A/64/PV.116 General Assembly

It is always a fresh pleasure for the delegation of Mali to see you, Sir, presiding over General Assembly meetings. Allow me at the outset this morning to thank you for having organized the current review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and to congratulate the Secretary-General on his excellent report on the topic (A/64/818). This review provides a useful opportunity for the delegation of Mali at the outset to strongly reaffirm here the Government of the Republic of Mali’s commitment to fighting terrorism and, consequently, to advocating the need for appropriate, consistent support for the efforts and initiatives that it has undertaken in that regard. The fight against terrorism is particularly significant to the countries of the Sahelo-Saharan region, within which Mali has a key place. As members know, our region has for some time experienced a situation of concern owing to the presence of terrorist groups and criminal networks whose activities seriously threaten peace and stability there. Since the Salafist Group for Call and Combat joined Al-Qaida and became an armed wing of the Organization of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, the vast Sahelo-Saharan region, which covers nearly 8 million square kilometres and has a low population density and extremely difficult living conditions, has become a de facto sanctuary for the Maghreb Salafist groups, hostage- takers, drug and arms traffickers, smugglers of illegal immigrants to Europe and other criminal networks. What can be done to counter this worrying and complex situation, which is seriously affecting the socio-economic development of the Sahelo-Saharan region? What strategy should we adopt to effectively fight those threats, which endanger the national unity, harmony and peace of the peoples of the Sahelo- Saharan region? How can we create synergy between the national and regional efforts of the Governments of the countries concerned in the fight against terrorism and organized crime? Lastly, what steps should we consider with regard to strengthening national and regional capacities? Those are the main elements of the Government of the Republic of Mali’s new policy to alleviate the insecurity in the North of our country and to fight terrorism. That national policy is fully in line with the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The President of the Republic of Mali, His Excellency Mr. Amadou Toumani Touré, submitted this new policy to the European Parliament, which met in plenary session yesterday, 7 September 2010. Allow me to repeat that very symbolic act from this lofty rostrum. The Government of the Republic of Mali has just adopted an emergency programme to alleviate insecurity and fight terrorism in the North of Mali for the period 2010 to 2012. Implementing that programme will facilitate, first, the restoration of Government administration in those areas from which State structures had withdrawn, thus making it possible to counteract the negative consequences of certain provisions of the national pact signed in April 1992 between the Government of Mali and the movements and fronts arising from the Arab-Tuareg rebellion. In concrete terms, we must create basic living conditions and infrastructure that will allow State authority to be re-established and provide security to the people by strengthening and/or establishing police, gendarmerie, national guard, customs and army units. Secondly, implementing this policy will also facilitate a better climate for real assistance to the populations of sensitive areas through the execution of grass-roots projects and programmes that seek to educate, train and inform them with regard to the lack of security and terrorism. Establishing revenue- generating activities, strengthening microfinancing systems, building and developing housing and meeting the people’s need for drinking water by providing wells, as well as their health needs by establishing community health centres and building schools, are measures that will certainly benefit the people in the longer term, in particular the young, and thus shield them from the influence of terrorist groups. Thirdly, implementing the programme will also facilitate the opening of the northern areas by building roads along strategic routes, which, at the same time, will give the armed and security forces greater mobility for prevention, deterrence or intervention. Fourthly, implementing the programme will facilitate relevant and robust regional and international cooperation based, on the one hand, on a common and sound view of the region’s challenges and, on the other hand, on the sharing of operational resources. Thus, despite the robust steps taken by the Government of