Declaration of Asia-Europe Meeting(ASEM) Prosecutors-General Conference

The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Prosecutors-General Conference took place on 9-12 December 2005 in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. The Prosecutors General, Attorneys-General or Ministers of Justice from ASEM, attended the Conference.

The Conference proceeded in a warm, friendly and practical atmosphere. Under the theme of "Combating Co-operatively Transnational Organized Crimes, Establishing a Harmonious, Stable and Prosperous Society", the Conference explored and discussed the possibilities of strengthening mutual communication and enhancing enforcement co-operation among respective law enforcement agencies of the ASEM partners. Its aim was to establish efficient mechanisms of co-ordination and co-operation in order to combat transnational organized crimes which are of concern of both the regions and beyond.

The Prosecutors-General, Attorneys-General, Ministers of Justice and their representatives of the ASEM partners shared the view that :

1. in an age of economic and information globalization, strengthening legal and judicial co-operation between Asia and Europe would facilitate the establishment of efficient measures to cope with new challenges and threats and contribute to the safeguarding of peace, stability, prosperity and safety of the two continents, and indeed of the whole world. This effort would build on the fact that Asia and Europe are important political and economic forces in the contemporary world. The Statement of the Chairman of the Asia-Europe Meeting on 2 March 1996 stressed the need to strengthen co-operation between the two regions in order to deal with the illicit drug trade, money laundering, terrorism and other international crimes, including the exploitation of illegal immigration, both bilaterally and through existing multilateral initiatives. The Declaration on Co-operation against International Terrorism of the Fourth Asia Europe Meeting Summit on 24 September 2002 pledged that ASEM partners would work together to combat the threat to global peace and security, sustainable economic development and political stability. These documents gave an impetus to the further development of bilateral and multilateral legal and judicial co-operation among ASEM partners. These countries may have different prosecution systems, but they shoulder the same or similar responsibilities; that is combating crimes and maintaining rule of law. Enhancing mutual co-operation and cracking down on transnational organized crime will efficiently secure and safeguard the overall development of ASEM partners politically and economically, and push forward ASEM partners towards harmony, stability and prosperity.

2. it is necessary to further enhance legal and mutual judicial cooperation in the following areas :

a. Implementing the provisions of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its related protocols and other relevant conventions and legal instruments through the expansion of close co-operation in combating organized crimes, corruption, money laundering, terrorism, trafficking in arms, trafficking in drugs, trafficking in persons and other transnational organized crimes.

b. Implementing bilateral legal and judicial assistance treaties, extradition treaties and other regional, inter-regional legal and judicial cooperation agreements; the implementation and enhancement of cooperation among the supreme prosecution services of ASEM partners under such instruments. Actively conducting mutual legal and judicial assistance, to the extent possible and in accordance with domestic laws and applicable international treaties, in investigation and obtaining of evidence, arrest and extradition of criminals, recovery of the proceeds of crimes and in related areas.

c. Broadening legal and judicial co-operation channels and improving efficiency in cooperation between the prosecution services of ASEM partners .

d. Establishing efficient mechanisms for the exchange of judicial information, including information relating to judicial reform, law enforcement practice and the combating of crime.

e. Strengthening communication between prosecution services, including visits by groups of prosecutors, carrying out professional training and learning from each other's experiences relating to prosecution work.

3. The prosecution services of ASEM, Prosecutors-General, Attorneys-General, Ministers of Justice and their representatives of the ASEM partners are willing to conduct extensive co-operation with law enforcement agencies and international organizations under the framework of relevant international treaties and agreements.

4. The Prosecutors-General, Attorneys-General, Ministers of Justice of the ASEM partners intend to continue dialogue, at various levels including the administrative and the high administrative levels, with the aim of strengthening communication and cooperation among the prosecution services of the ASEM partners.

Signed in Shenzhen, on this 12th day of December 2005.