Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

OSCE Strategy to Address Threats to Security and Stability in the Twenty-First Century

(Eleventh Meeting of the Ministerial Council on 1 and 2 December 2003, Maastricht)

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7. Threats may also arise from the actions of terrorists and other criminal groups. Terrorist acts in recent years have fully borne out the growing challenge of such threats and the priority that must be given to preventing and combating them. Furthermore, threats often do not arise from within a single State, but are transnational in character. They affect the security of all States in the OSCE area and the stability of our societies. At the same time, the OSCE region is increasingly exposed to threats originating outside it, and developments within our own region may similarly have consequences for adjacent areas.

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10. Terrorism is one of the most important causes of instability in the current security environment. It seeks to undermine the very values that unite the participating States in the OSCE area. Terrorism will remain a key challenge to peace and stability and to State power, particularly through its ability to use asymmetric methods to bypass traditional security and defence systems. There is no justification for terrorism whatsoever. At the same time, terrorism requires a global approach, addressing its manifestations as well as the social, economic and political context in which it occurs.

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Addressing terrorism and threats arising from other criminal activities

Terrorism

28. UN conventions and protocols as well as UN Security Council resolutions constitute the global legal framework for combating terrorism. In support of this, the OSCE has through decisions in 2001 and 2002 established a structure for comprehensive action by participating States and the Organization to address, as a main priority, the threat of terrorism, its manifestations and conditions that may foster and sustain it. An operational part of this framework is the Action against Terrorism Unit in the OSCE Secretariat.

29. OSCE counter-terrorism activities focus, inter alia, on border security and management, policing, the combating of trafficking and suppression of terrorist financing. Special attention will be given to capacity building and other assistance in the sphere of counter-terrorism. The important challenge of implementing effective measures against terrorism in full accordance with the rule of law and international law, including human rights law, is also addressed. Such measures include denying safe havens to terrorists and eliminating conditions in which terrorists may recruit and gain support. They also aim at preventing terrorists from increasing their capabilities, including by preventing terrorists from gaining access to SALW and other conventional weapons as well as WMD and associated technologies. Close interaction with other relevant international organizations and bodies, in particular the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee (UN CTC) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), is sought through joint meetings, contacts at all levels and specific programmes and projects.

30. The OSCE has also decided to establish a Counter-Terrorism Network to promote the strengthening of co-ordination of counter-terrorism measures and information sharing between OSCE participating States and to support and supplement the work of the UN CTC in implementing Security Council resolution 1373.

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