1. We, the ASEAN Ministers overseeing the issues of transnational crime, gathered on 6 November 2007 in Bandar Seri Begawan, to strengthen our commitment to enhance cooperation on combating transnational crime. The Meeting was preceded by a Preparatory Senior Officials Meeting for the 6th AMMTC held on 5 November 2007.

2. We laud the consolidated efforts reflected at various ASEAN Meetings responsible for transnational crime issues, which, inter alia, reaffirm ASEAN’s strong commitment in fighting against the menace and growing danger of transnational crime.

3. We are encouraged by the signing of the ASEAN Convention on Counter Terrorism by the ASEAN Leaders at the 12th ASEAN Summit in January 2007 in Cebu, the Philippines. We urge all Member Countries to take necessary steps to ratify the Convention as soon as possible.

4. We noted with appreciation the efforts made by our Senior Officials on Drug Matters in achieving Drug-Free ASEAN 2015 and endorsed the Report on Vision, Benchmarks and Recommendation Towards Achieving Drug-Free ASEAN 2015. In this context, we tasked the ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters to determine specific targets and timeline to its Work Plan and report on progress of its implementation to the next AMMTC.

5. We also agreed that in achieving a Drug-Free ASEAN 2015 within the broader ASEAN community, cross sectoral linkages among existing regional and extra-regional mechanisms need to be further strengthened and coordinated. Specific areas where this should be done include strengthening regional framework, mainstreaming drug concerns in other relevant ASEAN bodies, and supporting and sustaining alternative development efforts.

6. We held a Retreat to candidly exchange views, and agreed on the need for a more feasible and substantive line of communication amongst our relevant national agencies for the expeditious and functional exchange of intelligence and information. We also note with appreciation the points of communication mechanisms established amongst ASEAN Member Countries.

7. We recognised the increasing trend of the offences of trafficking in persons in our region. In this regard, we agreed to explore the possibility of developing an ASEAN Convention on Trafficking in Persons and tasked SOMTC and its Working Group on Trafficking in Persons to further study the possibility of such a convention and whether it will add value.

8. We recognised the need to maintain highest alert and vigilance and refrain from being complacent when dealing with the growing linkages of transnational crime, and the increasing sophistication of their modus operandi. Furthermore, we agreed to continuously devise innovative ways and means to cope with the multifaceted and ever changing threats of transnational crime issues.

9. We agreed to further strengthen the existing networking of law enforcement agencies and facilitate further cooperation and coordination through the establishment of a dedicated national focal point in each ASEAN Member Country. In this respect, we agreed to establish hotline networks among designated Senior Officials.

10. We also recognized the need to build-up capacity and equipment for our law enforcement officers, especially in English language and computer skills so as to cope more effectively with day to day work in dealing with transnational crime. We therefore called for intensive English language and investigation technique training for our law enforcement officers.

11. We further recognised the need to maximise the utilisation of the existing networks including e-ADS and I-24/7 to strengthen information exchange, capacity building, policy and management of implementation efforts in Non-Traditional Security Issues between ASEAN Member Countries, ASEANAPOL and Interpol.

12. We took note with appreciation the briefing by the Chairman of the 27th ASEAN Chiefs of National Police Conference (ASEANAPOL) on police cooperation and activities in combating transnational crime in the region, in particular the newly established e-ADS for information and intelligence sharing

13.  We welcomed the determined efforts made towards enhanced and cohesive ASEAN Plus Three cooperation in combating transnational crime and looked forward to the convening of the Third ASEAN Plus Three Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime on 7 November 2007.

14. We welcomed the kind offer of the Kingdom of Cambodia to host the 7th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime in 2009.

15. We expressed our profound gratitude to His Majesty the Sultan Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam for graciously granting an audience to the Ministers and Senior Officials and his valuable advice in advancing cooperation in combating transnational crime.

16. We sincerely thanked the Government and the people of Brunei Darussalam for their warm and generous hospitality accorded to us and our respective delegations and the excellent arrangements for the Meeting. We also expressed our sincere appreciations to the ASEAN Secretariat for its invaluable assistance.