Pubdate: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 Source: Islamic Republic News Agency (Iran Wire) Copyright: 2003 Islamic Republic News Agency Contact: http://www.irna.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2777 ECO HOLDS MEETING ON DRUG CONTROL Tehran -- The first meeting of National Focal Points (NFP) of the Drug Control Coordination Unit (DCCU) of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Secretariat was held in the ECO secretariat on Tuesday, said a press release issued by ECO secretariat in Tehran. According to the press release, the meeting opened with a speech by ECO Secretary General Bekzhassar Narbayev which was read by his deputy. In his message, Narbayev welcomed the guests from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. "He described anti-narcotics measures an important corner stone of ECO secretariat's activity and expressed his confidence that the meeting would serve as a beginning towards sharing the experience and strengthening cooperation in anti-narcotics activities in ECO region. "Secretary general also thanked the UN Office on drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the EU for their assistance and support to ECO in the subject activity," it added. The report said that he also stated that Drug Control is not merely a law enforcement issue but also a development issue, therefore the need to curb its spread is being factored in by the ECO. According to the report, Deputy Secretary General of the Drug Control Headquarters Mojtaba Jebel Ameli in his statement said, "Participation of representatives of ECO member states in the meeting showed the will of the region to fight against illicit drug trafficking." It added that UNODC representatives stated that ECO region had been among the priority areas of UNODC for support against drug trafficking and that was the reason why UNODC supported the establishment of a DCCU in the ECO secretariat with funding from EU. "Each delegation head made an opening presentation which would be discussed by the meeting in its next session. Senior ranking anti-narcotics officials have come from the capital of the ECO member states to participate in the meeting. "The meeting will continue until tomorrow during which national focal points (anti-narcotics senior officials) will discuss the drug situation both in each ECO member state and the region," it added. The press release said that participants would also decide on the establishment of the network between DCCU and NFP. "The network is designed to help exchange drug-related information speedily and strengthen coordination between ECO member-states in anti-narcotics matter," concluded the press release.