On September 17, the Caspian region and Caucasus expert meeting under the Paris Pact was opened in Turkmenbashi town. The representative forum was organised by the government of Turkmenistan and the State Coordination Commission for Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan. The representatives of the law-enforcement agencies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health and the heads of the authoritative international organisations, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the European Commission, the heads of the diplomatic missions accredited to Turkmenistan, journalists took part in the meeting. The foreign delegations from 15 countries: the specialists and experts in drug control, who had arrived in Turkmenistan the day before, participated in the forum.

The welcome statement of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, who had emphasized that concerted efforts of the countries worldwide and international organisations were the means of effectively addressing response to illicit drug trafficking that really threatened each country as well as the international community, to the participants of the international meeting was presented. Turkmenistan defined the rigorous and uncompromising fight against drug traffic as a priority task of the national policy, the Turkmen leader had noted.

Turkmenistan is an active participant to the United Nations conventions against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and a number of the international programmes and projects aimed at increasing the capacity of the Central Asian states in elaborating the drug control strategy, strengthening control capacities on the borders to detect drugs and reduce drug traffic. With assistance of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime the government of Turkmenistan signed the Memorandum on Understanding on control for illicit drug production, trafficking, abuse of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors on May 4, 1996. The State Coordination Commission for Drug Control was established under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan on March 12, 1996.

The regional expert meeting in Turkmenbashi was determined by the necessity of concerting and coordinating the international efforts under the aegis of the United Nations Organisation. Standing steadfast to wide international co-operation for common peace, wellbeing and global security at a new stage of national development our country demonstrates the new approaches to the challenges the world community faces nowadays.

Greeting the participants on behalf of the Secretariat of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC Regional Representative for Central Asia Mr. James Callahan expressed gratitude to the government of Turkmenistan for assistance in organising the meeting and noted that independent neutral Turkmenistan profoundly contributed to maintenance of peace and security in the region.

Those speaking at the meeting emphasized that implementing the provisions of the Political Declaration of the UN General Assembly Turkmenistan defined the uncompromising fight against drug traffic as a priority task of the national policy from the first days of independence. The law-enforcement agencies, healthcare and educational institutions, the public organisations carried out the large-scale drug and crime prevention activities throughout the country. The Turkmen leader set the specific tasks to the law enforcement agencies. The special agencies were provided with up-to-date equipment including X-ray and computer equipment, alarm systems, patrol vessels, vehicles, and other special equipment. The border and customs services were provided with security equipment. The training centers regularly conducted the courses and personnel training.

A scanner detecting contraband and narcotic drugs was presented to the participants at the Turkmenbashi port.

The agenda of the first day included the reports on the work of the State Coordination Commission for Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers. The UNODC international experts and consultants from Russia and Turley presented the reports on establishment the effective drug control mechanisms at the national and regional levels in the Paris Pact member states. The participants focused on intensification of international co-operation among law-enforcement agencies and structures in that field.

The Paris Pact is an informal organisation that unites the countries and international organisations - the World Customs Organisation, OSCE and European Union. The objective of the Paris Pact is invite the experts from the interested countries and international organisations to discuss drug control measures mechanisms and implementation of the relevant projects and programmes.