CSTO PA and SCO RATS Continue to Strengthen Cooperation

The 11th International scientific and practical conference of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) "Preventing the Spread of Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism: Addressing the Root Causes" was held in Tashkent.

Heads and experts of anti-terrorism units of SCO Member States and representatives of international organizations, diplomatic corps and scientific community took part in the conference.

Sergei Pospelov, CSTO PA Executive Secretary, in his address to the conference which was read out at the session on countering the use of the Internet for terrorist, separatist and extremist purposes, pointed out that the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly and the SCO RATS continue to strengthen cooperation.

"The current military and political realities confirm that the fight against international terrorism is most successful when we work together. I'm glad to note that the CSTO's efforts to join forces in this area are unequivocally and positively supported at the dialogue platforms of the UN, SCO, CIS, BRICS, ASEAN and other formats," Sergei Pospelov underlined.

He also pointed out that today, the most important direction of the CSTO PA model lawmaking is to improve the Organization's international legal anti-terrorism framework, in particular in the information sphere, as well as in approaches to forming a joint list of terrorist organizations.

For reference. Since its establishment in 2006, the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly has adopted 97 legal model acts, including more than a dozen special acts directly aimed at countering terrorism. More than 20 model acts in different aspects facilitate the solution of this important task. On December 5, 2022, 3 new acts were adopted: Recommendations on Regulating the Circulation of Virtual Assets, Recommendations on Countering Terrorism at Fuel and Energy Facilities, and Recommendations on Blocking International Terrorism Channels. A draft CSTO model law "On Countering Terrorism" is currently in the final stages of development.

"We consider the CSTO experience, the legislative measures, and the open dialogue of the international community to be effective mechanisms for countering modern threats common to all interested parties, in the spirit of the SCO Tianjin Declaration. We fully support the strengthening of permanent ties and cooperation between the SCO and CSTO structures," Sergei Pospelov emphasized.

Gleb Bokhanovich, Advisor to the CSTO PA Secretariat, also took part in the conference.

As you may recall, on February 16, 2022, the SCO RATS, CIS ATC and the CSTO Secretariat signed the Joint Position on Countering Terrorism and Extremism, which includes provisions on rendering legal assistance in tracking down and prosecuting terrorists and their accomplices.