ANKARA, 7 May 2024 – Members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism (CCT), led by President Pia Kauma (Finland) and Committee Chair Reinhold Lopatka (Austria), have been in Ankara this week to assess regional challenges, discuss the Turkish experience in fighting violent extremism, and boost international co-operation on counter-terrorism.
During the two-day official visit, the OSCE PA delegation met with high-level representatives of the government and parliament, as well as experts in the field of counter-terrorism. Following meetings at the Turkish Parliament, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Treasury and Finance, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the OSCE PA delegates attended a Round-Table on Counterterrorism and Artificial Intelligence which included academics from leading Turkish universities. They also met with the Turkish Delegation to the OSCE PA, led by Selami Altınok.
Commending Türkiye’s counter-terrorism work, the OSCE parliamentarians noted that Türkiye is the country most affected by terrorism in the OSCE region, and that there is much to gain from learning about the Turkish experience and exploring ways to build synergies in this field. The delegates expressed support for Ankara in the struggle against terrorism and noted in particular their solidarity for the terrorist bombing attack targeting the Ministry of Interior on 1 October 2023.
“The current volatile geopolitical context, including the situation in the Middle East, is having profound impacts on all of our countries and in some cases may be fueling violent extremism,” President Kauma said. “Türkiye is at the forefront of countering this threat and therefore it is important that we learn as much as we can from their experiences. International co-operation is crucial in preventing and combating terrorism, with increasing numbers of young people and even young girls getting recruited into terrorist groups.”
CCT Chair Lopatka underlined that Türkiye’s resilience against terrorism and prominent role in combating terrorist organizations like Daesh serve as practical examples for OSCE states in effectively addressing terrorist threats across the region. He also expressed profound solidarity with all the Turkish victims and survivors of terrorism and heartfelt condolences to their families. “This week’s visit of the OSCE PA’s Ad Hoc Committee on Countering Terrorism has reaffirmed our determination to remain united in preventing and countering terrorism through increased international co-operation, as well as through human rights-centered and gender-sensitive approaches at all levels,” he concluded.
“Artificial intelligence is transforming the security and radicalization landscape in the OSCE area and requires operational frameworks that are fit for purpose,” added Kamil Aydin, a member of the Turkish OSCE PA delegation and Vice-Chair of the CCT. “In our joint fight against terrorism, new technologies such as artificial intelligence can be potent allies, for instance in identifying hidden patterns that can help prevent attacks. AI development, deployment and utilization should reflect stringent ethical considerations and be fully subject to the rule of law and human control,” he concluded. The CCT intends to submit its policy proposals in this context at the upcoming OSCE PA Annual Session in Bucharest through a dedicated resolution.
In addition to Aydin, Kauma and Lopatka, the delegation included Emanuele Loperfido (Italy), Paula Cardoso (Portugal) Sverre Myrli (Norway), Ricardo Tarno (Spain), and Madeleine Van Toorenburg (The Netherlands).
For more information on the work of the CCT, please click here.
