LYON, France -- INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble met with European Union Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in Luxembourg on Friday to seek extraordinary support for the organization's ongoing efforts to provide Disaster Victim Identification teams with all necessary logistics, co-ordination and communications assistance in response to the tsunami disaster.

The Secretary General thanked the Luxembourg Minister of Justice, Luc Frieden, for the opportunity to brief ministers on INTERPOL's range of actions since the disaster. It is the first time an INTERPOL Secretary General has been invited to brief Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in this way.

INTERPOL's primary goal with regard to the disaster is the same as the EU member countries and other affected countries: to ensure the accurate, efficient and dignified identification of as many victims of the disaster as possible.

It is essential, therefore, that the process meets the highest international standards so that, as far as foreign victims are concerned, the identification is also recognised in their countries of origin.

The DVI teams, including those from many EU countries, who are working tirelessly in Thailand and Sri Lanka have adopted INTERPOL's internationally recognised standards and protocols for disaster victim identification.

The identification process involves a number of short and long term requirements. Among these is the need for a central repository for ante mortem and post mortem data, as the identification process will continue for a long period after the activity of DVI teams in the field has ceased.

INTERPOL is establishing such a central repository and the stricken countries have already endorsed this principle with regard to post mortem data. INTERPOL's rules and regulations offer strict safeguards with regard to data protection. As with any case of a missing person, the family and member country concerned must agree to provide INTERPOL with the necessary ante mortem information to assist in the accurate identification of the victim.

Mr. Noble asked the Home and Justice Affairs Ministers to endorse the steps already undertaken by INTERPOL and the DVI teams operating in southeast Asia. He also sought to secure the provision of the necessary financial support to ensure that the teams and INTERPOL's logistics and communications support unit will be able to operate effectively until all necessary disaster victim identification work is done.