Ireland Signs Suppression of Nuclear Terrorism Convention
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern T.D., signed the Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism on behalf of Ireland on Friday 16th September 2005.
At the ceremony the Minister said that “this important Convention provides for a definition of acts of nuclear terrorism and covers a broad range of possible targets, including those against nuclear power plants and nuclear reactors. Under its provisions, the alleged offenders must be either extradited or prosecuted. The Convention also encourages States to cooperate in preventing terrorist attacks by sharing information and assisting each other with criminal investigations and extradition proceedings.”
The Minister also said that “the Convention will play a crucial role in preventing terrorists from gaining access to weapons of mass destruction, the use of which could lead to catastrophic consequences. It will therefore contribute to strengthening the international legal framework for the suppression and combating of terrorism, as well as promoting the rule of law in general, and become a valuable addition to the existing 12 universal anti-terrorism conventions.”
Note for Editors
After a negotiation lasting some seven years, the text of the Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism was adopted by consensus by the United Nations General Assembly on 13 April 2005. The Convention opened for signature in New York on 14th September 2005.
The Convention represents an important addition to the international legal framework in the fight against terrorism. This framework includes 12 major international conventions which are as follows:
- Convention on offences and certain other acts committed on board aircraft.
- Convention on the suppression of unlawful seizure of aircraft.
- Convention for the suppression of unlawful acts against the civil aviation.
- Convention on the physical protection of nuclear material.
- Protocol for the suppression of unlawful acts of violence at airports serving international civil aviation, supplementary to the Convention for the suppression of unlawful acts against the safety of civil aviation.
- Convention on the marking of plastic explosives for the purpose of detection.
- Convention on the suppression of unlawful acts against the safety of maritime navigation.
- Protocol for the suppression of unlawful acts against the safety of fixed platforms located on the Continental shelf.
- Convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against internationally protected persons, including diplomatic agents.
- International Convention against the taking of hostages.
- International Convention for the suppression of terrorist bombings.
- International Convention for the suppression of the financing of terrorism. Ireland is a party to all 12 of these conventions.
ENDS+++
Press Office
19 September 2005
