MINI DUBLIN GROUP * * * Subject : Meeting of the Iran Mini Dublin - PDF document

MINI DUBLIN GROUP * * * Subject : Meeting of the Iran Mini Dublin Group on the Presentation of the UNODC Programme for the I.R. of Iran (2005-2007) Chair : - Mr. Matthew Gould, Charge d’Affaires a.i./Chair of the Mini Dublin Group (MDG); - Mr. Roberto Arbitrio, Representative, UNODC Iran. Date : 12 April 2005 Venue : Residence of the British Ambassador, Neauphle le Chateau Ave., Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran MDG M embers Attending : Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom REPORT The Meeting The UK Chairmanship of the Mini Dublin Group and UNODC jointly organized the meeting on 12 April 2005. A total of 23 representatives from the Mini Dublin Group (MDG) countries took part in the initiative. Ms. Miwa Kato, UNODC Programme Management Officer of UNODC Headquarters, attended the event. UNODC distributed a package of documents that included the agenda of the meeting, the list of participants and the following papers: • “The UNODC Programme for I.R. of Iran”, • “Reports on Mini Dublin Group Initiatives in the I.R. of Iran in 2004”, • “The Sixth International Conference of Drug Liaison Officers” • The Paris Pact Initiative - Activities for the I.R. of Iran”. A CD-Rom containing the documentation of the meeting was included in the package provided to the MDG members. 1

The Chair and the opening remarks The meeting was opened by a welcoming speech of Mr. Matthew Gould, Charge d’Affaires a.i./Chair of the Mini Dublin Group (MDG). Mr. Gould thanked the UNODC Team for the work done in designing the new programme in close consultation with the MDG members and national authorities. He also expressed appreciation for the prompt approval of the new UNODC programme by national authorities. The purpose of the meeting for the MDG members should be to support the new UNODC programme and to inform respective capitals accordingly. It was emphasized that the UNODC work in Iran is of particular importance since it promotes multilateral cooperation and it provides frameworks for bilateral cooperation in the areas of drug control and crime prevention. Mr. Roberto Arbitrio , Representative of UNODC, thanked the MDG members for the continued support provided to UNODC all along the process of programme design. The new package of projects reflects a shared view of drug control and crime prevention priorities of both Iran and the donors’ community. The process of consultation includes a large number of meetings with members of the MDG and national authorities, workshop and round tables jointly organized by the MDG Chair, UNODC and Iranian authorities, and other relevant initiatives (technical meetings, assessments, etc.). The new project ideas have been approved by Iranian authorities and the UNODC programme has been considered as a reference for both bilateral and multilateral cooperation by the participants to the Sixth International DLOs Conference held in Mashad, I.R. of Iran on 5 – 7 February 2005. The UNODC Representative proceeded with his presentation on the new programme for Iran. Copy of the Power Point Presentation is annexed to this report. Open Discussion Mr. Matthew Gould, Charge d’Affaires a.i. of the UK Embassy and Chair of the Mini Dublin Group, opened the floor for a questions & answers session. He mentioned that UK is planning to provide substantial contributions to the UNODC programme for Iran. Ms. Anneke Schutter, First Secretary of the Embassy of The Netherlands, expressed support to the UNODC programme and informed that relevant information will be forwarded to the capital. Mr. Harsha Sirur , Third Secretary of the Embassy of Canada, acknowledged the substantial work done by UNODC in designing the new programme and requested explanation on the presence of two projects addressing the promotion of regional and international cooperation. Mr. Roberto Arbitrio, UNODC Representative, replied that the two projects are addressing two different issues being the first demand reduction and the second drug enforcement. Mr. Achim Fabig, Head of Legal and Consular Section of the Embassy of Germany, stated that recently information on a budget cut to the Drug Control Headquarters (DCHQ) on demand reduction was circulated. He asked whether the government of Iran was moving away from demand reduction. He also wondered whether the departure of Mr. Bozorgmehr Ziaran, Director General of International Specialized Agency Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to a new assignment abroad impacted negatively on UNODC cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Roberto Arbitrio replied that the government is paying greater attention to 2

demand reduction activities with respect to the past and this was an encouraging signal. The cut in the budget of the DCHQ may have a different explanation especially in view of the current political and institutional situation as mentioned also by the top management of the DCHQ. The UNODC cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains very good and H.E. Ambassador Ziaran ensured proper follow up to the relations with UNODC. Currently UNODC is closely liaising with Mr. Mahmoud Barimani, Director, Department for International Social Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the level of cooperation is excellent. Mr. Emmanuel Bonne , Second Counselor of the Embassy of France, enquired whether UNODC plans to share with the members of the MDG information on programme and project activities. He also expressed interest in receiving updates on UNODC activities related to border control. Mr. Roberto Arbitrio, offered full availability of UNODC to share reports and information related to programme and project activities. UNODC will ensure that donors to specific projects may be involved in the monitoring, planning and evaluation process thus increasing the information flow towards donor countries. He also referred to the Paris Pact initiatives in Iran stating that MDG members will be kept fully informed on relevant developments and that the results of the assessment mission will be circulated accordingly. Finally, the MDG members will be invited to the Paris Pact Round Table to be held in Tehran either in July or in September 2005. Mr. Matthew Gould, Charge d’Affaires a.i. of the UK Embassy and Chair of the Mini Dublin Group, asked whether UNODC was planning to ensure proper human resources for an effective management of programme and project activities. Mr. Roberto Arbitrio replied that UNODC is addressing the issue of projects’ and programme management in two ways: 1) proper human resources have been budgeted in each project to ensure necessary management and project support; 2) a standardized implementation system at programme, project and working group levels is being designed and it will be soon ready. Mr. Matthew Gould thanked the MDG members for their active participation and closed the meeting. 3