Reinhold Lopatka meeting in Vienna with Vladimir Voronkov, 9 September 2021COPENHAGEN, 9 September 2021 – Austrian parliamentarian Reinhold Lopatka, Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism (CCT), met today with Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), to reinforce co-operation between the two institutions following their signing last year of a Memorandum of Understanding.
Lopatka and Voronkov discussed the development of a co-ordination mechanism between interparliamentary fora and the UNOCT, noting that this would be an important tool in ensuring a coherent and complemented approach in fighting terrorism with the involvement of parliamentarians.
The CCT, Lopatka told Voronkov, has focused its priorities in recent months on issues such as promoting the successful prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration of foreign terrorist fighters and their families, and supporting victims of terrorism and strengthening the role of victims’ associations.
Lopatka also reported on ongoing OSCE PA efforts to organize regional policy dialogues on critical items on the counter-terrorism agenda, including the prevention of radicalization online and the possible repatriation of FTFs and family members. Following up on a ground-breaking 2019 parliamentary oversight effort on the implementation of sound Advance Passenger Information, Passenger Name Records and biometric data management systems, Lopatka told Voronkov that the PA also plans an initiative in 2023 that would take stock of progress in this area.
Voronkov hailed the OSCE PA’s dynamic counter-terrorism engagement and pledged to support future parliamentary efforts of the Assembly, including on issues related to border security, victims of terrorism, prevention of radicalization online and possible threats stemming from the latest developments in Afghanistan.
Meeting on the margins of the World Parliamentary Counter Terrorism Summit, Lopatka and Voronkov welcomed this rather unique occasion to share lessons learned and promote policy convergence on counter-terrorism among legislators from across the world.
