OSCE Ministerial Council adopts broad-ranging action plan to combat terrorism

BUCHAREST, 4 December 2001 - The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Ministerial Council, which convened in Bucharest at the invitation of this year's Chairman Romania, has adopted on the second day a broad-ranging document for comprehensive action by the 55 OSCE participating States in the global fight against terrorism.

Commenting on the OSCE's response to terrorism, the Chairman-in-Office, Romania's Foreign Minister, Mircea Geoana, said: "We have been meeting this week against the backdrop of a new political and security reality, created by the barbaric attacks of 11 September against the US. We must also reflect on the events of the last few days, in which fanatical terrorists have once more murdered innocent men, women and children, this time in the streets of one of our Partner States, Israel".

"The adoption of this plan of action by the Ministerial Council of the OSCE underlines the determination of the international community to act together to oppose the threat of terrorism", said the Minister. "The OSCE is not the lead organization in the fight against terrorism but we can address some of its root causes, the political, social and economic inequalities that provide a fertile breeding ground for exploitation by extremist ideologies."

Under the Bucharest plan of action for combating terrorism, the 55 OSCE participating States pledge themselves to expand existing OSCE activities that contribute to the global fight against terrorism, to increase bilateral and multilateral co-operation within the OSCE and with the United Nations as well as with other international or regional organizations.

Starting from the idea that no circumstance or cause can justify acts of terrorism, the Bucharest plan of action identifies and addresses various social, economic, political and other factors that engender conditions in which terrorist organizations are able to recruit and win support. In this context, the OSCE will offer participating States assistance in implementing international anti-terrorist conventions and protocols, increase its activities to promote the rights of persons belonging to national minorities and take action to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist activities, such as by training personnel of domestic financial institutions in counter-terrorism areas.

Other proposals for preventive action against terrorism contained in the Plan of Action include practical support that the OSCE can offer to participating States through its existing institutions, including supporting the law enforcement capacity of states, the strengthening of domestic legal frameworks and institutions that uphold the rule of law, as well as providing assistance in facilitating, where appropriate, increased border monitoring to participating States on their request.

The Participating States have also committed themselves to measures aimed at preventing the movement of terrorist individuals or groups, such as through measures for ensuring the security of identity papers and travel documents and preventing their counterfeiting, forgery and fraudulent use.

The first opportunity to discuss the implementation of the Plan of Action, especially as regards providing practical support to participating States in Central Asia will come in 10 days time at an international conference being organized by the OSCE and United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, on 13 and 14 December. The Bishkek International Conference on Enhancing Security and Stability in Central Asia: Strengthening Comprehensive Efforts to Counter Terrorism is held at the invitation of the Government of Kyrgyzstan.