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UNIS/CP/420 |
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WORKSHOPS IN KYRGYZSTAN AND KAZAKHSTAN DISCUSS VIENNA , 4 October(UN Information Service) – Measures against money laundering and financing of terrorism are essential components of economic reforms and a tool to combat international terrorism, said the participants of two-day national workshops in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (30 September – 1 October) and in Astana, Kazakhstan (2-3 October). The Global Programme against Money Laundering (GPML) of the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UNODCCP), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Governments of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan respectively organized these workshops to implement the Action Plan endorsed by the December 2001 Bishkek conference on enhancing security and stability in Central Asia. In his opening address to the participants of the ‘National Workshop on Combating Money Laundering and Suppressing Financing of Terrorism’ in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz Vice Prime Minister, Joomart Otorbaev, stressed the need to improve the country's legislation. "Until we assure the world community that we are a transparent country and that we are able to combat money laundering and crime, we will not succeed in attracting foreign investment," he said. In Astana the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on National Security of Kazakhstan also stressed an importance of a national law against money laundering referring to the United Nations recommendation to adopt national laws on money laundering by the year 2003. This recommendation was included in the Political Declaration adopted by the special session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1998. Representatives from national institutions of Kyrgyzstan, at the Bishkek workshop, and of Kazakhstan, at the Astana workshop, such as police, prosecution, judiciary, financial sector, legislative bodies, as well as experts from Austria, Canada, Croatia, the IMF and UNODCCP exchanged their experiences in legislative and technical aspects of the measures against money laundering and financing of terrorism. The participants of the workshops prepared sets of recommendations to the governments of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to develop corresponding legislation and administrative structures in these countries. These recommendations included a request to explore and use the potential of international organizations and other countries to provide assistance in these developments. The workshop participants expressed a wish to continue with similar initiatives on the issues discussed. For further information, please contact Dolgor Solongo, economist, Global Programme against Money Laundering, UNODCCP, tel: 43-1-26060-5566, fax: 43-1-260606878, email: gpml@odccp.org * *** * |
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