VIENNA, Oct 17, (KUNA): Kuwaiti Ambassador and P e r m a n e n t Representative to United Nations Organizations in Vienna Sadiq Marafi has underlined the importance of international cooperation to counter organized crime and terrorist activities.

The ambassador made the statement to KUNA today, while partaking the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime in the Austrian capital.

He further stressed the significance of the session as it was held amid growing relations between organized crime and terrorist activities which pose risks to the region. He indicated that there were several draft resolutions proposed for discussion during this session, mainly the one submitted by Italy and France on approving a mechanism to review the implementation of the UN convention and its relevant protocols.

The ambassador reiterated that the State of Kuwait was paying much attention to this draft resolution. The five-day session began today, with the presence of some ministers, senior officials and representatives of the state parties. The session is expected to discuss the implementation of the convention and its relevant protocols, including the protocol which suppresses and punishes trafficking in persons, especially women and children and the one against the smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air as well as the protocol against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms.