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18 September 2001

Text: Remove Terrorism and Its Safe Havens, U.S. Urges OSCE

(Opening Statement at OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting)
(840)
"The United States has heard and deeply appreciates the world's
genuine outrage" at the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington,
D.C., and Pennsylvania, Ambassador Chris Hill said in the U.S. Opening
Statement at the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw
September 18.
Noting President Bush's call for all the countries of the world and
all international organizations to join in "a great coalition to
conduct a campaign against terrorists who wage war against our
civilization," Hill said he hopes that during the April 17-April 27
Warsaw meeting, participants "can examine what role the OSCE can play
in this."
"We must marshal our rights and obligations under international law to
remove terrorism as a threat to our way of life and to ensure that
those who provide safe-haven and support terrorism are held
accountable," Hill said, adding: "This is a long-term project. We will
not solve the problem in one drastic action."
Following is the text as it appeared on the Web site of the United
States Helsinki Commission:
(begin text)
Warsaw
September 18, 2001
U.S. DELEGATION TO THE OSCE HUMAN DIMENSION IMPLEMENTATION MEETING
Opening Plenary Statement Delivered by Ambassador Chris Hill
Mr. Chairman,
I would like to apologize that the Head of our Delegation, Ambassador
Joe Presel, could not be here due to the difficulties in transatlantic
travel. He will join us as soon as possible. I would like, first of
all, to express on behalf of my government and the U.S. delegation
here today, our heartfelt gratitude at the support and sympathy we
have received from so many participating States of the OSCE, some of
which have also lost citizens in these hideous events. The attack
against targets in New York and Washington was of course more than
just an assault against innocent civilians. It was an attack against
all the universal values that we have all embraced as States
participating in this proud organization. As such, it was an attack
against all of us by persons and organizations for whom our principles
regrettably hold no meaning.
I would like to offer a special note of thanks to the hosts of this
conference, the people of Poland whose outpouring of sympathy has
moved us greatly. This is a country where the collective values of the
OSCE are truly shared, and it is this so very appropriate that we
should be gathering here in Warsaw.
The United States has heard and deeply appreciates the world's genuine
outrage, also expressed through international organizations. It was
expressed so clearly in UNSCR 1368, the first resolution of the 56th
United Nations General Assembly. The challenge in the weeks and months
ahead will be to turn these words into concrete actions.
My government and my President are calling for all the countries of
the world and all international organizations to join us in a great
coalition to conduct a campaign against terrorists who wage war
against our civilization. I hope that in the coming two weeks we can
examine what role the OSCE can play in this. While other fora may be
more appropriate to discuss political, security, and other aspects of
directly combating terrorism, we believe it is important for us to
keep in focus the underpinning of our governments strengths and
abilities to address these issues. We rely on the rule of law to
investigate crimes and bring criminals to justice.
Independent media and civil society are crucial to an open society.
Protection of human rights, the rights of persons belonging to
minorities, and freedom of religion are the best guarantee for more
stable societies which can reduce the chances that groups will resort
to violence.
These are the values that separate us from these criminals. Our
commitment to these values should be strengthened, not weakened. At
the same time, we must not be naive that these terrorists carried out
their grim crimes over some kind of a regrettable misunderstanding
about our principles, or that they didn't have enough newspapers to
read. We must be prepared for the fact that some people will pursue
political aims through violence until we take action to stop them.
There are those, perhaps in any society, who have no interest in
political arrangements, and have no interest in political arguments,
and for them we must marshal our rights and obligations under
international law to remove terrorism as a threat to our way of life
and to ensure that those who provide safe-haven and support terrorism
are held accountable. This is a long-term project. We will not solve
the problem in one drastic action.
Finally, a rededication to the principles for which the OSCE stands
and to which we have committed ourselves as participating States
should play a major part in this challenge. It is with that in mind
that the U.S. delegation embraces enthusiastically a frank, open
discussion of the implementation of OSCE commitments in the human
dimension.
Thank you.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)



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