Mali, it is quite clear that no country in the Sahelo-Saharan region can effectively fight this new threat to international peace and security arising from terrorism, the trafficking of drugs, arms and people, and hostage-taking alone. That is why Mali has always adopted a common and united approach among the States of the Sahelo-Saharan region to address the many security challenges they face. In the context of that dynamism, the President of the Republic of Mali, His Excellency Mr. Amadou Toumani Touré, organized a conference on peace, security and development in the Sahelo-Saharan region in Bamako so as to enhance coordination and cooperation in the fight against terrorism and cross- border banditry of all the States concerned. Mali believes that the conference should also allow the States of the region concerned to establish a common strategy for providing the conditions necessary to ending insecurity and ensuring the stability that is essential to harmonious development and regional prosperity. Of course, we welcomed the fact that the preparatory ministerial meeting for the conference was held in Bamako in November 2008, as well as the Algiers assessment meeting held in March 2010. However, I wish here and now to strongly reaffirm that, given the cross-border nature of the threats that the countries of the Sahelo-Saharan region face, the Governments of those countries must rise above their misunderstandings and short-term differences of opinion in order to enjoy a sincere, constructive dialogue — the only available alternative for establishing a genuine collective security strategy. I would also like to point out that, in the framework of the implementation of the Government’s new counter-terrorism policy, we have created an operational cell responsible to the presidency and a national office for the suppression of the traffic in drugs and narcotics, and strengthened legislation dealing with terrorism and international crime. Special units have also been created to combat terrorism and the criminal networks operating in northern Mali. I am pleased to pay tribute to the excellent cooperation between the Government of Mali and the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The heads of those bodies have visited Mali and seen for themselves the efforts of the national authorities in the fight against the new threats affecting the Sahelo-Saharan region. It is also a pleasure to note that, driven by genuine political will to strengthen regional counter- terrorism cooperation, Mali has offered neighbouring countries the right to pursue perpetrators within Mali in cases where crimes acts are committed on their territory by terrorists or criminal networks. Mali has also proposed to affected neighbouring countries undertaking joint patrols along common borders. I would like to close as I began by solemnly reiterating the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Mali, which is determined to pursue the fight against terrorism. In that light, I wish to emphasize a number of sectors that, in my view, should enjoy significant support from the international community and other partners. I would stress first the training of people through educational and awareness- raising course; here, particular attention should be given to intercultural and inter-religious dialogue and to the role of civil society, parliamentarians, non-governmental organizations and Governments. I would next like to stress the importance of operational and logistical capacity-building through the creation of infrastructure, effective security, security and justice sector reform, and so on. Mention should also be made of the revitalization of bilateral legal instruments, the adoption of an international convention against terrorism, and improving policies and mechanisms for combating the drug trade. Here, I should like once again to pay tribute to UNODC and all our other technical and financial partners for their invaluable support to the Government’s efforts in this regard. Finally, I wish to highlight the critical need to ensure that economic and social development projects are funded, and that appropriate financial resources are mobilized to put in place basic infrastructure in our efforts to deal with poverty and marginalization. Those are the outlines of Mali’s new strategy for combating terrorism. Effective and diligent implementation of that strategy will undoubtedly contribute to combating terrorism in Mali and the Sahelo-Saharan region as whole. Let us recall that the threats involved are transnational; we must therefore act and act quickly. The Government of Mali, which remains open to all forms of cooperation, knows that it can count on the support of the United Nations and the international community.

