In his speech of welcome, Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet said the globalisation process and the global economic recession have had a negative impact on all countries and territories, especially poor and underdeveloped ones. They have caused an economic slowdown, increased unemployment, widened the gap between rich and poor, eroded cultural values and traditional morality, and complicated trans-national organised crime.

“These challenges require governments to work closely together to weather the economic storm, formulate effective social welfare policies and enhance the operational efficiency of judicial agencies so as to maintain national security, socio-economic development and cultural tradition, and safeguard their citizens’ freedom and democracy,” said Mr Triet.

He said the fine relationship between ASEAN and China has given a boost to cooperation in science, education, labour, environmental protection, law and the fight against trans-national organised crime.

“Vietnam applauds the effective cooperation between judicial agencies of ASEAN and China, including the initiative to host the ASEAN-China Prosecutors General Conference,” said Mr Triet.

He noted that Vietnam has been carrying out judicial reform and has achieved significant results. Criminal and civil laws and proceedings have been developed to build a law-governed state. The organisation and operation of Vietnamese judicial agencies have been renewed, the professional skills of judicial staff have been improved and international cooperation in the field has been broadened.

The Vietnam National Assembly recently issued the Legal Aid Law and a number of other important laws relating to judicial activities, laying a firm foundation for combating crime and expanding international cooperation while respecting the principles of national independence and sovereignty and non-intervention in each other’s internal affairs.   

Mr Triet proposed that countries develop reliable mechanisms for sharing information, conducting research and making long-term forecasts about trans-national organised crime in line with international law and multilateral agreements.

According to Tran Quoc Vuong, head of the Vietnam Supreme People’s Procuracy, combating trans-national crime has been an important task of the national programme on crime prevention and control. Vietnam has cooperated closely with the United Nations and other countries in this field by signing a number of agreements, including the UN Conventions on drug control, the UN Convention against Trans-national Organised Crime, and the UN Convention against Corruption.

“Vietnam attaches great importance to legal assistance activity with other countries, considering this an effective way to combat trans-national organised crime,” said Mr Vuong. “Vietnam is committed to full and timely cooperation with other countries’ procuracy agencies and hopes to receive assistance from these organisations in return.”

The conference will end on November 25.