The newly established body is chaired by Lord John Stevens, the recently retired Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police Service. Besides Mr Tsang, the other eight Panel members are recently retired or serving senior members of major law enforcement organisations, judiciary and academia from various parts of the world.

The Panel aims at providing the Secretary General of Interpol with strategic advice on merging issues relevant to international police co-operation. It will meet twice yearly at locations to be decided but normally at the Interpol Headquarters in Lyon.

In his invitation to Mr Tsang, the Secretary General of Interpol, Mr Ronald Noble, said that at a recent meeting, Interpol's Executive Committee endorsed the idea of creating the Interpol Strategic Advisory Panel to assist Interpol in further enhancing the effectiveness of global policing in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

In accepting the invitation, Mr Tsang said that he was very honoured to be able to continue to contribute to police service.

The Panel members offer their services in an advisory role. One of them, Sir David Veness, a retired Assistant Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police, was also the first-ever appointed Under-Secretary-General at the United Nations with the responsibility on global security, safety and anti-terrorism.

The Panel acts as an independent and non-partisan body, consisting of individuals with an extraordinarily rich, diverse, and great experience in law enforcement matters, public service and international relations.

Mr Tsang says that he is very honoured to be able to continue to contribute to police service