OSCE Centre workshop helps Kyrgyz authorities learn about good practices in ID processing

BISHKEK, 4 September 2008 - Effective and secure processing, issuing and verification of identification- and travel-documents was the focus of a three-day OSCE workshop that ended today in Bishkek.

Staff from state agencies involved in ID handling took part in the workshop, jointly organized by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the OSCE Secretariat's Anti Terrorism Unit in co-operation with the State Agency of Informational Resources and Technologies (SAIRT).

"The workshop was an opportunity for those involved to come together and identify problems around IDs," said Matthew Ford, Adviser on Anti Terrorism Issues at the OSCE Center in Bishkek. "One of the problems identified was poor co-ordination among state agencies, and the workshop helped overcome that. Improving procedures also is important because easily obtainable documents that do not fulfill international security standards hinder law enforcement and anti-terrorism work."

Nina Valieva, SAIRT direct, added: "As a newly created agency, SAIRT needs assistance in organizing and managing the registration of populations and issuing of identification documents."

Two international experts shared experiences on how to issue IDs and spot false documents.

"We shared with our Kyrgyz counterparts' a method that means no duplication, no double work and no overlapping - very little paper work. This system is not Internet based, which is an advantage as personal data is a very sensitive issue and must be controlled and managed properly," said Justas Klimavicius, Head of the Identity Documents Centre at Lithuanian Interior Ministry.

The workshop was part of an OSCE programme on fighting terrorism.