07 November 2001
Text: Annan to Warsaw Conference on Combatting Terrorism November 7
(Urges European leaders to participate in anti-terror campaign) (1130)
In a message to the Warsaw Conference November 7, U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan reiterated that "every nation and every
people have a responsibility to fight against terrorism."
"It is essential that the global response to terrorism be truly
universal and not divisive," he said. "North, South, East and West
must come together to forge a sense of human solidarity and unified
purpose."
Annan's message was delivered by Vladimir Petrovsky, director-general
of the United Nations in Geneva. The message called on the central and
eastern European nations attending the conference to use political,
legal, diplomatic and financial means to combat terrorism.
Central to the anti-terrorism campaign, Annan said, is U.N. Security
Council Resolution 1373, which "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."
The Secretary General appealed to leaders at the Warsaw meeting to
collaborate with the Security Council's "Counter-Terrorism Committee",
chaired by the United Kingdom, and to offer their expertise in the
fields of customs, immigration, extradition and financial law and
practice, police and law enforcement work and illegal arms
trafficking.
Annan also urged member states to sign and ratify a comprehensive
convention now under way in the General Assembly that would combat
terrorism on multiple fronts. It will "provide a common legal
framework for international cooperation in the fight against
terrorism," he said. "In the long-term, this is the way to succeed in
our joint efforts."
Following is the UN text:
(begin text)
6 November 2001
SECRETARY-GENERAL REPEATS CALL FOR GLOBAL RESPONSE TO TERRORISM,
URGING MORAL STRUGGLE AGAINST 'AN EVIL THAT IS ANATHEMA TO ALL FAITHS'
Message to Warsaw Meeting Says Current Military Action in Afghanistan
Fits Context of Security Council Resolutions, UN Charter on
Self-Defense
This is the text of a message today from Secretary-General Kofi Annan
(delivered by Vladimir Petrovsky, Director-General, United Nations,
Geneva)
to the Warsaw Conference of heads of State from central and eastern
Europe on combating terrorism:
I wish to convey my warm greetings to President Kwasniewski -- as well
as the other leaders of central and eastern European States -- who are
meeting to combat international terrorism. Your meeting today is a
reflection of the importance all states attach to this fight, and a
recognition that terrorism is a threat to all States -- great and
small; rich and poor. The 11 September attacks were assaults on
humanity, and humanity must respond to them as one. Every nation and
every people have a responsibility to fight against terrorism by
ensuring that differences and disputes are resolved through political
means, and not through violence.
For the United Nations, it is essential that the global response to
terrorism be truly universal and not divisive. North, South, East and
West must come together to forge a sense of human solidarity and
unified purpose. To defeat terrorism, we need a sustained effort and a
broad strategy that unite all nations, and address all aspects of the
scourge we face. We are in a moral struggle to fight an evil that is
anathema to all faiths. The struggle will be long, for there is much
to do. Terrorists must not be given shelter and their financial
mechanisms and logistical supports must be destroyed. The
international community has at its disposal political, legal,
diplomatic and financial means, which it must use in innovative ways
to combat terrorism.
Following the 11 September attacks in the United States, both the
Security Council and the General Assembly adopted strong resolutions
condemning the attacks and calling on all States to cooperate in
bringing the perpetrators to justice. The Security Council expressed
its determination to combat, by all means, threats to international
peace and security caused by terrorist acts. The Council also
reaffirmed the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence
in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. The States
concerned have set their current military action in Afghanistan in
that context.
The Security Council also adopted unanimously a broad resolution --
resolution 1373 -- aimed at targeting terrorists and those who
harbour, 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. 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 Security Council also established a Committee consisting of all
members of the Council to monitor the implementation of resolution
1373. To this end, the "Counter-Terrorism Committee", chaired by the
United Kingdom, has transmitted Guidance to States for the submission
of reports on the steps that States have taken to implement the
resolution.
The Committee has also invited States to submit names of individuals
available to be appointed to assist its programme of work.
Counter-terrorism experts are being sought in the fields of customs,
immigration, extradition and financial law and practice, police and
law enforcement work and illegal arms trafficking. I appeal to all the
leaders at the Warsaw meeting to collaborate with the Committee in
order to ensure the full implementation of resolution 1373.
The General Assembly has already adopted 12 conventions and protocols
on combating terrorism. When the Assembly completes its work on a
comprehensive convention on terrorism, I urge Member States to sign,
ratify and implement it very quickly. The Security Council and General
Assembly actions will provide a common legal framework for
international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. In the
long-term, this is the way to succeed in our joint efforts.
The victims of the attacks on 11 September were, first and foremost,
the innocent civilians who lost their lives. The victims were also
their families who now grieve for them. But peace, tolerance, mutual
respect, human rights, the rule of law, and the global economy are all
threatened by the terrorists' acts. In order to restore trust among
peoples and cultures, a concerted international response can make the
work of terrorists much harder to accomplish. The unity born out of
this tragedy should bring all nations together in defence 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 terrorism in
every part of the world.
(end UN text)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
