Vienna, Oct. 24 (SANA) The 13th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime concluded in Vienna on Friday, following meetings held at the UN headquarters from Oct. 19 to 23, with the participation of the Syrian Arab Republic.
Syria took part in the adoption of and voting on several resolutions, including one submitted by Egypt with Syria’s support and sponsorship, aimed at strengthening international cooperation to combat illicit trafficking in cultural property and protect it from exploitation and smuggling.
Brig. Gen. Abdul Rahim Jabara, head of the Syrian delegation and director of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Interior, told SANA that Syria’s participation helped strengthen the country’s presence at international forums focused on combating organized crime, enhance international communication and coordination, and follow up on the review of implementation of the convention. It also contributed to advancing legal and technical cooperation with relevant countries and UN bodies.
Jabara said the resolution on cultural property formed part of broader international efforts to protect cultural heritage from illicit trafficking and counter the exploitation of cultural property by organized criminal networks, while boosting cooperation among countries to preserve and safeguard heritage.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Syrian delegation held a series of meetings and coordination sessions. Among them was a meeting with the Russian delegation to discuss Syria’s comments on Russia’s self-assessment questionnaire and the next steps in the review of Russia’s implementation of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
The Syrian delegation also held a trilateral meeting with the Russian and Indonesian delegations to coordinate work on the review of Indonesia’s implementation of the convention and discuss the steps needed to complete the review process. The meeting aimed to strengthen coordination among the countries concerned and facilitate the completion of the review.
In a related meeting, the Syrian delegation held technical discussions with an official responsible for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s SHERLOC portal. The talks focused on procedures for entering and updating national legislative and judicial information and requirements for expanding Syria’s participation in the portal, which supports the exchange of legal information related to combating organized crime and criminal justice.
Jabara said the meetings reflected the Syrian Arab Republic’s commitment to strengthening its participation in UN review mechanisms and expanding cooperation with member states and relevant UN bodies, helping develop national capacities and facilitate the exchange of legal and technical expertise.
He stressed that Syria seeks to be an active and proactive partner in international efforts to strengthen the rule of law and combat organized crime through participation in joint initiatives, improved international coordination and efforts to translate international commitments and resolutions into practical measures to tackle crime in all its forms.
Syria’s participation in the conference comes as part of efforts to strengthen its presence at international forums addressing transnational organized crime and expand cooperation with relevant countries and international organizations.
MHD
