Nepal Parliament endorses proposal of BIMSTEC convention on terrorism

The lower house of Nepal's Parliament on Monday endorsed a tabled proposal of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) convention focusing on key security issues such as combating terrorism and controlling organised crimes and illicit drug trafficking.

The proposal titled "BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism, Transnational Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking" was tabled in the parliament by Nepal Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa.

The Home Minister asserted on the importance of the proposal to combat terrorism which is gaining a foothold across the world and a cooperative effort is required for tackling it.

"The motive of the cooperation amongst the BIMSTEC nations now is aimed to extend further in the field of 'International Terrorism, Transnational Organised Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking' by this convention. With the advancement in science and technology, it is now being globalised with the world being fragmented into small groups or segments. This has brought forward new problems in front of all the nations which now has resulted in the rise of terrorism, organised crimes and drug trafficking," Thapa said.

He added, "The nature of these issues also is being internationalised and all the nations are now facing the problem of defending, weakening and controlling such issues. In order to tackle it in the international or regional level, cooperation is a 'must' for which this convention is being presented forward."

Though the convention had been approved by all the BIMSTEC member countries, Nepal was the only country that did not give its nod. Being the host nation of the fourth BIMSTEC summit, the parliament on Monday agreed over it.

The convention was made about a decade ago and was required to curb organised crime and drug smuggling and there remained a compulsion for endorsing the document ahead of the summit, which is slated to take place on August 30 to 31.

Founded in 1997, the BIMSTEC has seven member states - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.

(ANI)