OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO OSCE HEAD OF

UNCLAS STATE 048478 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL OSCE SUBJECT: OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL: RESPONSE TO OSCE HEAD OF ACTION AGAINST TERRORISM UNIT RAPHAEL PERL (U) Post is authorized to present the following statement at the Permanent Council in Vienna on May 14. Begin text: Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. Mr. Perl, welcome to the Permanent Council and thank you for your comprehensive report on the status of the work of the OSCE,s Action against Terrorism Unit. The United States believes that the counterterrorism work your unit undertakes in conjunction with other executive structures is an OSCE "best practice." Through what you have outlined for us here today, and the ATU,s contribution to the Report of the Secretary General on OSCE Counterterrorism Activities, we have some powerful examples of the role a regional organization can effectively play on a high-priority international issue. The United States has been very supportive of the work the ATU has undertaken to improve travel document security, particularly with respect to forged travel documents and machine-readable travel documents. This is an excellent example of where a regional approach is essential, leading directly to improved security and mutual confidence. It is also illustrative of how the OSCE can effectively partner with international organizations such as Interpol, ICAO and others to provide participating States with a single, integrated and comprehensive effort on their behalf. The United States has also been supportive of the ATU,s efforts over the past several years to highlight the positive role public-private partnerships can play in the fight against terrorism. Now is the time to start applying that concept to real-world examples; we welcome the fact that the ATU is working to develop specific projects and programs in the area of critical energy infrastructure and cooperation with media. We must emphasize that these efforts should be geared toward providing practical results for participating States. In these areas and others, a thoughtful approach is essential. As the Secretary General,s comprehensive report amply demonstrates, there are a number of other OSCE executive structures involved in combating terrorism, including ODIHR and the Representative on the Freedom of the Media. It is imperative that, in fighting against both terrorism and the extremism that often fuels it, we do so in accordance with the values which underpin our participation in the OSCE, namely upholding the rule of law and respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, including of speech and assembly. We support the contribution of multiple voices, including from civil society, which are needed to effect significant and long-lasting progress in our fight against terrorism. We are supportive of the work the ATU has done in facilitating a dialogue on counterterrorism. We believe that the most effective way to build on that legacy is to concentrate increasingly on achieving tangible and measurable results through focused program activities. We will continue to lend our strong support to those areas that deliver genuine and visible results. In the months ahead, we hope the ATU will take a hard look at ways in which it can support OSCE efforts to assist Afghanistan, through partnerships, for example with neighboring states in Central Asia. We also hope the ATU will actively seek out ways to support and reinforce efforts outlined in the report under UNSCR 1540 to combat the threat posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by non-state actors. Here, as in other areas, the OSCE has demonstrated a leading role in creating useful synergies with the UN,s approach. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. End text. CLINTON