Cablegate: Iceland Ratifies Palermo Anti-Trafficking in Persons

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PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHRK #0125 1831147
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011147Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3712
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

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

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