I will be speaking on behalf of the European Union (EU). The candidate countries Turkey, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; the countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia; as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Armenia and Georgia align themselves with this declaration. The European Union would like to thank, first of all, His Excellency Mr. Abulkalam Abdul Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, for having facilitated the consultations that led successfully to the consensus draft resolution A/64/L.69. I would like to express also, on behalf of the European Union, our appreciation to Mr. Laborde, the newly appointed Director of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, for his commitment and achievements so far. I am honoured to deliver today the European Union’s contribution to the second review of the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. The General Assembly showed remarkable unity in adopting the Global Strategy by consensus and in maintaining that consensus through this second review of its implementation. This consensus sends a powerful message to those who use terrorism to promote their political ends. The entire international community stands united against them and their methods. I take this opportunity to set out what the European Union sees as the main issues facing the international community in confronting terrorism, and where it can help address them. The European Union’s intervention two years ago in the General Assembly described the broad outlines of the EU’s counter- terrorism strategy, adopted in 2005. The EU delegation is circulating two separate documents today detailing what the European Union has done and is doing to combat terrorism. The core principles of the EU’s approach, highlighted during the first review in September 2008, remain valid today, and I would like to recall them briefly here. First, the European Union considers terrorism to be a crime that should be prevented, prosecuted and punished according to the rules and procedures of criminal law. In so doing, the European Union contributes to preventing the glorification of the terrorists’ action being used to recruit new adherents to their cause. We also need to emphasize the special protection, assistance and recognition that are due to the victims of terrorism. The European Union calls upon Member States and the relevant United Nations entities to promote international solidarity in support of victims and the protection of their rights as well as to ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect and have their needs met. This special attention to the victims brings to the fore the appalling consequences of terrorism and thus contributes to delegitimizing any possible justification of such acts. Secondly, the European Union is committed to supporting multilateral approaches, working with regional organizations, but most significantly with the United Nations system, including the General Assembly, the Security Council and the specialized agencies. In this context, the European Union once again calls for a speedy conclusion of the negotiations on the comprehensive convention on international terrorism, which would be an important step forward in the United Nation’s counter-terrorism efforts. I should point out that the Lisbon Treaty explicitly renews the commitment of the European Union to the United Nations Charter. The EU considers that international cooperation is fundamental to responding properly to a threat that is transnational by nature. Having been hit severely by terror attacks in the past and still being a potential target of terrorist groups, the European Union has developed a wide range of cooperation policies internally and with third States. These include legal and security cooperation, the exchange of information, and the definition of joint strategies or technical assistance to third countries in all counter-terrorism fields. The worldwide approach of the Global Strategy brings us a unique opportunity to develop and enhance such cooperation. The European Union stands ready to share its experience in this field. One of the key priorities of counter-terrorism assistance of the European Union is to support United Nations Member States in their efforts to implement the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The European Union has already started its first projects to assist the counter-terrorism efforts of a number of Member States and to work with the United Nations to make the Global Strategy better known. The institutionalization of the Task Force constitutes an important step in ensuring this coordinating role. In delivering its counter-terrorism assistance, the European Union is committed to a comprehensive and long-term approach. In this regard, the European Union fully supports the action undertaken by the Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force to better coordinate the action of the various bodies inside and outside the United Nations system. The European Union welcomes the institutionalization of the Task Force and encourages it to develop a network of correspondents on the ground, relying on existing resources and personnel, to make sure that this coordination effort is also implemented in the field at the operational level. In this context, the European Union would also like to underline the importance of involving public-private partnerships in the implementation of the Strategy, notably as regards the protection of vulnerable targets. The third principle, which flows from the second, is the European Union’s central concern for scrupulous respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this context, the European Union welcomes the improvement in the listing and de-listing procedures of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and Associated Individuals and Entities, as well as the recent appointment of the Ombudsperson by the Secretary-General, as provided for in Security Council resolution 1904 (2009). The key strength of the United Nations strategy, like that adopted by the European Union, is that it embodies a holistic approach. While keeping in mind that the Member States bear the principal responsibility for implementing the Strategy, we also need to ensure that the United Nations system as a whole works in a coherent manner. Counter-terrorism-related activities must be mainstreamed in United Nations policies and operations, including in areas such as human rights, targeted sanctions and peacekeeping operations in an efficient and concrete manner, and efforts should be made to ensure that counter-terrorism policies are complementary to other geographical or thematic United Nations policies. It is only through the implementation of the Strategy in all its aspects that the phenomenon of terrorism will be brought under control. This includes greater attention to the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism. Donors need to recognize that their work aimed at promoting development and stability can address such conditions directly. The European Union will be working on this, in particular by fully exploiting the opportunities which the Lisbon Treaty confers on the European Union to coordinate the whole spectrum of its actions throughout the world. The European Union will remain the strongest supporter of international standards on human rights and the rule of law. We remain convinced that effective counter-terrorism and the promotion and protection of human rights are mutually reinforcing, not competing, goals.

