Experts discuss how legal co-operation can help counter terrorism at OSCE workshop

VIENNA, 23 March 2007 - International legal co-operation in criminal matters should be strengthened in order to effectively counter terrorism, participants in a two-day OSCE expert workshop ending today concluded.

More than 165 prosecutors, judges, judicial and other officials from 53 OSCE participating and Partner for Co-operation States participated in the workshop, which was organized by the OSCE in partnership with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). More than 20 experts from international and regional bodies also took part.

Discussions focused on the international legal framework for mutual legal assistance and extradition as well as practical issues, challenges and potential solutions. Participants also highlighted human rights aspects and shared national experiences.

The UNODC demonstrated technical assistance tools including the "Mutual Legal Assistance Request Writing Tool" software.

"In order to effectively combat terrorism, OSCE participating States have to work together. This is why it is essential to continuously improve legal co-operation in criminal matters related to terrorism," said Karl Wycoff, Head of the OSCE's Action against Terrorism Unit.

"This is the third major OSCE-wide conference in this area that we have co-organized with UNODC, providing OSCE participating States with a platform to network, discuss and share experiences and best practices, thereby contributing to enhancing international co-operation against terrorism."

Kuniko Ozaki, UNODC Director of the Division for Treaty Affairs, emphasized:

"The pursuit of inter-State co-operation against terrorism is no longer an option. It is a duty of all UN Member States under UN Security Council resolution 1373, as well as a moral imperative stemming from the serious threat that terrorism poses to the global community.

"To this end, the counter terrorism conventions provide an effective legal framework that can be used to enhance our efforts towards greater co-operation."

The event followed successful workshops organized within the framework of the OSCE Legal Co-operation Programme in 2005 and 2006. Participants in this weeks' workshop showed interest in follow-up national training workshops on legal co-operation in criminal matters related to terrorism for prosecutors, judges and other judicial officials in their countries.