{"id":15547,"date":"2020-02-11T22:24:31","date_gmt":"2020-02-11T16:54:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/Thenews21.com\/?p=15547"},"modified":"2020-02-11T22:24:32","modified_gmt":"2020-02-11T16:54:32","slug":"bhutan-agrees-to-cooperate-on-counterterrorism-transnational-crimes-with-bimstec-nations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thenews21.com\/bhutan-agrees-to-cooperate-on-counterterrorism-transnational-crimes-with-bimstec-nations","title":{"rendered":"Bhutan Agrees To Cooperate on Counterterrorism, Transnational Crimes With BIMSTEC Nations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Thimphu joins other member states in their fight against terrorism, transnational organized crime and illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n New Delhi:<\/strong>\u00a0In a welcoming development for India, Bhutan’s National Assembly (NA) has adopted the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Convention on cooperation in international terrorism, transnational organized crime, and illicit drug trafficking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The land of the thunder dragon was the last state, from the seven-member union, to have supported the ratification at the convention during the 12th BIMSTEC ministerial meeting held in December 2009.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The convention is crucial in countering terrorism in seven BIMSTEC member countries and has been ratified by all except Bhutan,” Foreign Minister, Dr. Tandi Dorji said while adding that his country will proactively cooperate with the other member states in their fight against terrorism, transnational organized crime and illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the last week’s voting in Thimphu, of the 42 members present during the discussion in the NA, 41 voted for the ratification. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Apart from cooperation, the member states will also be sharing information on the activities of individuals and criminal groups engaged in planning, promoting or executing acts of international terrorism, transnational organized crimes, and illicit drug trafficking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The BIMSTEC countries have also agreed to exchange intel inputs on the associates of the criminals including those providing front or cover to such individuals or groups as well as those which may operate from or use the territory of a member state for this purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Individual Extradition Treaties<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n India has extradition treaties with three-member countries \u2013 Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. New Delhi signed an extradition treaty with Kathmandu in 1953, which came into force in 1963. The one with Colombo became operative from September 1978, while with Thimphu it was signed in 1996.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While cooperation and intel exchange was readily agreed by Bhutanese lawmakers, some representatives expressed their concerns over the extradition of criminals within the other member states, other than India. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Ugyen Wangdi, a Bhutanese Member of Parliament, they are more comfortable to have separate extradition agreements with different countries.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n