Approved by SOC on 23 August 2008

I. General Provisions
The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) has adopted the CICA Catalogue of Confidence Building Measures, hereafter referred as the Catalogue, and has agreed to the realization of these guidelines in practice on bilateral and/or multilateral basis as voluntarily agreed upon.

Security, as one of the core ideas behind the CICA, is the main concern of all countries, not only in Asia, but at the global level. The Member States, irrespective of their political or ideological orientation, need to strengthen their security both individually and collectively. On this basis, the CICA has so far produced a number of documents in which the ways and means of strengthening regional security and cooperation have been agreed. One of these is the Catalogue where the Member States in clause 4 of article 3 have agreed to “exchange of information on measures taken to curb drug trafficking”

On this basis, the Member States :

1. Recognizing threats to security as one of the main challenges to peace and stability in Asia;
2. Reaffirming the importance to implement the CBM’s contained in the Catalogue in accordance with the general provisions of this document;
3. Emphasizing the significance of cooperation on these issues among the Member States;
4. Considering on the global scale the tendencies in the growth of crimes related to the illicit drug production and trafficking in organized and transnational forms that represent serious threat to the public, stability and security of the Member States and serve as one of the channels of financing terrorism;
5. Attaching importance to the implementation of the “Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961” as amended by Protocol 1972, “Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971” and   “Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances 1988”;
6. Being alarmed by the serious threat posed by illicit drug production and trafficking to the security of the region and its negative impact on political, social, economic and cultural life of the CICA Region;
7. Determined to promote efforts to eradicate the root causes and conditions conducive to illicit drug production and trafficking and other forms of crimes in the region;
8. Desiring to take appropriate steps to combat such transnational criminal activities as money laundering of the proceeds derived from illicit drug production and trafficking narcotic drugs and chemical precursors;
9. Determined to provide, when possible, access to treatment, social reintegration, rehabilitation and aftercare for drug users;
10. Reached the understanding regarding the procedure of carrying out cooperation and coordination among themselves, so as to combat illicit drug production and trafficking subject to the respective legislations of their countries:

II. Areas and Forms of Cooperation
Cooperation among the Member States may include, inter alia:

1. Facilitating provision of mutual legal assistance in investigations, prosecutions and judicial proceedings in relation to illicit drug production and trafficking and related crimes;
2. Reducing drug demand and supply;
3. Taking joint measures to suppress transportation, use of drugs and illegal diversion of precursors as well as to eliminate illicit drugs supply sources, cultivation and drug producing laboratories;
4. Cooperation on alternative drug substitutive agricultural development for the deterrence of production as well as the cultivation of drugs. Enhancing common efforts on prevention of conditions conducive to spread of production and cultivation of drugs.
5. Strengthening of cooperation in the field of combating illicit drug production and trafficking in regional and international arena;
6. Exchange of information on the methods of detection and seizure of concealed drugs, as well on the ‘modus operandi’ used by drug traffickers;
7. Sharing information on new technological equipments and modern technologies, applied to detect illicit drugs and increase capacity-building activities against illicit drug production and trafficking such as experts’ training courses;
8. Exchange of information on new types of drugs, including synthetic drugs and amphetamine type stimulants;
9. Holding training workshops and meetings for representatives of the relevant bodies involved in the drug control, preventive measures, treatment and rehabilitation;
10. Promoting cooperation in the field of legislation and exchange of  legal information among the Member States in accordance with international treaties;
11. Undertaking joint scientific research works on drug control;
12. Raising public awareness and disseminating information on the risks of drug consumption.

III. Confidentiality of information and documents
Confidentiality level of information and documents provided within implementation of the present Concept Paper is defined by the providing party. Information and documents should not be transferred to a third party without prior written authorization of the providing party.

IV. Meetings
In order to review the situation concerning the illicit drug production and trafficking and progress made in implementation of this Concept Paper, the Member States will meet whenever necessary on voluntary basis.

V. National Drug Control Focal Points
The Member States will voluntarily inform the CICA Secretariat about their respective drug control focal points. The Secretariat will maintain and regularly update the list of focal points and disseminate this information among the Member States. 

VI. Implementation
This Concept Paper will form the basis for conducting further deliberations aimed at elaborating an Action Plan.