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UNIS/NAR/840
26 March 2004
VIENNA, 26 March (UN Information Service) -- Liechtenstein Principality’s Foreign Minister, Ernst Walch, met with Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna today. Minister Walch is on an official visit to Austria.
Cooperation in specific areas of the UNODC mandate -- such as organized crime, trafficking in human beings, corruption and money laundering -- was discussed. Liechtenstein is particularly supportive of UNODC’s global efforts to provide technical assistance to justice, police and financial officials in order to improve the Member States’ capacity to deal with money laundering.
“This form of technical cooperation contributes to the development of international standards in facing the challenges of money laundering and financing of terrorism,” Minister Walch said.
Mr. Costa said “Liechtenstein has an important role to play in those efforts by contributing its know-how and its financial oversight expertise.”
They discussed UNODC’s global efforts against drug abuse and organized crime. The Minister expressed his country’s support for the work of the United Nations in the prevention of drug cultivation and drug abuse, as well as in providing treatment for drug addicts. He also announced his country's intention to increase the contribution for UNODC activities.
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