Enhanced international co-operation in countering terrorism in focus of OSCE-supported event in Kazakhstan
ASTANA, 19 December 2014 – An OSCE-supported conference on mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness of international co-operation in preventing and combating violent extremism and terrorism is being held today in Astana.
The conference is co-organized by the OSCE Centre in Astana and the Prosecutor General’s Office Institute for more than 140 government officials, prosecutors and other law-enforcement officers, parliamentarians, academics and representatives of non-governmental and international organizations. Also taking part are representatives from the Central Asian Regional Information and Co-ordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC), the Commonwealth of Independent States Antiterrorist Centre for Central Asia and the UN Department of Public Information in Kazakhstan. Some 150 prosecutors and law-enforcement officers from across the country will participate in the event via video conference.
Participants, including leading experts from Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Uzbekistan, will share national and international perspectives on preventing and countering violent extremist, terrorist activities and terrorism financing. They will explore the ways to improve co-operation, co-ordination and interaction of law enforcement agencies of bordering states and international organizations, examine phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters and discuss the role of the media and civil society in countering violent extremism and terrorism.
“Recent developments in various parts of the world have shown that terrorists operate regardless of national frontiers, political systems or people’s ethnicity,” said Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana Ambassador Natalia Zarudna. “As noted in the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, the mere elimination of terrorism is not sufficient to effectively combat it. The international community should address the conditions conducive to the spread of violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism.”
Andrey Kravchenko, Deputy Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan, said: “The task of combating terrorism and violent extremism has several levels of difficulty. It is very multifaceted and requires commitment, consistency and integrity of measures to undertake. We must learn to be proactive and should keep looking for new ways of international cooperation and collaboration since criminals are constantly improving methods of their actions.”
The event is part of a series of national events organized by the OSCE on countering violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism and upholding human rights and the rule of law in this area.