On May 23-24, 2013 the GUAM Secretariat in Kyiv hosted the 10th meeting of the Working Sub-Group on Combating Terrorism (WGSCT), which took place under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship.
The delegations exchanged information on national legislation, the operational situation, and measures being implemented by GUAM member states to prevent and combat terrorism, including steps to counteract the financing of terrorism.
The delegations appreciated the high significance of the International Conference “Strengthening Cooperation in Preventing Terrorism”, which took place on 18-19 March 2013 in Baku under the esteemed patronage of Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Conference was jointly organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).
The Working Sub-Group examined the outcomes of the first GUAM Working Meeting on Nuclear, Radiological, Chemical and Biological Terrorism Threat Prevention, which involved representatives of various counter-terrorism agencies.
The meeting addressed issues regarding the detection of terrorists acting alone and the reasons leading to them becoming radical. In this regard, the Working Sub-Group noted the significance of developing cooperation in the field of Internet monitoring, including the use of received data as evidence for further prosecution in courts.
The delegations also expressed support for strengthening cooperation in combating cybercrime, noting that cyber-threats have notably increased, both in international and regional terms.
During the meeting, participants also examined issues regarding the development of international cooperation in combating terrorism.
The outcomes of the meeting were reflected in the resultant Protocol. The next meeting of the Working Sub-Group is scheduled to take place in November 2013 in Baku.
