GERMAN-UKRAINIAN AGREEMENT ON FIGHT AGAINST ORGANISED CRIME
On 6 February, German Interior Minister Kanther and his Ukrainian counterpart, Vladimir Radchenko, signed a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the fight against "organised crime".
The two states bind themselves to cooperate against drug-related crime, money laundering, car theft, trafficking in arms and nuclear materials, as well as money counterfeiting, smuggling of illegal immigrants and terrorism.
The agreement provides for an exchange of information, research findings and experts. A "Mixed Commission" will meet periodically to ensure the implementation of the agreement.
An interesting aspect of the agreement is that terrorism is subordinated to "organised crime". According to prevailing German concepts of security, terrorism is considered an independent phenomenon of threat against internal security, alongside the other main threats, "organised crime" and illegal immigration.
According to the Parliamentary Secretary of State of the Federal Interior Ministry, preventing "rapidly escalating illegal immigration that takes place at the instigation and with the support of smuggler groups operating over the frontiers", has become a task of particular importance.
Germany is trying to conclude similar agreements on "organised crime" with all eastern European states and the CIS countries, within a scheme of three geographical circles: agreements have already been signed with the states belonging to the "first circle", Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria. Following Estonia, Ukraine is the second country belonging to the "second circle" to sign an agreement. The remaining "second circle" countries are Byelorussia, Russia, Latvia and Lithuania. The "third circle" is made up of the Central Asian CIS republics.
Source: Junge Welt, 7.2.95.