13 June 2000
Source: http://usinfo.state.gov/cgi-bin/washfile/display.pl?p=/products/washfile/latest&f=00061201.plt&t=/products/washfile/newsitem.shtml

US Department of State
International Information Programs

Washington File
_________________________________

12 June 2000

State Department to Host Counterterrorism Conference June 13-15

   (Will focus on transnational threat in Central Asia) (380)

   The Department of State will host a counterterrorism conference June
   13-15 in Washington that will focus on the transnational terrorist
   threat in Central Asia.

   Representatives from ten nations in Central Asia, Europe, and the
   Middle East have been invited to take part in the session.

   Following is the text of the State Department announcement:

   (begin text)

   U.S. Department of State
   Office of the Spokesman

   June 12, 2000

   STATEMENT BY PHILIP T. REEKER, ACTING SPOKESMAN

   DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO HOST COUNTERTERRORISM CONFERENCE

   The Department of State is hosting a counterterrorism conference June
   13-15 in Washington, D.C., that will focus on the transnational
   terrorist threat in Central Asia. The conference is being co-hosted by
   the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, the Office of the
   Ambassador at Large and Special Advisor to the Secretary for the New
   Independent States, and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.
   Representatives from ten nations in Central Asia, Europe, and the
   Middle East have been invited to participate in and observe at the
   conference.

   Secretary Albright announced this conference during her visit to
   Central Asia in April.

   The conference has four objectives: to promote international and
   regional cooperation against terrorism; to share information on
   terrorist groups and countermeasures; to discuss policy choices; and
   to promote interagency solutions to complex counterterrorism issues.

   Among the topics to be discussed are: the regional threat environment
   and security efforts of Central Asian states; counterterrorism
   cooperation among states and within multilateral organizations;
   counterterrorism approaches by other countries; and the importance of
   religious freedom, political opening, and the protection of civil
   society as ways to undermine support for terrorist movements. The
   participants will also take part in a crisis management exercise.

   Last year, the Department co-sponsored -- along with the Council on
   Foreign Relations -- a counterterrorism conference focusing on the
   threat in South Asia and the Middle East. Conferences such as these
   are an important component of overall U.S. counterterrorism policy and
   greatly enhance the ability of the international community to counter
   the worldwide terrorist threat.

   (end text)

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   Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)