Terror On The Increase In Central Asia

Russian Security Council Secretary Vladimir Rushailo has warned of a possible increase in terrorist activities in Central Asia. Speaking with journalists on Thursday, Rushailo gave several reasons for it. Thus, according to him, free movement of thousands of well-armed and trained militants has been registered in Central Asia of late. Also, terrorist organisations are acquiring leading positions in the most lucrative spheres of the grey market. Moreover, merger of radical religious organisations with the drug Mafia is underway. Vladimir Rushailo emphasised that the Central Asian region is turning into a major drug trafficking route, to transport narcotics from Afghanistan to Russia and Europe. In this connection, said the Security Council Secretary, well-pondered and coordinated organisation of anti-drug trafficking measures would help to effectively combat international terrorism. This, Rushailo reckons, could be achieved through harmonised efforts of signatories to the CIS Collective Security Treaty. We are gradually moving toward common principles of cooperation in fighting international terrorism both at global and regional and bilateral levels, remarked the Russian Security Council Secretary. However, he admitted, the common legal base for terrorism counteraction does not quite correspond to the challenges posed by international terrorism to territorial integrity, sovereignty, and border inviolability of the parties to the Collective Security Treaty.