Interpol Pledges to Help Vietnam Hunt Fugitive Criminals

Interpol will help Vietnam hunt fugitive criminals around the world and enhance information sharing with the country, its Secretary General Jurgen Stock has told Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang. At a meeting in Hanoi on July 6, Mr. Stock acknowledged the close cooperation between Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security and relevant departments under the Interpol Secretariat in exchanging information on crime prevention and fighting, as well as in implementing Interpol programs in the Asia-Pacific region. He also appreciated Vietnam’s seconded officers at Interpol Secretariat in Lyon, France and its Singapore-based Interpol Global Complex. Close cooperation between Interpol and its member nations is important to the fight against crime amidst increasing threats from terrorism, non-traditional security risks and organized crimes, Stock said. In turn, Quang, who is former police general, expressed his delight at the fruitful cooperation between Vietnam’s Public Security Ministry and Interpol in the fight against transnational crimes and highly appreciated the effective support the Interpol General Secretariat has provided for the ministry over the past years. Quang called on Interpol leaders and the Vietnamese ministry to maintain contacts via delegation exchanges and annual meetings of the General Assembly of Interpol. He also asked the organization to give priority to helping Vietnam train law enforcement officers and create favorable conditions for Vietnamese officers to work at the Interpol Secretariat. On the same day, Mr. Stock met with Minister of Public Security To Lam, who said his ministry is ready to work with the Interpol General Secretariat to conduct crackdowns on trans-national crimes in Vietnam in the most effective way. Since Vietnam became a member of Interpol in 1991, its public security force has been continually assisted by the Interpol General Secretariat, Lam said. The host asked the Interpol General Secretariat to continue sharing information about trans-national organized crimes, particularly high-tech crime, terrorism and other newly-emerging crimes, in order to help Vietnam’s public security force to have timely crime prevention and combat plans. Vietnam’s police needs further assistance of Interpol in training on combating hi-tech crime, terrorism, environmental crime, and corruption, he said. (Vietnam News Agency July 6)