Global General

UN conference on security cooperation across Mediterranean opens in Athens

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-27 13:47
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ATHENS: Greece's Foreign Affairs Ministry and the UN Office on Combating Drugs and Organized Crime are hosting a three-day conference in Athens, starting from Tuesday afternoon, on cross-border cooperation between northern and southern Mediterranean countries regarding common security challenges.

Michalis Chrisohoidis, Greek Minister of Citizens' Protection and Mohammed Aziz, the regional representative of the UN Office on Drugs and Organized Crime formally launched the conference.

With a focus on illegal migration and the smuggling of drugs and guns around 60 representatives of the EU, its member states, the United States, Mediterranean countries and delegates from organizations like the European Police Office (Europol), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the European Agency for Border Control and Protection (FRONTEX) will exchange views and share experience on the issues.

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Noting that due to geographical reasons Greece faces an enormous task regarding border controls, Chrisohoidis stressed that the new government will strengthen efforts to guarantee better security for the country and the EU, as well as respect for fundamental rights of victims of smugglers.

FRONTEX will double its representation in Greece this spring, the Greek minister announced.

Concerning Turkey, which does not participate in the Athens meeting, Chrisohoidis underlined that still thousands of illegal migrants try to enter Greece and EU every year through Turkey. He repeated Greece's request that Ankara meet commitments to international agreements on the readmission of illegal immigrants and better border controls.

"Turkey has a responsibility to implement international conventions and protocols signed," added Aziz.

Aziz explained that the conference will address the lack of adequate cross-border cooperation in exchanging information and data, the closer coordination among judicial authorities, the advancing of the operational capacity of police officers and the financial support of programs on tackling organized crime and uncontrolled refugee flows.

Stressing the importance of the training of police forces for effective border controls, Aziz noted that EU will help southern Mediterranean countries with proper equipment and will agree on focal points concerning the treatment of migrants and refugees.