In connection with the Ministerial Council Declaration on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism just adopted, and in accordance with paragraph IV.1 (A) 6 of the OSCE Rules of Procedure, the United States would like to make the following interpretive statement:
We reiterate that the OSCE’s efforts to counter violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism should be built upon its comprehensive approach to security, encompassing all dimensions and OSCE executive structures. This includes the OSCE Secretariat, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the High Commissioner on National Minorities, the Representative on Freedom of the Media, and field operations.
The OSCE participating States have repeatedly reaffirmed that counterterrorism measures must be consistent with human rights obligations and commitments. As such, we highly value ODIHR’s work in this regard, and in particular ODIHR’s Human Rights and Anti-Terrorism project that assists participating States promote, protect, and respect human rights in the development and implementation of anti-terrorism policies.
We applaud the OSCE’s launch of an organization-wide campaign, “OSCE United in Countering Violent Extremism,” that highlights the Organization’s multi-dimensional approach to countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism. We strongly support this campaign as it brings together all OSCE executive structures to reinforce global efforts against this threat.
Mr. Chairman, we ask that this statement be attached to the declaration we have just adopted and included in the journal of the day.
Thank you.
As delivered by Ambassador Daniel B. Baer to the OSCE Ministerial Council, Belgrade
