NALCHIK. March 3 (Interfax) - Information measures have been stepped up in the North Caucasus over the past year for counteracting terrorism and preventing extremism, but the militant activity has yet to be stopped, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said.
"Unfortunately, the activity of extremist religious rings has not been stopped fully. Unemployment levels are still high, especially amongst the young," Patrushev said at a conference on tourism and food security in the North Caucasus Federal District held in Nalchik.
Anti-terrorism commissions have boosted their work in the district, and the implementation of programs promoting inter-ethnic concord has improved, he said.
However, the desired level of sociopolitical stability has yet to be achieved, he said. "The sociopolitical stabilization result, which we are aspiring for, has not been attained as of yet," the Security Council Secretary said.