The Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism, aimed at tackling the problem of "foreign terrorist fighters", was opened for signature today in the presence of several European ministers.
The Protocol was signed by the following seventeen States: Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The European Union also signed the Protocol together with the Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism.
“For the first time in international law, we have an instrument that criminalises early preparations for acts of terror. The Additional Protocol to the Convention of Terrorism sets out how we can jointly take on foreign terrorist fighters within the rule of law and human rights. It is the vital, missing piece of the jigsaw,” said the Council of Europe Secretary General, Thorbjørn Jagland, who called on all the governments to swiftly sign and ratify the instrument. (more...)
- Photo gallery
- Video recording: Additional Protocol signature - Press conference
- Video of the Conference: Part 1 - Part 2
- Opening speech by Thorbjørn Jagland
- Speech by Thorbjørn Jagland on the occasion of the Ceremony for the opening for signature of the Additional Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of terrorism
- Speech by Igor Crnadak
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