The Hindu : India, Philippines sign extradition treaty

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004

International

International - India & World

India, Philippines sign extradition treaty

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, MARCH 13. India and the Philippines are engaged in a ``security dialogue'' for the first time in their bilateral interactions, even as they signed an extradition treaty in Manila on Friday.

The fight against terrorism and inter-state crimes, including drug trafficking and narcotics-related activities, dominated the discussions between the top officials of the two countries. The dialogue followed the regular foreign-office consultations between the two countries. R.M. Abhyankar, Secretary (Asia and North Africa) in the External Affairs Ministry, and Sonia Brady, Under-Secretary for Policy in the Filipino Department of Foreign Affairs, headed the delegations.

The ``security dialogue'' was initiated in the specific context of the recent anti-terror declaration by India and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The Philippines has now joined other ASEAN members such as Singapore and Thailand, in commencing such a dialogue with India.

India's Ambassador to the Philippines, Navrekha Sharma, and the Filipino Acting Secretary of Justice, Maria Merceditas Gutierrez, signed the extradition treaty.

The negotiations on the treaty, proposed a couple of years ago, were put on the fast track following the meeting the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the Filipino President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, had on the sidelines of the summit between ASEAN and some of its dialogue-partners, including India, in Bali last October. Both sides see the treaty as a catalyst for enhancement of mutual cooperation, especially in countering terrorism. The treaty outlines the criteria for determining extradition-worthy cases on the Indo-Filipino bilateral front, according to diplomatic sources.

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