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recommendations has since become the benchmark against which countries/territories measure their efforts in countering financing for terrorism.

During Hong Kong's presidency, the FATF had held an exceptional number of five plenary meetings, one of which was hosted by the Government. The Hong Kong plenary was held from January 30 to February 1, followed by a special Forum on Terrorist Financing at its conclusion. Representatives from about 60 jurisdictions from the FATF and the five FATF-style regional bodies in various parts of the world, the Offshore Group of Banking Supervisors and nine international organisations participated in the forum. All jurisdictions present agreed on the importance of global adoption and implementation of the Eight Special Recommendations and of joining the FATF's efforts. FATF members reiterated their commitment to assist non- members, as appropriate, in complying with the Special Recommendations. The participating non-FATF countries also agreed to take part in a self-assessment exercise relating to the Eight Special Recommendations on the same terms as FATF members.

To combat transnational crimes effectively, Hong Kong continued to support mutual assistance between jurisdictions. By year-end, it had entered into 13 agreements and also signed 13 bilateral agreements with other jurisdictions on surrender of fugitive offenders.

To share experience and expertise, anti-drug personnel took part in various international meetings, seminars, and workshops concerned with anti-drug policies, law enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation, and preventive education.

Beat Drugs Fund

To promote community efforts to beat drugs, the Government established a Beat Drugs Fund in 1996 with a capital outlay of $350 million. Community-wide anti-drug activities covering preventive education and publicity, treatment and rehabilitation, and research are within the fund's ambit. During the year, a total of $19.70 million was allocated to 25 projects: 21 preventive education and publicity projects, one treatment and rehabilitation project and two research projects and one mixed-type project.

Civil Aid Service

The Civil Aid Service (CAS) is a government auxiliary emergency service established under the Civil Aid Service Ordinance. It has an establishment of 3 634 adult volunteer members and 3 232 cadets, and a permanent staff of 117 civil servants.

The primary duty of CAS is to provide civil support services during emergencies. Members of the volunteer service are trained to perform emergency duties during typhoons, flooding and landslips; to search for and rescue people in distress in mountains; to help evacuate or rescue victims trapped under collapsed buildings or buried in landslides; and to combat forest fires and oil pollution at sea.

In 2002, CAS members were mobilised once because of a typhoon, carried out one flood rescue operation, and were called out 50 times for mountain search and rescue duties. From January to April and from October to December, more than 200 members were deployed to 'stand by' every Sunday and public holiday for Countryside Fire Protection Duties when the Amber or the Red Fire Warning Signal was issued. The members took part in a total of 39 vegetation fire fighting operations.