PIF secretary general: Global financial crisis "could affect Pacific stability"

SUVA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The economic impacts of the global economy on the
Pacific may also be a driver for insecurity, and in some cases a catalyst for
criminality, posing a threat to the stability and security of the Pacific
region.

Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, made
the warning Thursday at the opening of the annual Forum Regional Security
Committee meeting at the Forum Secretariat in Suva.

Slade said the region has become a target of new organized crime group
entities attempting to exploit vulnerabilities in banking and financial sectors
and also the illicit movement of drugs, weapons and people.

He added that the Pacific region continues to face complex law enforcement
challenges and support to agencies responsible for law enforcement remains a
high priority for all the countries in the region.

"It is clear from the variety of investigations undertaken in the last year
that the region continues to be targeted by individuals and groups attempting to
undertake a range of transnational criminal activity. These include the illicit
movement of drugs, weapons and people. We are even beginning to witness
incidences of new organized crime groups entities attempting to exploit
vulnerabilities in our banking and financial sectors," the Fijilive website
quoted Slade as saying.

The Forum members heard that the area of border security will be tested
with the lack of response to commercial fraud.

The region has been urged to make a move toward traditional law enforcement
and compliance priorities.

"No one country can feasibly manage alone in today's world, where the
problems of one neighbor invariably affect the next. Peace and security in our
region are inextricably linked to peace and stability in our respective member
countries; and much depends on the mutuality of needed cooperation on issues of
common concerns."

The two-day FRSC meeting was attended by representatives of Forum member
countries as well as regional law enforcement and security stakeholders.

Fiji was not invited to the meeting after being suspended from the Forum
last month for failing to meet the island body's demand to issue a 2009 general
election date by May 1.

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