Ministers and high officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Thursday met in Bangkok to coordinate their countries' efforts to fight transnational crime in the region. 

To efficiently combat the increasingly complex network and linkages of transnational crime, a holistic, comprehensive and integrated approach and full cooperation of ASEAN nations were required, Thai Justice Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said at the opening of the one-day fourth ASEAN ministerial meeting on transnational crime.

Under the theme of "Shared responsibility toward common security," ASEAN security ministers and officials would review the progress of a plan of action on the fight against transnational crime, which was adopted by ASEAN member in 1999.

The plan called for joint efforts in combating eight identified areas of crime, namely illicit drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, sea piracy, money laundering, arms smuggling, terrorism, international economic crime and cyber crime.

The officials were also expected to discuss cooperation on intelligence sharing and harmonizing legal system so as to cut down transnational crime.

The meeting would be followed by a senior official meeting and a ministerial meeting of ASEAN plus China, Japan and Korea on Friday and Saturday. 

(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2004)