New Delhi, October 17
In a major step forward in Indo-US law enforcement and counter-terrorism cooperation, the two countries today signed a new bilateral treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.

The most important treaty, especially in the present security scenario in South Asia, was signed by the visiting US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell and the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani on behalf of their respective governments.

The treaty is expected to enhance the ability of the two countries to pursue their common objective of law enforcement by putting in place a regularised channel for obtaining law enforcement assistance from each other.

Such a channel will simplify and expedite the process of obtaining responses to requests for assistance. It will also improve implementation of the bilateral Extradition Treaty between the two countries that came into force on July 21, 1999.

During discussions between the two delegations that led to the signing of this treaty this morning, both sides expressed their determination to redouble efforts to eradicate the scourge of terrorism and to use this treaty as an instrument to that end. It is both governments’ common view that the “political offence” exception to mutual legal assistance should not apply to violent terrorist attacks against non-combatant targets.