I have the honour to address the General Assembly on behalf of the 10 States members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. At the outset, let me register our appreciation for all of the hard work carried out by the President of the General Assembly, members of the Bureau and the facilitator, Ambassador Abulkalam Abdul Momen of Bangladesh, in preparation for the second review of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. In this regard, we take note of the comprehensive report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the United Nations system in implementing the Strategy (A/64/818). International terrorism continues to pose a grave challenge to the international community. The ASEAN member States strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and underline that international cooperation and actions by States to combat terrorism should be conducted in conformity with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and relevant international conventions. By adopting the United Nations Global Strategy on Counter-Terrorism, Member States committed themselves to combating and preventing terrorism in a holistic manner. The ASEAN member States support the Global Strategy in its entirety and call for its further effective and integrated implementation. We welcome regular reviews by Member States of the implementation of the Strategy in order to find ways and means to bridge the gaps and to discuss policy guidance to the United Nations system, in particular the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF). We also welcome the CTITF’s playing a stronger coordinating role to ensure more effective support by the United Nations system to Member States in their efforts to implement the Strategy. As underlined in the Global Strategy and General Assembly resolution 62/272, the responsibility for implementing the Strategy rests primarily with Member States. Thus, all ASEAN member States have stepped up their efforts to combat terrorism and to address the root causes and conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, while respecting human rights and the rule of law. The ASEAN member States also strive to strengthen cooperation among themselves and with other countries, including through the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, the ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism and various partnerships in the eradication of transnational crimes and terrorism. The ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint, adopted by the ASEAN Heads of State and Government at the fourteenth ASEAN summit in Thailand in March 2009, identifies concrete actions to be undertaken, such as working towards the entry into force of the ASEAN Convention on Counter- Terrorism, endeavouring to accede to and ratify the relevant international instruments on counter-terrorism, promoting the effective implementation of the ASEAN Comprehensive Plan of Action on Counter-Terrorism, and cooperating in support of development initiatives aimed at addressing the root causes of and the conditions conducive to terrorism. At the sixteenth ASEAN summit in Hanoi in April this year, the leaders of the ASEAN member States reviewed the implementation of the ASEAN Political- Security Community Blueprint and re-emphasized the need to fully implement the ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism and its Comprehensive Plan of Action. Most recently, terrorism was high on the agenda of the seventeenth ASEAN Regional Forum, which took place in Hanoi in July 2010 and was attended by foreign ministers and high-level representatives from 27 Forum participants. The participants in the seventeenth Forum recognized that terrorism remained a serious and immediate threat to regional and global security and reiterated their commitment to working together to eradicate the threat. They acknowledged the persistence of terrorist groups in the region and called for greater efforts to be exerted in a more comprehensive, multifaceted and coordinated manner. They underlined the importance of addressing the root causes of terrorism. They supported the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. They highlighted the importance of nuclear security and non-proliferation to preventing terrorist groups from acquiring nuclear materials. They further agreed that countries should remain vigilant over the ever-changing modus operandi and movement of terrorists in the region. In strengthening their efforts to combat and prevent terrorism and extremism in the region, the ASEAN member States stress the need to empower moderate sectors of society and the promotion of interfaith dialogue. In that regard, the ASEAN member States welcome the second Informal Meeting of Leaders on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace, to be held at United Nations Headquarters on 23 September 2010. In conclusion, the ASEAN member States once again reaffirm their commitment to the fight against international terrorism. We are confident that Member States will seize the opportunity of this second review to renew their collective determination to fully implement the Global Strategy.

