Hong Kong would send a delegation to attend the Plenary meeting of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) to be held in October in Paris, France, a government press release said in Hong Kong Saturday.

Delegates comprising representatives from the Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau, the Department of Justice, and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority would take part in the meeting.

The meeting, scheduled from Oct. 6 to Oct. 11, would discuss the program of work for the FATF under Germany's presidency which will last up to June 30, 2003.

Moreover, written reports from FATF style regional bodies, including the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group, Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering, Caribbean Financial Action Task Force, and South American Financial Action Task Force would be submitted to the meeting for evaluation of their development in anti-money laundering actions.

Based on the result of the assessment, the FATF would identify countries that lack appropriate measures to counter terrorist financing for follow-up assessment and/or technical assistance.

As President of the FATF for 2001-2002, Hong Kong played a leading role in the global fight against terrorist financing.

FATF is an inter-governmental body established after a G-7 Summit in 1989 to examine and recommend anti-money laundering standards and promote anti-money laundering messages worldwide.

(Xinhua News Agency October 5, 2002)