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Senior security officials from 64 countries pledge to step up fight against IS

Over 92 delegations from 64 countries are attending the XIV conference of the heads of law enforcement agencies that maintain partnership relations with the Russian Federal Security Service

YAROSLAVL, July 29 /TASS/. Senior security officials from various countries who are currently meeting in Yaroslavl have pledged to step up efforts to counteract threats coming from the Islamic State (IS).

More than 92 delegations from 64 countries are attending the XIV conference of the heads of security services and law enforcement agencies that maintain partnership relations with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). It opened in Yaroslavl, one of the Golden Ring towns, a group of historical Russian cities and towns northeast of Moscow that has played an important role in Russian history, on Wednesday.

Mr. Weixiong Chen, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), told the meeting that the United Nations regularly took part in most such security forums to show solidarity with Russia and other countries that fight terrorism.

Dwelling upon threats, Mr. Weixiong said it is necessary to pay attention to threats coming not only from IS but also from those who join it. He said that foreign terrorists fighting on the side of IS were also a problem and added that it was the United Nations’ task to make everybody understand that it was a common threat. "It’s not just your neighbour’s problem, one day it’s going to knock at your door," Mr. Weixiong stressed.

Keith Bethke from the US embassy in Russia who represents the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has praised the FSB for organizing the forum, which, he believes, will be useful for the security service community. He also stressed the importance of Russia-US cooperation in fighting extremist groups.

Bethke told journalists that Russia’s FSB and other security and law enforcement agencies had made an enormous contribution to the provision of security prior and during the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games and their good interaction with the US security services. Bethke said the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) would continue cooperation with FSB and other Russian security bodies and law enforcers in the provision of security at future sport events (including the 2018 World Cup).

Zhang Xinfeng, the head of the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, also congratulated the FSB on successful organization of the international conference adding the format was extremely important in the current international situation.

"There is one vital problem - an IS terrorist threat in Iraq and Syria that concerns all the six SCO member states. Those who take part in military operations in those countries become a serious threat to our countries when they return home," Zhang Xinfeng stressed. He added that the SCO states actively exchanged information on terrorists and carried out joint anti-terror operations on the border.