The CIS Anti-Terrorist Centre celebrated its 23rd anniversary

On June 21, the CIS Anti-Terrorist Centre (CIS ATC) celebrated its 23rd anniversary.

The establishment of the Centre was prompted by an accurate forecast of developments in the Central Asian and other regions.

As early as the late 1990s, analysts of CIS intelligence services saw a growing threat of terrorism in the post-Soviet space. The political leadership of the CIS countries took their recommendation into account and coordination of counter-terrorist activities began within the CIS.

“It would be fair to say that without the work of the CIS ATC in the post-Soviet space there might have been significantly more terrorist acts. There are many threats in Central Asia and other regions today, and the CIS ATC and the CSTO play no small role in combating them. They need to be on their guard at all times. I wish the leadership and all employees of the Anti-Terrorist Centre wellbeing, prosperity and peace,” Major General Yuri Sapunov, Head of the Directorate for Combating International Terrorism of the Russian Federal Security Service (2004–2007), congratulated the CIS ATC on the holiday.

As you may recall, the CSTO PA Secretariat and the CIS Anti-Terrorist Centre work together on improving the legal framework for countering terrorism. In 2015, a memorandum on interaction and cooperation between the CIS ATC and the CSTO PA was signed.