Interpol style SAARCPOL?

Establishment of a regional institution called ‘SAARCPOL’ was among the prime matters discussed at the two-day ninth conference of police chiefs of South Asia, which concluded yesterday in Colombo.

The conference of police chiefs of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was held on 4 and 5 April, at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo.

According to Sri Lankan Police IG (Dr.) Mahinda Balasooriya, the conference reviewed progress implementation of decisions/recommendations of the eighth SAARC Conference held in Islamabad on 24 June 2008.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa delivering the keynote address at the conference as Chief Guest stressed the need for more coordination and cooperation among the regional states in counter terrorism and related transnational crimes.

Establishment of a regional institution called ‘SAARCPOL’ was also among the prime matters discussed, he said.

Sri Lanka as the host nation offered a training programme on strategic management of counter terrorism, covering anti-terrorism, strategic planning and handling strategic intelligence/counter intelligence at the Sri Lankan Police College in Negombo.