The United Nations and Interpol, the global police organization, are poised to become partners in fighting crime by jointly creating an international police force. Interpol, which is financed by 187 member nations, says the "global police doctrine" would allow the deployment of peacekeepers among rogue nations plagued by war and organized crime. "We have a visionary model," said Interpol Secretary General Ronald K. Noble, who described the joint partnership "an alliance of all nations." He suggested that by relying on Interpol's resources, the United Nations would be able to handle international conflicts and transnational crime far better. "If UN peacekeepers assigned to post-conflict zones or fragile states are asked to perform police-like functions and to combat transnational crime, then more peacekeepers should come from the ranks of police and be given access to Interpol's global databases," said Noble. Modern peacekeeping efforts have evolved significantly since the blue-helmeted UN military force was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988. Since 2005, the number of police forces involved in UN peacekeeping operations has more than doubled from about 6,000 to 12,200 in 17 countries. However, Interpol officials plan to steer the organization into providing "advice and consulting services" in the area of policing during peacekeeping operations, AFP reported. "Interpol is not going to send troops out into the field here and there throughout the world," said Interpol director of legal affairs Joel Sollier. "What Interpol is going to do is provide technical assistance, technical support." On Sunday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a video message told a gathering of justice and foreign ministers from more than 60 countries in Singapore that the UN welcomes the initiative. "They forge trust in uniformed men and women. They generate confidence that peace can succeed," he said, describing the UN Police (UNPOL). RB/MD http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=108479§ionid=3510203

