The Hindu : Extradition treaty to be signed during Advani's Spain visit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 19, 2002

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Extradition treaty to be signed during Advani's Spain visit

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 18. The Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, is leaving here tonight on a five-day visit to Spain. An extradition treaty between the two countries will be signed during the visit, marking the culmination of efforts that had gone on for the past seven years between India and Spain.

According to official sources, a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters between the two countries would also be signed during Mr. Advani's visit from June 19 to 23. The treaty had recently been finalised at the official level.

Mr. Advani, leading a delegation of senior Home Ministry officials, had postponed his visit to the U.K. that was scheduled to begin from June 14 due to the situation prevailing in the country, particularly in the wake of the standoff with Pakistan.

Mr. Advani is likely to discuss ways and means to enhance police cooperation between the two countries and focus on ways to curb terrorism that has assumed global proportions. Enhancing bilateral cooperation in fighting international terrorism and related issues would also come up during discussions.

Both the countries have been victims of terrorism for a long time and Spain has supported the Indian initiative on the United Nations comprehensive convention against international terrorism.

During Spain's European Union Presidency, three major terrorist organisations operating in India — the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the International Sikh Youth Federation and the Babbar Khalsa International — were included in the E.U. list of proscribed outfits.

Sources said Mr. Advani's visit would give an opportunity to highlight India's commitment to stronger bilateral cooperation in law enforcement and fight against global terrorism. The Home Minister will meet the Spanish Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Mariano Rajoy Brey, and the Justice Minister, Angel Acebes Paniagua. He will be accompanied by, among other senior officials, the Home Secretary, Kamal Pande, and the Director, Intelligence Bureau, K.P. Singh.

As the Home Minister, Mr. Advani has signed extradition treaties with Germany, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. India has already signed extradition treaties with 11 countries — Canada, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom and also has in place mutual legal assistance treaties in criminal matters with 13 countries, including Mongolia, Kazakhstan, France and Uzbekistan.

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