Global Policy Forum

France-based International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has welcomed the UN Security Council resolution on increased co-operation with the police organisation in enforcing UN sanctions worldwide. Resolution 1699, unanimously supported by all 15 members of the Security Council on Tuesday, means that details of all individuals under sanctions and therefore subject to the freezing of assets, travel ban or arms embargo will be passed to Interpol for inclusion in its databases.

"Via Interpol's secure global communications system, law enforcement officials who can already instantly verify whether an individual is wanted anywhere in the world, will be automatically alerted if that person is also the subject of UN sanctions," the police organisation said in a statement Wednesday.

The Security Council resolution follows a decision last year calling for the UN Secretary General to work with Interpol to develop effective tools to assist the UN's 1267 committee, which led to the creation of a special Interpol-UN notice. To date, more than 250 of these notices have been produced aimed at groups and individuals associated with Al Qaeda and the Taliban, and a poster featuring the 12 most wanted was also recently published.

"The decision by the UN Security Council to increase its level of co-operation with Interpol is a clear signal that the support we are already providing is both practical and effective," said Interpol Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.

"Making information on individuals who are the subject of all UN Security Council sanctions available to each of our 184 National Central Bureaus is a significant step forward in ensuring that those people are stopped wherever they are in the world.

"I am delighted that the results already achieved in this area are being recognised and I am sure that with continued co-operation, both organizations will be able to respond more fully to all of our member countries' needs," he added.

The Security Council Resolution calls on the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to take the necessary steps to increase co-operation between the organizations "in order to provide the Committees with better tools to fulfil their mandates more effectively."

A resolution on supporting the UN call for increased co-operation will now be put forward to the Interpol General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in September, where all 184 member countries will decide on a one-country, one-vote basis, the statement added.

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