BRUSSELS. Jan 29 (Interfax) - Russia and the European Union have agreed to develop strategic partnership in combating and preventing terrorism, says a joint statement adopted during the EU-Russia summit in Brussels on Tuesday.
To this end, the EU and Russia, in particular, will "consider possibilities for further strengthening cooperation in response to crimes committed by terrorists and organized crime, including exploring prospects of signing cooperation agreements in the future, to ensure, inter alia, an information exchange between Russia and the EU in the sphere of combating terrorism in conformity with their respective internal legislation including data protection standards," the statement says.
"We commit to ensuring that measures taken against terrorism, including by international bodies, fully respect human rights and rule of law principles, and that human rights laws are applied and implemented in counter-terrorism programs and policies of national governments," it says.
The EU and Russia will further exchange and develop "cooperation concerning the prevention of terrorism, in particular on the radicalization and recruitment of terrorists, foreign fighters as well as on the protection of critical infrastructure in the energy field," it says.
The document expresses "concern with the increasing threat of misuse of the Internet by terrorists for spreading terrorist ideology and propaganda, and for recruiting and training new members and supporters among citizens of Russia and EU Member States."
In conclusion of the statement, the parties declare their determination "to strengthen international cooperation in order to prevent, detect and suppress terrorist attacks, identify, search for, and extradite persons involved in terrorist activities, block channels for financing terrorism."