THE FIRST NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING MEASURES AND SUPPRESSING FINANCING OF TERRORISM

 Concluding Protocol

On 27- 28 March First National Workshop on Anti-Money Laundering Measures and Suppressing Financing of Terrorism was held in Baku on the basis of the relevant programs of OSCE and UN and with their sponsorship.

 

Due to the increase of drug trafficking and other serious crimes in the region, this issue carries special significance. Receipt of proceeds from criminal activities, laundering of those proceeds and increasing and strengthening connection of the aforementioned offenses to financing of terrorism requires new approaches to be adopted in order to improve the situation, prevent the above-mentioned crimes and strengthen security of countries of the region.

 

Workshop participants have mentioned in their presentations and during discussions that it is very important to make sure that International Organizations render their assistance to the government of Azerbaijan Republic, primarily, in the field of comprehensive development of national legislation, development of an effective mechanism for its enforcement and establishment of national Financial Investigation Unit (FIU).

 

Furthermore, concerns of the Government of Azerbaijan Republic have, once again, been raised in the view of lack of its control over its territories under occupation by Armenian armed forces, as well as spreading of serious crimes in these territories, including but not limited to, drug trafficking, arms trading and money laundering.

 

Participants of the workshop appreciate the need for adopting measures directed towards suppressing all types of terrorist activity and, specifically so, combat against their sources of finance and consider appropriate to propose and submit the following recommendations for consideration of the Government of Azerbaijan Republic:

 

1.  To make sure that a comprehensive law on anti-money laundering measures and suppressing terrorism is adopted;

2.  In order to facilitate measures against money laundering and financing of terrorism, the issue of establishment of FIU is to be discussed;

3.  It is important to make sure that the country’s efforts to sign (RATIFY the original Azeri version reads to “join international documents” –TRANSLATOR) existing international documents and refine its national legislation are continued;

4.  More attention is to be paid to the significance of strengthening of cooperation and coordination of relationship amongst state authorities, ministries and financial institutions working in this area;

5.  To make sure that intensive exchange of information on international-scale changes and innovations is organized;

6.  It is important to require assistance from international organizations (OSCE, UN and others) in the following areas:

·           In development of legislative basis as well as implementation mechanism for anti-money laundering measures and suppressing financing of terrorism;

·           In carrying out a legal expertise of national legislation in order to examine its matching the international standards;

·           In providing a financial and technical assistance in setting up relevant national authorities;

·           In organizing and holding series of training seminars and workshops for employees of the relevant national authorities

 

7.     The issue of compulsory declaration of physical cash transported across the borders, which may be used for financing international terrorism, is to be considered, without imposing any restriction;

8.     An expedient system is to be implemented in order to decrease turnover of physical cash, combat shadow economy and facilitate transition to credit card and other no-cash payment modes;

9.     An inter-ministerial commission is to be set up in order to develop the basic principals of the public policy in this area and submit them to the Government for discussion and approval.

 

First National Workshop on Combating Money Laundering and

 Suppressing the Financing of Terrorism

Venue: Crescent Beach Hotel

Baku, Azerbaijan

27-28 March, 2003

 

Agenda

 

 

 

 
Thursday, 27 March 2003

 

 

 

                            9:00 – 10:00

Registration for participants at the workshop venue

 

 

10:00 – 10:30

Opening Session - Welcoming Remarks

 

Welcoming remarks by the Representative of the Government of Azerbaijan

Remarks on the Programme by Dolgor Solongo, Economist, GPML/UNODC

Remarks by Robin Seaword, Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Baku

 

 

 

 

Session I: International Instruments and Institutions

Moderator: Azeri Consultant

 

10:30 – 11:00

Presentation 1 by Dolgor Solongo, UN ODC 

·        United Nations Conventions against money laundering and financing of terrorism

·        Financial Action Task Force 40 recommendations on money laundering and 8 special recommendations on financing of terrorism

