are of great relevance not only to the Republic of Armenia, but also to each State of the Commonwealth, I believe.
Terrorism, as an extremely dangerous phenomenon, has acquired universal, international character to become one of the most acute problems of this new millenium.
It may be curbed and prevented only through coordinated action of the Commonwealth States that implies the creation of an international-legal framework with subsequent legislative harmonization and unification of the efforts of respective legislatures and executive authorities.
The problem of corruption becomes increasingly topical on the list of other criminal manifestations.
Political, social and economic problems existing in the country are at the heart of corruption.
The government of the Republic of Armenia has embarked upon a program of resolute action against corruption by adopting in 2003 the program of measures against corruption.
As much important to our country is the problem of illegal migration, which is the center of the government's attention.
A relevant interagency commission has been set up by the GoA involving the representatives of the ministries and public agencies concerned to investigate the population's illegal outbound migration caused by human exploitation and trafficking.
A concept for organized fight against human trafficking and the national plan of action for 2004-2006 were approved by a government decision made in 2004.
Dear Participants:
It seems obvious that the fight against the above types of crime will be doomed to failure if waged by a single State. This is why we are now faced with the imperative need of creating a complex system, lay down such coordinated mechanisms of action as may help us trace down and unveil the most important criminal groups.
I am convinced that the present forum will be a step forward towards closer and more fruitful cooperation between the CIS-member countries' ministries of interior. What matters is the common will and the shared desire of the those present to address the existing problems through concerted action.
In conclusion, I would like to wish you productive and successful work.
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