The ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters was held in Brunei 'scapital city of Bandar Seri Begawan on September 3 to tackle the issueof illegal drugs, moving towards a drug-free regional bloc by 2015.

During the meeting, ASEAN ministers discussed issues relating to drugsand forged closer cooperation and collaboration among ASEAN memberstates towards achieving a shared vision of having a stable, prosperousand drug-free ASEAN by 2015.

The meeting also provided a platformto better prepare for the final assessment on realising a drug-freeASEAN by 2015, which will begin next year.

Earlier on September 2, atthe Preparatory Senior Officials Meeting for the ASEAN MinisterialMeeting on Drug Matters (Prep-SOM), senior officials had a comprehensivediscussion on the regional drug situation in ASEAN, the achievementsrecorded and the challenges towards achieving the vision of a Drug-FreeASEAN 2015.

They also exchanged views and recommended severalinitiatives on the way forward as well as stressed the importance ofconveying a consistent message on ASEAN’s work on addressing andcombating the drug problem.

The meeting acknowledged that ASEANwould need to strengthen and enhanced cooperation on legal frameworks,training and capacity building and partnerships with the private sector,which includes the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Themeeting also exchanged views on the implementation of the ASEAN WorkPlan on Combating Illicit Drug Production, Trafficking, and Use(2009-2015), in which all ASEAN member states unanimously agreed thatrealising Drug-Free ASEAN 2015 is the shared responsibility of allstakeholders.-VNA