Asserting that India attaches great importance to the Asian African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO), Secretary (West) Sujata Mehta said a number of topics in international law which are still very relevant to present day concerns, including violent extremism and terrorism, WTO issues, items on the agenda of the ILC and the Law of the Sea, will be deliberated upon in the annual session that began today.
"I believe that the discussions in this distinguished gathering here will be informed by, and in turn will influence and carry forward the international debates on these topics," she added in her inaugural remarks at the 55th annual session of AALCO.
Mehta said India has always participated in AALCO's activities with close interest as the country regards the organisation as an essential platform to discuss and help crystallise the needs and interests in the field of international law for countries of the Asian and African regions.
"In that sense, we see this organization as playing a central role in the development of international law regionally, and beyond," she added.
Recalling how the AALCO came into being, the Secretary (West) said at its inception it was a tangible outcome of the historic Afro-Asian Conference in Bandung in 1955, at which seven States - Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the then United Arab Republic, and India, came together to establish the committee.
"Underlying the founding vision was the ambition to democratize the development and codification of international law and broaden its base, so that it becomes reflective of the hopes and aspirations of the Asian and later, as the original committee grew and evolved, the African continent," said Mehta.
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"The continuing relevance of the founding vision has been affirmed repeatedly since AALCO was established," sshe added.
Mehta said it is noteworthy in this context that this is the only inter-governmental organization which thus combines and reflects the interests of two major continents for focused and serious discussions on matters of international law.
"The contribution of AALCO to thus giving concrete form to the cooperation between our two continents has been considerable," said Mehta.
"In terms of contribution to the discipline, the role of AALCO in the development of the concept of the Exclusive Economic Zone, an important element in the field of the Law of the Sea has been noteworthy," she added.
Mehta further said similarly the work done by the AALCO which has been of great value to its member states include deliberations in respect of the principles concerning Extradition of Fugitive Offenders; Principles on the Status and Treatment of Refugees; the Model text for Bilateral Arrangements on Mutual Assistance in Civil Matters; and the Model Agreement for Promotion and Protection of Investment.
"It has become evident that over the passage of time, and as a result of the impact of technology and the effects of globalization, the distinctions between public international law and municipal law have begun to blur somewhat. As a consequence of these tendencies, the instruments of international law, and the activities of international organizations are becoming more salient in both the public and personal domains," said Mehta.
"It is, therefore, fitting that AALCO pursues discussions and activities that relate to both public and private international law. As international law is growing increasingly more complex, it has an increasingly deeper impact on the intricate web of rules and institutions that regulate the affairs of states, of international organizations, of individuals, and of their interactions with each other," said Mehta.
"Various institutions provide mechanisms to facilitate international cooperation in this domain, and to promote compliance with both public and private international law. Just a few instances of these are laws and regulations relating to trade and business, transnational crimes, human trafficking, terrorism, intellectual property rights, and human rights and so forth - these are only a sample of the subjects thus dealt with," she added.
In this backdrop of the ever-widening canvas of international law, the Secretary (West) said AALCO's relevance for its members is further reinforced.
"AALCO's close cooperation with other international organizations including its representation at the United Nations has provided an additional platform for AALCO member states to contribute to the progressive development of international law," said Mehta.
"I would like to note the constructive role of the interactive dialogues on various international law issues organized by the AALCO representation at the United Nations. AALCO's participation in the deliberations of the International Law Commission is also noteworthy," she added.
Mehta said India in this light would be happy to see enhanced cooperation between the AALCO with international organizations that deal with international law matters - the UN and the International Law Commission and others.
"We would also be happy to support AALCO contribution to current issues being discussed intensively such as marine biological diversity beyond national jurisdiction and on the legal regime for cyber-space," she added.
Mehta further said AALCO's participation in the alternative dispute resolution scheme and the establishment of four regional arbitration centres in Cairo, Kuala Lumpur, Tehran and Lagos deserve to be highlighted.
"It is our hope that over time AALCO should play an even greater role in the field of alternative dispute resolution," she added.