The Hindu : India signs U.N. convention on transnational crime

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 24, 2002

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India signs U.N. convention on transnational crime

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI Dec. 23. India has signed the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Crime (UNTOC) and three of its protocols, the Foreign Office spokesman announced today.

The three protocols are: Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children; Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air; and Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition.

The spokesman said that India had joined a large group of some 145 countries, both from the developed and developing world, that had signed the convention. "By taking this important step, the Government has made clear our commitment to the object and purpose of the convention and protocols and signalled out interest to become parties to this comprehensive global instrument which covers a range of illegal activities, advocating international and national action, inter alia, to tackle money-laundering, illegal sale of firearms, criminal associations and conspiracies, smuggling and trafficking in persons...''

"Transnational organised crime has emerged over the past two decades as a major threat to global security with obvious links to international terrorism. It is in view of this that India places great importance to the convention and the protocols and hopes that it will, on entry into force, reflect international resolve to tackle the scourge of global and cross-border terrorism," the spokesman added.

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