OSCE expert calls for a co-operative approach to secure energy infrastructure systems against terrorist attacks

BRUSSELS, 22 September 2008 - Raphael Perl, the head of the OSCE Action against Terrorism Unit, said today that international co-operation was essential to comprehensively and effectively secure energy infrastructure systems against potential terrorist attacks.

"A destruction or disruption of critical energy infrastructure such as nuclear power plants, dams of hydroelectric power plants or major pipelines, would have potentially a serious, if not catastrophic, impact on the health, safety, security and economic well-being of citizens," said Perl. He was addressing a meeting of NATO's Economic Committee in Brussels.

"International co-operation is indispensable and key in this respect, and international organizations, such as the OSCE, have a role to play in their different fields of expertise, where they can add value to existing efforts."

Perl said it was crucial to "foster a proactive, comprehensive, inclusive and co-operative approach" in order to secure the entire energy supply chain. "As we cannot protect everything, preparedness, resiliency and recovery capacity are paramount to ensuring continuity of energy supply," he said.

The OSCE official stressed the importance of public-private partnerships with the energy sector, saying: "we should not think of security measures as a costly response to the terrorist threat, but rather as an investment opportunity. The same measures also apply to mitigating other criminal threats, as well as possible accidents or natural disasters."