International conference on countering terrorism to take place in Kyrgyzstan on 13 and 14 December

VIENNA, 29 November 2001 - Highlighting the importance of the comprehensiveness of efforts to prevent and counter terrorism will be on top of the agenda of an international conference co-organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP) on 13 and 14 December in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

International terrorism is a global problem and a complex challenge. It is linked with transnational organized crime, money laundering, and illegal arms and drugs trafficking. The states in the Central Asian region have a particularly important role within the efforts of the international community to cope with these threats to international peace and security.

The Bishkek Conference is a follow-up to a UN ODCCP/OSCE sponsored security conference held in October 2000 in the Uzbek capital Tashkent.

Ten days after the OSCE Ministerial in Bucharest, which will adopt the Bucharest Plan of Action for Combating Terrorism, the conference in Bishkek will be a first step in the implementation of the Bucharest Plan.

In Bishkek a broad range of representatives from OSCE participating States, officials from international organizations as well as experts and observers will discuss aspects of combating acts of terrorism as comprehensively as possible. They will address the threats and the possibilities as well as exchange experiences and best practices in coping with these challenges. Topics will include: institution building in rule-of-law states; preventive measures including sustainable economic development; the role of civil society; and blocking the financing of terrorism. The conference should contribute to further improve international and regional co-operation.

The opening and closing session of the conference, which will take place respectively on 13 December from 9:00 to 9:30 and on 14 December from 17:30 to 18:00 in the Hyatt Hotel in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, are open to the media. Access to the conference premises will be granted to photographers and cameramen on the basis of media pools. Both sessions will be broadcast through a Closed-Circuit TV system to a media centre, to which all accredited media will have access.

At the end of the conference, on 14 December at 18:30, a press conference will be held in the Hyatt Hotel, which will be open to all accredited media. Media representatives are advised that accreditation information and forms as well as pool application forms and a media schedule are available at the website of the OSCE: www.osce.org/bishkek_conference. Those already accredited with the OSCE are kindly asked to re-register for the Bishkek conference as specific accreditation rules apply for this event. The deadline for applications is 7 December.