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Expert: Kazakhstan, Russia should widely use Post-Soviet security blocs to fight terror

The Chairman of the Kazakhstan’s Council on International Relations Yerlan Karin thinks many issues related to prevention of terrorism are often outside of the authority of intelligence services

ASTANA, May 20. /TASS/. Kazakhstan and Russia should more extensively use the potential of regional integrations - the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia (CICMA), and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) - to cooperate in tackling terrorism, the Chairman of the Kazakhstan’s Council on International Relations Yerlan Karin told TASS on the sidelines of the Kazakh-Russian expert forum in Astana.

According to Karin, intelligence services and law enforcement bodies of the two countries are interacting "very closely and efficiently" in their tackle against terrorism. "But the very threat is rising as various groups and organizations are also trying to establish ties between each other, especially in Syria where we see North Caucasian groups getting in touch with Central Asian groups. Unfortunately, we see the problem and the threat breaking new ground," he said.

Amid this background, the countries need to upgrade cooperation mechanisms in order to tackle new challenges. "This is already in line with the upgrade of our mechanisms, both at the bilateral level and within multilateral contacts. Kazakhstan and Russia are actively participating in various regional integrations - SCO, CICMA, and CSTO - and I think that we don’t always use the potential of those structures to the full extent," he said, adding that "the issue is not only about the cooperation between intelligence services, but the cooperation on other levels, including experts."

Karin thinks many issues related to prevention of terrorism are often outside of the authority of intelligence services. "Particularly, when the issue is about factors and reasons. Intelligence services and law enforcement bodies can take action when certain groups and guns access channels are formed," he said.

Also, the expert said, a wider range of instruments should be involved in order to neutralize terror drivers, "for example, a joint analysis of factors in social and economic areas for us to take targeted actions.".