ICPO-Interpol - General Assembly 66th Session - New Delhi - 15th-21st October 1997

BEARING IN MIND Resolution AGN/64/RES/23, adopted by the General Assembly at its 64th session (Beijing, 1995), which established the official status of the Technical Working Party on Fraudulent Travel Documents,

TAKING NOTE of the discussions which took place both at the meeting of the Technical Working Party which included experts from eleven countries, and at the 3rd International Conference on Fraudulent Travel Documents at which experts from 95 countries were present,

CONSIDERING that police and immigration officers are confronted daily with an overwhelming number of genuine international travel documents, that despite their specialized knowledge and experience in identifying misuse of such documents their task is complicated by the wide range of valid documents which can vary in design, colour and security features even within the same country, and that meaningful action to limit the range of valid travel documents rests with each country's document-issuing authorities,

THANKING the Working Party on Fraudulent Travel Documents for its efficient and effective work,

The ICPO-Interpol General Assembly, meeting in New Delhi from 15th to 21st October 1997 at its 66th session:

RECOMMENDS that each member state play its part by making an effort to limit the variety and number of valid documents, and by consulting relevant police and immigration departments about suitable anti-forgery and anti-counterfeiting security features, when it decides to review or replace a travel document.

RECOMMENDS that member countries communicate to the General Secretariat information on security features as well as important counterfeit or forgery cases.