ICELAND RATIFIES PALERMO ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

UNCLAS REYKJAVIK 000125 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/NB, G/TIP, DRL, INL, L E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KCRM KWMN ELAB SMIG KTIA IC SUBJECT: ICELAND RATIFIES PALERMO ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS PROTOCOL REF: REYKJAVIK 036 ¶1. (U) On May 28, the Icelandic Parliament, the Althingi, passed a parliamentary resolution on the ratification of the Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Iceland signed the Protocol in 2000 but ratification bogged down between the Ministry of Justice and the Althingi. Text of the resolution follows para. 2. ¶2. (U) Text of the parliamentary resolution: Parliamentary resolution on the ratification of the Palermo Protocol against Transnational Organized Crime. The Althingi resolves to authorize the government to ratify on Iceland's behalf the Convention on Transnational Organized Crime that was passed by the United Nations General Assembly in New York on November 15, 2000. End text. ¶3. (U) Comment: Iceland's long-overdue ratification of the Palermo Protocol answers a persistent complaint of activists and opposition parties, and brings the Government of Iceland into accord with international anti-TIP legislation. Post expects that the protocol will be used as a basis for further government action on TIP and incorporated into the national action plan reported reftel. VAN VOORST