International cooperation in criminal matters

Requests the Secretary-General to convene a meeting of an intergovernmental expert group to examine practical recommendations for the further development and promotion of mutual assistance in criminal matters; recommends that the expert group should explore ways and means of increasing the efficiency of this type of international cooperation, having due regard for the rule of law and the protection of human rights; decides that the Model Treaty on Extradition should be complemented by the provisions set forth in the annex to the present resolution; encourages Members States to enact effective extradition legislation; requests the Secretary-General to elaborate model legislation to assist Member States in giving effect to the Model Treaty on Extradition in order to enhance effective cooperation between States; urges States to revise bilateral and multilateral law enforcement cooperation arrangements as an integral part of the effort to effectively combat constantly changing methods of individuals and groups engaging in organized transnational crime and to use the Model Treaty on Extradition as a basis in developing treaty relations at the bilateral level; invites Member States to consider measures in the context of the use and application of extradition treaties; encourages Members States to promote, on a bilateral, regional or worldwide basis, measures to improve the skills of officials in order to facilitate extradition; requests the Secretary-General to regularly update and disseminate the information on practices related to international cooperation in criminal matters; to continue to provide advisory and technical cooperation services to Member States in the development, negotiation and implementation of treaties on extradition; to provide training for personnel in appropriate governmental agencies and central authorities of Member States on extradition law.

Adopted without vote, 70th meeting

6 p.

Adopted at the 70th plenary meeting, 12 Dec. 1997.
"Annex: Complementary provisions for the Model Treaty on Extradition": p. 5-6.