OSCE Centre organizes national seminar on implementation of universal anti-terrorism instruments

BISHKEK, 23 April 2012 – An OSCE-supported seminar to assist the Kyrgyz authorities in improving national legislation on combating terrorism was held in Bishkek today.

It brought together some 40 representatives from the Kyrgyz Parliament, the Prime-Minister’s Office, the Foreign Ministry, Anti-Terrorism Centre of the State Committee on National Security and other relevant state agencies.

“It is important that national legislation dealing with terrorism is in line with international law, in particular international human rights law and humanitarian law,” said Anders Troedsson, Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “This is why the OSCE supports Kyrgyzstan, as well as all other participating States, in their ratification and implementation of the universal anti-terrorist instruments.”

To date, Kyrgyzstan has ratified 10 out of 16 universal anti-terrorism documents. The UNODC and OSCE experts will discuss with Kyrgyz parliamentarians and government experts provisions of the six documents which Kyrgyzstan is not yet part of, and share best international practices in their implementation.

“Struggle against terrorism and extremism requires effective interaction of state structures,” said Taalaybek Japarov, Deputy Head of the Anti-Terrorism Centre of the State Committee on National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic. “Kyrgyzstan is committed to continue active co-operation with its partners at the international, regional and bilateral level to achieve this.”

The event was organized by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, with the participation of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Anti-Terrorism Centre of the State Committee on National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic and is part of the OSCE programme on combating terrorism.