17 June 2004 22:06
Russian, European MPs argue about extradition law
Moscow, 17 June: The problem of extraditing people involved in terrorist activity to foreign states was the subject
of a stormy discussion at a joint session of committees of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the Duma permanent
delegation to NATO in the State Duma today. There was also discussion of a possible change to the legislation of
European states in this area. Although the name of Chechen separatist emissary Akhmed Zakayev was not mentioned a single
time at the session, it was obvious that Britain's refusal to extradite him to Russia was the specific subject of
the discussion.
The debate was sparked by a statement by the chairman of the Duma Security Committee, Vladimir Vasilyev, in which he
called on his NATO colleagues to abandon their double standards. As an example of such double standards, he cited the
example of a "criminal who is regarded as a terrorist in the Russian Federation and has been put on the
international wanted list, but deliberations on whether to extradite him or not take place in a European country".
"Of course, the law is paramount, but the terrorists learnt this a long time ago, and take advantage of this,"
he added.
British MP Donald Anderson [chairman of Commons foreign affairs select committee] noted: "We wouldn't want
this man to stay in our country, but we uphold the principle of the supremacy of the law and the decision was taken by a
court." The evidence presented by Russia, he said, was inadequate, "and any judge would have taken the same
decision".
Italian Senator Mario Palombo agreed that "the supremacy of the law is the basis". "But when there is
a serious threat of terrorism, it is necessary to review legislation a bit, above all in Europe, to adjust it to the new
situation," he added. Frequently a terrorist cannot be expelled from a country or handed over to another state
because national legislation does not allow it, the parliamentarian stressed. According to the senator, MPs are still
"talking too much of combating terrorism, but doing too little".
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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