01 October 2001
Text: Annan Says Broad Coalition Needed to Defeat Terrorism
(U.N. secretary general addresses General Assembly) (1930)
United Nations -- Nations must stay united as they seek to eliminate
terrorism, Secretary General Kofi Annan said October 1.
"In this struggle, there is simply no alternative to international
cooperation. Terrorism will be defeated if the international community
summons the will to unite in a broad coalition, or it will not be
defeated at all," Annan told the U.N. General Assembly as it opened
its debate on terrorism.
The secretary general said the assembly's role must not be symbolic,
but the beginning of immediate, practical and far-reaching changes in
the way the U.N. and its member states act against terrorism. The U.N.
must develop a long-term strategy in order to ensure global legitimacy
for the difficult diplomatic, legal, and political steps needed to
defeat terrorism, he said.
Warning that the greatest immediate danger comes from groups or
individuals acquiring and using a nuclear, biological or chemical
weapon, the secretary general said that nations must strengthen the
global network against the use or proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction.
Following is the text of the secretary general's remarks:
(begin text)
UN SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN
ADDRESS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON TERRORISM
New York, New York
October 1, 2001
On Friday night, the Security Council adopted unanimously a broad
resolution aimed at targeting terrorists and those who harbor, aid or
support them. That resolution requires member states to cooperate in a
wide range of areas -- from suppressing the financing of terrorism to
providing early warning, cooperating in criminal investigations, and
exchanging information on possible terrorist acts. I applaud the
Council for acting so swiftly to enshrine in law the steps needed to
carry this fight forward with new vigor and determination.
Now all member states must make greater efforts to exchange
information about practices that have proved effective, and lessons
that have been learned, in the fight against terrorism -- so that a
global standard of excellence can be set. The implementation of this
resolution will require technical expertise at the national level. I
encourage states that can offer assistance in this regard to do so
generously and without delay.
Thus far, the international community has been able to act with
unprecedented speed and unity. On the 12th of September, both the
General Assembly and the Security Council adopted strong resolutions
condemning the attacks and calling on all states to cooperate in
bringing the perpetrators to justice. Now, a second and more detailed
resolution has been adopted by the Security Council, building swiftly
on the first. Today, this august Assembly meets to deliberate its own
response to the events of 11 September.
The reason for this response and unprecedented unity is clear enough.
The terrorist attacks against the United States -- resulting in the
deaths of some 6,000 people from 80 countries -- were acts of terrible
evil which shocked the conscience of the entire world.
But out of evil can come good. Paradoxically, these vicious assaults
on our common humanity have had the effect of reaffirming our common
humanity. The very heartlessness and callous indifference to the
suffering and grief caused to thousands of innocent families has
brought a heartfelt response from millions of ordinary people all over
the world, in many different societies.
The task now is to build on that wave of human solidarity -- to ensure
that the momentum is not lost, to develop a broad, comprehensive and
above all sustained strategy to combat terrorism and eradicate it from
our world.
This important meeting of the General Assembly has a critical role to
play in this. It must not be merely symbolic. It must signal the
beginning of immediate, practical and far-reaching changes in the way
this organization and its member states act against terrorism.
Today, the shock of this crime has united the world. But,
excellencies, if we are to prevent such crimes from being committed
again, we must stay united as we seek to eliminate terrorism. In this
struggle, there is simply no alternative to international cooperation.
Terrorism will be defeated if the international community summons the
will to unite in a broad coalition, or it will not be defeated at all.
The United Nations is uniquely positioned to serve as the forum for
this coalition, and for the development of those steps governments
must now take -- separately and together -- to fight terrorism on a
global scale.
The global reaction to the attacks should give us courage and hope
that we can succeed in this fight. The sight of people gathering in
cities in every part of the world from every religion to mourn -- and
to express solidarity with the people of the United States -- proves
more eloquently than any words that terrorism is not an issue that
divides humanity, but one that unites it. We are in a moral struggle
to fight an evil that is anathema to all faiths. Every state and every
people has a part to play. This was an attack on humanity, and
humanity must respond to it as one.
The urgent business of the United Nations must now be to develop a
long-term strategy, in order to ensure global legitimacy for the
struggle ahead. The legitimacy that the United Nations conveys can
ensure that the greatest number of states are able and willing to take
the necessary and difficult steps -- diplomatic, legal and political
-- that are needed to defeat terrorism.
Excellencies,
The member states that you represent have a clear agenda before them.
