10 European nations pledge closer cooperation in fight against jihadism

Ten central and southern European nations agreed here on Friday to cooperate more closely in the fight against jihadism, the Austrian Press Agency (APA) reported.

Austrian Minister of the Interior Johanna Mikl-Leitner and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sebastian Kurz were joined at a press conference by Dimitris Avramopoulos, EU commissioner for migration, home affairs and citizenship, as well as many other interior and foreign ministers.

A "comprehensive strategy that goes beyond common law" is needed to tackle extremism, Mikl-Leitner said.

Mikl-Leitner and Kurz invited their counterparts from Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Bosnia and Hezegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia to a conference titled "Tackling Jihadism Together."

"I am very happy about the collaboration with the countries from the Western Balkans," Kurz said, adding that stability in that region also has an influence on Austria.

More concrete cooperative measures will include better training of border authorities to prevent the entry and exit of extremists, along with an intensification of cooperation among Europol, the EU counter-terrorism coordinator, EU border authority Frontex and Western Balkans countries, Mikl-Leitner said.

She added it is of the "highest priority" that all states report information on jihadists to Europol as soon as possible.

The problem of jihadism can only be solved through closer cooperation of European states, and will "take time," said Avramopoulos.

During the meeting, Kurz also stressed that the fight against jihadism must include all religions and avoid putting "one group or one religion under general suspicion." Endi