Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 1
By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend
An OSCE-organized training course on the detection of forged documents and imposters took place in Ashgabat, reads a press release of the OSCE Ashgabat office.
The course brought together representatives from Turkmenistan’s Interior and National Security Ministries, the State Border Service, and the State Migration Service.
Organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in co-operation with the OSCE Transnational Threats Department’s Travel Document Security Program, the training course aimed to enhance the participants’ practical abilities to detect forged documents and imposters by providing in-depth knowledge and conducting hands-on exercises.
“Protecting the integrity of government identity documents and identifying imposters lowers the opportunities for illegal border crossings and the spread of crime and terrorism, and assists in securing state borders,” said Head of the OSCE Centre Natalya Drozd, addressing the course participants.
“The issue of travel document security acquires special relevance as Turkmenistan prepares to host the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in September and the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat is pleased provide support in this area,” she added.
International experts from Austria elaborated on the types of counterfeit passports, visas and banknotes, as well as security and personalization printing techniques. Special attention was paid to the methods of identifying counterfeit techniques.
As part of the practical exercises, the participants examined the security features of passports, visas, plastic cards and banknotes common in the region and practiced identifying facial and behavioral indicators in imposters.
The training is part of a wider effort by the OSCE to support Turkmenistan in border security and management activities, and to improve co-ordination in successfully implementing security procedures and border controls, including becoming members of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Public Key Directory.