Takes note of the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of a Convention against Transnational Organized Crime submitted to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its eighth session,7 and expresses its appreciation of the results achieved by the Ad Hoc Committee during its first, second and third sessions, held at Vienna from 19 to 29 January, 8 to 12 March and 28 April to 3 May 1999, respectively, in the development of the draft United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the draft protocols thereto, addressing trafficking in women and children, combating the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, and smuggling of migrants by land, air and sea;
Expresses its appreciation to the Government of Argentina for acting as host to the informal preparatory meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee, held at Buenos Aires from 31 August to 4 September 1998;
3
Decides that the additional international instrument being prepared by the Ad Hoc Committee addressing trafficking in women and children should address trafficking in all persons, but especially women and children, and requests the Ad Hoc Committee to make any corresponding changes to the draft instrument;
4
Requeststhe Ad Hoc Committee to continue its work, in accordance with resolutions 53/111 and 53/114 of 9 December 1998, and to intensify its work in order to complete it in 2000;
5
Decides that the Ad Hoc Committee shall be convened in 2000 as required in order to complete its tasks, holding no fewer than four sessions of two weeks each, according to a schedule to be drawn up;
6
Requeststhe Ad Hoc Committee to schedule sufficient time, subject to the availability of funds from the regular budget or extrabudgetary resources, for the negotiation of the draft protocols addressing trafficking in persons, especially women and children, the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, and smuggling of migrants by land, air and sea, in order to enhance the possibility of their completion at the same time as the draft Convention;
7
Welcomes the offer of the International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences to host informal meetings as deemed appropriate to assist the work of the Ad Hoc Committee;
8
EncouragesMember States to convene informal regional or interregional meetings to assist the work of the Ad Hoc Committee;
9
Welcomes the offer of the Government of Japan to host an international seminar on the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms;
10
Decides that the Ad Hoc Committee shall submit the final text of the Convention and the protocols thereto to the General Assembly for early adoption prior to a high-level signing conference;
11
Notes with appreciation the offer by the Government of Italy to host a high-level political signing conference at Palermo;
12
Requeststhe Secretary-General to provide the Ad Hoc Committee with the required facilities and resources to support its work;
13
Invitesdonor countries to cooperate with developing countries to ensure their full participation in the ongoing negotiating process and in the implementation of the Convention through appropriate means of technical assistance;
14
Requeststhe Secretary-General to continue to provide to Member States, upon request, technical cooperation, advisory services and other forms of assistance in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice, including in the area of prevention and control of transnational organized crime;
15
Requeststhe Ad Hoc Committee to submit a report to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its ninth session on the progress achieved in its work.
