Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to UN told at Security Council how to tackle terrorism and extremism threats
Earlier this week the UN Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee hosted an open briefing on Central Asia at the UN Headquarters, which considered the issues related to the implementation of the Security Council’s resolutions on countering terrorism by regional countries.
The event was attended by the heads of missions of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, leadership of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, CIS Anti-Terrorism Center, Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, representatives of the OSCE, the European Union, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, INTERPOL, and others.
As emphasized in her remarks Aksoltan Atayeva, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to UN, peace and security have always been and remain a priority area of cooperation with the UN, while with all seriousness evaluating existing risks and threats for the Central Asian region.
Turkmenistan actively cooperates with the Counter-Terrorism Directorate in order to further implement the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, a large-scale and long-term program of action that forms the basic framework of international antiterrorism actions. The country fully complies with the recommendations of UN Security Council resolutions on eliminating the dangers of terrorism, illicit drug trafficking, religion, extremism and the propaganda of terrorism.
Having confirmed Turkmenistan's support for the third phase of the Joint Action Plan for Central Asia, the Turkmen Ambassador announced the following three areas, in the opinion of the official Ashgabat, the region should consolidate anti-terrorist efforts:
- responsible implementation of the goals of sustainable development as a comprehensive solution of issues that allow eliminating the negative prerequisites for the spread of radicalism and violent extremism;
- the dialogue of civilizations as a means of bringing together different cultures on the path of understanding the need for joint solutions to the preservation of universal peace and stability;
- the key role of international organizations.
In this context, realizing the special importance of the fight against terrorism, Turkmenistan proposes to world community:
First, to consider the possibility of organizing work related to the improvement of the legislation of the countries of Central Asia in the field of combating terrorism;
Secondly, taking into account the great experience of donor countries and international partners of Central Asian countries in implementing the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, Turkmenistan considers it expedient to organize a system of trainings in the field of counter-terrorism for law enforcement officials of Central Asian countries in the region. If positive results are achieved in this direction, Turkmenistan is ready to consider the possibility of creating a specialized training center in the field of countering terrorism.
Third, in order to increase the effectiveness of counter-terrorism activities in the region, Turkmenistan offers to create a system for exchange of information on the most important areas in the field of combating terrorism between the countries of Central Asia.
- The fight against terrorist groups must be accompanied by extensive and systematic efforts to prevent terrorist manifestations and eradicate the conditions leading to terrorism. Therefore, we believe that an important role in this process is assigned to the tools of preventive diplomacy and, in particular, mechanisms for early warning and neutralization of terrorist threats, stressed Atayeva, adding that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, culture or ethnic group.
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In the period from 2009 to 2017, the Executive Directorate of the Counter-terrorism Committee paid assessment visits to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, following which it was noted that in the field of combating terrorism and violent extremism, the Central Asian countries have taken a number of important measures at the national level.
The participants of the briefing highly appreciated the commitment and openness of the Central Asian nations to cooperation with UN agencies, intra-regional interaction and international organizations.
The members of the Security Council welcomed the preventive measures taken by the countries of the region to combat this evil. In particular, work is being carried out with civil society, youth, women, representatives of the media, as well as special attention is paid to the issues of respect for human rights, etc.
