India, U.S. sign treaty on legal assistance

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT. 17. India and the U.S. today signed a Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signalling a significant boost to cooperation between the two countries in the fields of law enforcement and counter-terrorism.

The Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, and the visiting U.S. Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, signed the Treaty which is expected to enhance the ability of the two countries to pursue their common objective of law enforcement by putting in place a regularised channel for obtaining law enforcement assistance from each other.

It would also improve implementation of the extradition treaty signed between the two countries in July 1999.

During their half-an-hour talks, Mr. Advani and Gen. Powell expressed their determination to redouble their efforts to combat terrorism and to use the Treaty as an instrument to achieve this goal.

The Treaty would provide a broader legal basis and enhanced procedural mechanism to enable the two countries to help each other in connection with the investigation, prosecution, prevention and suppression of serious crimes, according to the Home Ministry's official spokesman.

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