·        Other international organizations and their documents

 

11:00 – 11:15

Discussions

11:15 – 11:45

Coffee break & Press Conference

 

 

                         

Session II: National Law

Moderator: Azeri Consultant  

 

11:45 – 11:55

Briefing by Elaine Krivel,Q.C. on the Canadian Laws 

11:55 – 12:10

Briefing by Karl Lesjak, on the Austrian Laws  

12:10 – 12:20

Briefing by Igor Barac, on the Croatian Laws

12:20 – 12:30

Briefing by Elchin Nasibov, Representative of the Ministry of Justice on the relevant legal provisions in Azerbaijan

12:30 – 13:00

Questions & Discussion

 

 

                          13:00 – 14:30

 

LUNCH

 

 

 

Session III: Financial Intelligence Unit

Moderator: Azeri Consultant  

 

14:30 – 15:10

 

Presentation  by Igor Barac, Deputy Head of the Croatian FIU, Anti-Money Laundering  on the experience of developing FIU in Croatia  

15:10 – 15:25

Briefing by Fuad Aslanov, Representative of the National Bank on the financial analysis experience in Azerbaijan

 

15:25 – 16:00

Questions & Discussions

 

 

16:00 – 16:20

 

COFFEE BREAK

 

 

Session IV: National Authorities (other than FIU)

Moderator: Azeri Consultant

 

16:20 – 17:00

Presentation 1 by Karl Lesjak on cooperation among Austrian national Authorities – Federal Criminal Office, Ministry of Interior of Austria

17:00 – 17:10

Briefing by the representative of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Azerbaijan on Azerbaijan experience in dealing with money laundering and financing of terrorism

17:10 – 17:25

Briefing by the representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on combating money laundering and financing of terrorism

 

17:25 – 18:00

Questions & Discussion

 

 

Friday, 28 March 2003

 

 

                        

Session V: Crime Trends and Money Laundering

Moderator: Dolgor Solongo, UNODC

 

10:00 – 10:20

Presentation by Azeri Consultant on the Relation between crimes (predicate offences) in Azerbaijan and money laundering and financing of terrorism

10:20 – 10:35

Briefing by the Representative of the State Customs Committee

 

10:35 – 10:50

Briefing by Elchin Abdullayev, Representative of the Ministry of National Security on drugs trafficking, money laundering and financing of terrorism

10:50 – 11:20

Questions & Discussion

 

                          11:20 – 11:50

Coffee break

 

 

 

 

 

Session VI: International Cooperation

Moderator: Marc Baltes, Deputy Coordinator, OSCE Economic and   Environmental Activities

 

11:50 – 12:30

Presentation 1 by Elaine Krivel, Q.C., Councelor, International Criminal Operations, Canadian Mission to the European Union

·        Mutual Legal Assistance Process

·        Example of procedures for a mutual legal Assistance

 

12:30 – 12:40

Briefing by Adil Abilov, representative of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan on the on the Mutual Legal Assistance in Combating Money Laundering and Suppressing Financing of Terrorism

 

12:40 – 12:50

Briefing by the Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 

12:50 – 13:10

Questions and Discussions

 

 

 

                          13:10 – 14:40

LUNCH

 

                           

Concluding Session: Assistance Needs and Follow-up

Moderator: Representative of the Government of Azerbaijan

 

14:40 – 15:10

Draft Summary on the assistance needs in the country and follow-up to the workshop – representative of the Azerbaijan Government

 

15:10 – 15:25

Discussion on the assistance needs in the country and follow-up to the workshops

 

15:25 – 15:40

Concluding remarks on the sessions by the OSCE Representative and Dolgor Solongo, UNODC

 

15:40 – 16:00

Closing remarks by the representative of the Azerbaijan Government

 

                          16:00 – 16:30

Coffee break

 

 

 

 

 

 

Azerbaijan and English  - Working Languages