CIS: Intensify fight against terrorism

xinhuanet.com

Photo

The presidents of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev (L), Armenia Robert
Kocharyan (2nd L), Belarus Alexander Lukashenko (3d L), Georgia
Mikhail Saakashvili (4th L), Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev (5th
L), Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev (6th L), Russia Vladimir Putin (4th R),
Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmonov (3d R), Ukraine Leonid Kuchma (2nd R),
Uzbekistan Islam Karimov (R), Russian Secretary of Security Council
Vladimir Rushailo (C) and Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev (5th R)
pose for a picture during the summit at the presidential residence
in Astana, Sept. 16, 2004. Top leaders from member states of the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) met Thursday in Kazakh capital
Astana to discuss ways to fight against terrorism. (Xinhua Photo)

MOSCOW, Sept. 16 (Xinhuanet) — The summit of the Commonwealth
of Independent States (CIS) decided to boost the role of the
Anti-Terrorist Center and draft a concept of cooperation in the fight
against international terrorism and extremism, Ukrainian President
Leonid Kuchma said on Tuesday.

Leaders of the CIS member states had adopted a statement to condemn
terrorist acts, Kuchma, an outgoing head of the CIS, told a press
conference following the CIS summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

They expressed their full solidarity with Russia in its struggle
against terrorism and believed the spread of international terrorism
can be prevented only by consolidating efforts of the whole civilized
world, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

The CIS, set up in 1991, is made up of 12 former Soviet republics.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was elected new chairman of the
council of the heads of state of the CIS at the summit.

Speaking at the CIS forum, Putin lashed out at double standards in
the struggle against world terrorism.

“The atrocities we saw in Beslan gave grounds to say that the bandits
are part of world terrorist forces,” Putin said.

“The struggle against terrorism envisages only one opinion — law,
concerted efforts and firmness,” he stressed.

The CIS leaders also discussed cooperation in the fight against
organized crime, drug trafficking and illegal migration, the report
said.

Meanwhile, the presidents signed several documents, including a
concept of cooperation in the containment of illegal migration,
an interstate anti-crime program for 2005-2007, and a program of
cooperation against drug-trafficking until 2007. Enditem