European Conference to address regional policing issues

Operational policing issues including human trafficking, drugs and organised crime are among the agenda items for the 35th INTERPOL European Regional Conference which opens in Minsk, Belarus on Wednesday 17 May.

The two-day meeting is an opportunity for law enforcement officers from member countries to meet and explore ways of furthering cross-border communication and co-operation.

The conference takes place in Minsk as planned, despite pressure from a European Union body for the meeting to be rearranged, because of recent political events in Belarus. All European Union member countries, and several candidate countries, have indicated that they are not attending the INTERPOL meeting.

INTERPOL believes that staying politically neutral is fundamental if the organization is to remain effective and fulfill its basic role of supporting international law enforcement co-operation.   

In support of this belief, INTERPOL President Jackie Selebi and Secretary General Ronald K. Noble wrote to all 184 member countries last week to underline the organization's commitment to retaining its independence and neutrality.

'Terrorism and other serious transnational crime, by their very nature, do not respect borders, which is why it is absolutely essential that INTERPOL continues to operate on an international basis in service of the global community,' the letter stated.

The decision to host the conference in Minsk was taken at the 34th European Regional Conference last year.

Article 3 of INTERPOL’s constitution bars the organization from undertaking any activity that is political, military, religious or racial.