For information only - not an official document

UNIS/INF/436
1 February 2012

MEDIA ADVISORY

Paris Pact Ministerial Meeting on Drugs from Afghanistan
on 16 February in Vienna

Media invited to attend opening session at 9 a.m. and press stakeout

VIENNA, 1 February (UN Information Service) - High-level participation by Government Ministers and the United Nations is expected in Vienna next month to discuss how best to combat the trafficking of opium and heroin originating in Afghanistan. The Third Ministerial Conference of the Paris Pact Partners will take place at the Hofburg Palace on Thursday 16 February 2012.

The meeting brings together Ministers and representatives from more than 55 countries as well as from international organizations and regional partners. The participants will discuss problems related to the trafficking of opiates from Afghanistan and look at ways to block financial flows from the illicit drug trade, prevent diversion of precursor chemicals needed to produce heroin, reduce drug abuse and how regional initiatives can help combat drugs from Afghanistan.

The Paris Pact Initiative (PPI) is an international partnership of more than 55 countries and international organizations which agreed at the Ministerial Conference on Drug Routes from Central Asia to Europe held in Paris in 2003, to the principle of common and shared responsibility in the fight against opium and heroin trafficking from Afghanistan. The second Ministerial Conference was held in Moscow in 2006. The Paris Pact Initiative is supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Media are invited to attend the opening session of the meeting at 9 a.m. and a press stakeout on Thursday 16 February:

Accreditation: Pre-registration by all journalists including those already accredited to the VIC is required. Media representatives who wish to attend should contact:

Veronika Crowe-Mayerhofer, UN Information Service
Email: press@unvienna.org
Tel: (+43-1) 26060-3342

Please register by 4 p.m. on Tuesday 14 February 2012.

Journalists are encouraged to collect security passes prior to the event from the Vienna International Centre up to 4 p.m. on Tuesday 14 February or from the Hofburg Palace from 3 - 6 p.m. on Wednesday 15 February.

Please allow plenty of time to go through security procedures before gaining access to the Hofburg Palace. Entry will be via the Josefsplatz entrance.

Further details will be distributed closer to the event.

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For further information please contact:

Anne Thomas
Information Officer, UNIS Vienna
Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-5588
Mobile: (+43) 699-1459-5588
Email: anne.thomas[at]unvienna.org