28 CPT: 17TH GENERAL REPORT The CPT is committed to avoiding a human rights vacuum in any part of Europe. I headed the delegation which made the CPT’s first visit to Kosovo last month, and am happy to report that it received excellent cooperation from all the authorities concerned, including at Camp Bondsteel. The CPT also continues to monitor the situation in the Transnistrian region, and went there again last year. And I can inform you that the idea of a first CPT visit to Abkhazia and South Ossetia is presently receiving close attention. When the time is ripe from a political standpoint, the possibilities for extending the CPT’s activities to Belarus could also be explored. Mr President, We live in times when the possible dilution of the absolute prohibition of torture is considered a legitimate subject of discussion; and when the actions of some risk undermining the effectiveness of that prohibition throughout the world. Faced with such a challenge, it is essential for all those bodies involved in combating torture to work closely together. The CPT will seize every opportunity to promote synergy, at national, European and universal level. The fact that my predecessor, Silvia Casale, has been elected the first Chairperson of the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture is very welcome news in this connection. To conclude, resolute action is undoubtedly necessary to address critical problems such as terrorism. But let there also be no doubt that submitting detained persons to methods such as "waterboarding" is a retrograde step that will not serve anyone’s interests well. In the defence of human rights lies ultimately our greatest security.