ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO CHAIRS FIRST MEETING ON JUSTICE AND ANTI-CRIME COOPERATION WITH U.S. AND SOUTH AFRICAN LEADERS

WASHINGTON, D.C.- - The Committee on Justice and Anti-Crime Cooperation of the South Africa-United States Bi-National Commission (BNC) held its first meeting today in Cape Town, South Africa. The committee, chaired by Attorney General Janet Reno and South African Minister of Safety and Security Sydney Mufamadi, seeks to foster cooperation between the two nations on law enforcement issues. It was formed following an agreement last August in Washington by Vice President Al Gore and South African Deputy President Thabo Mbeki.

Today, the committee agreed to:

• adopt a framework for the future work of the committee, as well as identify key issues on which to focus;
• expedite the completion of the negotiation of new treaties on extradition and mutual legal assistance, with a goal of signing the treaties at the next BNC meeting in Washington later this year;
• develop strategies to combat the illegal trafficking and proliferation of firearms;
• set up a permanent working group on training and technical assistance which will meet on an on-going basis and address issues such as specialized training on computer crime and other high tech crime, financial crime, crime intelligence, money laundering, and narcotics crimes; and,
• to establish a permanent working group to develop strategies on serious issues such as preventing violent crime including domestic and youth violence, intervening with families and schools in order to break the cycle of violence, and improving urban safety;

"The first meeting of the committee established a solid foundation for its future work and for a close cooperative relationship between both delegations," said Attorney General Janet Reno.

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