ShareKUWAIT: A security cooperation agreement signed between the governments of Kuwait and Iraq was published in the official gazette 'Kuwait Al-Youm' this week. This agreement, which was approved in parliament, stipulates boosting cooperation between authorities in the two countries in order to fight terrorism, border infiltration and organized crime. The following is a transcript, edited for length, from the memorandum of understanding:
Article One
The two parties cooperate to render security support and backup for each other in the following fields:
1. Fighting terrorism.
2. Fighting border infiltration and border security.
3. Fighting organized crime.
Article Two
Support and backup mentioned above is carried out as follows:
a) In the field of fighting terrorism:
The two parties shall work towards achieving full cooperation in the field of fighting terrorism through the following:
1. Exchange of information and data related to terrorist groups, organizations, their members, and any other information or data that help prevent and fight terrorist acts.
2. Taking necessary measures to protect their territories from being used to plan, organize, execute, attempt or participate in terrorist acts directed against the two countries in any shape or form, including preventing terrorist elements from residing in their territories or receiving, harboring, training or arming them or giving them any facilities.
3. Holding periodical meetings whenever necessary or at the request of either party for officials concerned with fighting terrorism in both countries to activate cooperation in this field.
b) In the field of fighting border infiltration and border security:
1. The parties exchange information, studies and researchers about the development of security measures in regards to air, sea and land transport; in airports, ports and industrial facilities, energy sources and other vital sites.
2. The two parties shall exert the necessary efforts to take all suitable measures to strengthen systems related to supervision on land and sea borders as well as land, sea and airports to fight infiltrations and smuggling through their borders.
3. The two parties shall organize periodical bilateral meetings between leaders and border officials to coordinate, cooperate and exchange information to ensure prevention or limiting infiltrations or smugglings.
4. The two parties shall guarantee the security of international borders between both countries against all illegal acts or people that harm either or both of them.
c) In the field of fighting organized crime:
The two parties cooperate in the field of fighting organized crime through the following:
1. Exchange information related to the structure of organized group, their criminal activities, means they use, involved individuals, and those suspected in committing organized crime, their where abouts to foil their criminal plans and arrest them.
2. Exchange of information about various methods of organized crime especially in:
a) Forgery of passports, travel documents, visas, vehicles' documents, other official documents and currency.
b) Theft of antiquities and artifacts, their smuggling and illegal trade.
c) Smuggling and illegal trade of arms, ammunition, explosives, poisonous and radiating elements.
d) Swindling, economic and money laundering crimes.
e) Narcotics, psychoactive drugs and means used to smuggle them, their means of transport and hiding, their sources, destination and people involved in them.
f) Piracy.