It begins with ensuring that the 12 conventions and protocols on
international terrorism already drafted and adopted under United
Nations auspices are signed, ratified and implemented without delay by
all states.
Two of these conventions, in particular, can strengthen the fight
against terrorism. First, the International Convention for the
Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, which entered into force on 23 May
this year; and second, the 1999 Convention for the Suppression of the
Financing of Terrorism, which so far has 44 signatories and four
ratifications. It requires 18 additional ratifications to enter into
force, and I hope it will now be seen as a point of honor for member
states to sign and ratify this vital convention as soon possible.
While no one imagines that these conventions -- even when implemented
-- will end terrorism on their own, they are part of the legal
framework needed for this effort. I wish to propose to all member
states that they make it their first order of business during the
general debate to sign all the conventions on terrorism, and pledge to
work for their ratification and implementation without delay.
It will also be important to obtain agreement on a comprehensive
convention on international terrorism. In the post-11 September era,
no one can dispute the nature of the terrorist threat, nor the need to
meet it with a global response. I understand that there are
outstanding issues, which until now have prevented agreement on this
convention. Some of the most difficult issues relate to the definition
of terrorism. I understand and accept the need for legal precision.
But let me say frankly that there is also a need for moral clarity.
There can be no acceptance of those who would seek to justify the
deliberate taking of innocent civilian life, regardless of cause or
grievance. If there is one universal principle that all peoples can
agree on, surely it is this.
Even in situations of armed conflict, the targeting of innocent
civilians is illegal, as well as morally unacceptable. And yet, as I
have stated in my two reports on the protection of civilians in armed
conflict, civilian populations are more and more often deliberately
targeted. Indeed, civilians have become the principal victims of
conflict, accounting for an estimated 75 percent of all casualties.
This demands from all of us an increased attention to the civilian
costs of conflict. It requires member states to live up to their
responsibilities under international law. They must deal firmly with
the reality of armed groups and other non-state actors who refuse to
respect common principles of human dignity.
Mr. President,
It is hard to imagine how the tragedy of 11 September could have been
worse. Yet, the truth is that a single attack involving a nuclear or
biological weapon could have killed millions. While the world was
unable to prevent the 11 September attacks, there is much we can do to
help prevent future terrorist acts carried out with weapons of mass
destruction. The greatest danger arises from a non-state group -- or
even an individual -- acquiring and using a nuclear, biological, or
chemical weapon. Such a weapon could be delivered without the need for
any missile or any other sophisticated delivery system.
In addition to measures taken by individual member states, we must now
strengthen the global norm against the use or proliferation of weapons
of mass destruction. This means, among other actions:
-- redoubling efforts to ensure the universality, verification and
full implementation of key treaties relating to weapons of mass
destruction, including those outlawing chemical and biological weapons
and the nuclear non-proliferation treaty;
-- promoting closer cooperation among international organizations
dealing with these weapons;
-- tightening national legislation over exports of goods and
technologies needed to manufacture weapons of mass destruction and
their means of delivery; and
-- developing new efforts to criminalize the acquisition or use of
weapons of mass destruction by non-state groups.
In addition, we need to strengthen controls over other types of
weapons that pose grave dangers through terrorist use. This means
doing more to ensure a ban on the sale of small arms to non-state
groups; making progress in eliminating landmines; improving the
physical protection of sensitive industrial facilities, including
nuclear and chemical plants; and increased vigilance against
cyberterrorist threats.
Mr. President,
As we summon the will and the resources to succeed in the struggle
against terrorism, we must also care for all the victims of terrorism,
whether they are the direct targets or other populations who will be
affected by our common effort. That is why I have launched an alert to
donors about the potential need for much more generous humanitarian
assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
This appeal is only the most urgent part of our determination to
continue to care for those suffering from poverty, disease and
conflict around the world. The work of the United Nations in promoting
development, resolving long-standing disputes, and fighting ignorance
and prejudice are even more important today than they were before 11
September.
The victims of the attacks on 11 September were, first and foremost,
the innocent civilians who lost their lives, and their families who
now grieve for them. But peace, tolerance, mutual respect, human
rights, the rule of law and the global economy are all among the
casualties of the terrorists' acts.
Repairing the damage done to the fabric of the international community
-- restoring trust among peoples and cultures -- will not be easy. But
just as a concerted international response can make the work of
terrorists much harder to accomplish, so should the unity born out of
this tragedy bring all nations together in defense of the most basic
right -- the right of all peoples to live in peace and security. This
is the challenge before us as we seek to eliminate the evil of
terrorism.
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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