Today, I have the honour to address the General Assembly on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand (CANZ). Let me begin by congratulating Ambassador Momen of Bangladesh on his appointment as facilitator of the second biennial review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. On behalf of CANZ, let me also express our appreciation of the leadership demonstrated by Ambassador Momen and his team, who have taken on the important task of facilitating the negotiations. Our three countries continue to consider the fight against terrorism to be a very high priority. We take the threats posed by terrorists — threats not just to the citizens of our countries, but to people everywhere — very seriously. CANZ recognizes the unique and valuable role played by the United Nations in combating terrorism. We believe that the United Nations, as the only organization with a truly global mandate and which itself has been the target of terrorist attacks, plays a key role in those efforts. In that undertaking, all of our counter-terrorism efforts must be rooted in respect for human rights, the rule of law and the peaceful resolution of conflict. This second review of the Strategy provides an opportunity to reaffirm our unequivocal condemnation of all forms of terrorism and our joint commitment to the Strategy. While we do this as an international community, we must remember that the responsibility for implementation of the Strategy lies with Member States. CANZ firmly believes in the importance of the entire United Nations membership renewing its commitment to the Strategy and to its effective implementation. The Global Strategy is a comprehensive document that covers a diverse range of counter-terrorism issues. Those issues are expressed in four distinct but mutually reinforcing pillars. CANZ believes that our focus should be on the integrated implementation rather than the modification of the Strategy. Indeed, only through our continued and collective efforts to implement those pillars will the Strategy fulfil its role as a relevant living document. CANZ welcomes the recent full institutionalization of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and considers it to be a positive development. We look forward to the Task Force developing its relationship with Member States through quarterly briefings and reports. We would also encourage the Task Force working groups to engage informally with Member States when and as appropriate. Canada, Australia and New Zealand stand ready to offer our support to the Task Force in living up to its mandate. The Task Force plays a unique and valuable coordinating role and holds great potential to engender greater coherence and focus in the United Nations counter-terrorism efforts. CANZ believes that this role should remain the focus of its work and does not consider a separate programming role for the Task Force to be desirable or appropriate. We think that the Task Force can achieve the greatest results in promoting implementation of the Strategy by working both in New York and in the field. CANZ commends the good work carried out by the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) and other United Nations entities and their valuable roles in ensuring implementation of the Strategy at the local level. We support the draft resolution before us today (A/64/L.69), and have been pleased with the high level of support for the Strategy and its further implementation expressed during the negotiations. In closing, let me add that our three countries reiterate our unwavering support for the Strategy and its four pillars and remain committed to doing our part in its implementation. We will continue in our efforts to enhance not just our domestic counter-terrorism efforts but also those at the regional and international levels, including through better cooperation with CTED, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the Task Force. Speaking on behalf of Canada as Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG), I would also like to add that there are copies available of a CTAG counter-terrorism best practices and lessons learned paper at the back of the Assembly Hall. This paper, which was jointly prepared by the 11 States and four organizations that make up CTAG, summarizes key lessons that the Group has learned over its seven years of counter-terrorism work. I would encourage all delegations to consult the paper and share it widely with their colleagues.

An integrated and long- term approach to the fight against international terrorism must strike a balance between preventive and combative measures. If we fail to take a long-term perspective in our fight against terrorist groups today, we may face new, stronger terrorist groups, with greater popular support, tomorrow. We risk undermining our own goals. This fight can be won only by making use of a wide range of methods, including political, humanitarian, economic, legal and military means. That is why we have the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, with its comprehensive approach. In the long term, we must focus on the factors that make some individuals choose the path of terrorism. Norway’s work on peace, democratization and development is therefore an important contribution to the world’s struggle against terrorism. Respect for democracy, human rights and international law is the mainstay of all efforts to combat terrorism. The United Nations has a particular responsibility for coordinating global efforts against terrorism. It is important to strengthen its role in order to ensure that international efforts are endorsed and followed up by every country in the world. Strengthening the Organization’s role will help ensure that the international community’s efforts are as closely coordinated and integrated as possible, both in the short and the long terms. The adoption by consensus of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy four years ago was a milestone in our common endeavour to prevent terrorism. It is, of course, the responsibility of Member States to implement the Strategy. The United Nations has not been tasked with coordinating Member States’ implementation of the Strategy, but we have the United Nations to assist Member States with their implementation if need be. We have the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force to coordinate the various United Nations agencies’ efforts to assist Member States. Norway supports the Task Force politically and by financing projects. The Task Force has a unique opportunity to further a balanced approach to the implementation of the Strategy, with equal attention paid to all four of its pillars. It is important, in our view, that the Task Force have the necessary resources, and we welcome its institutionalization. In October last year, Norway sponsored the International Workshop for National Counter-Terrorism Focal Points in Vienna in order to facilitate an interface between the Task Force and Member States. We are also co-sponsoring the follow-up conferences to come on a regional basis. We hope that these conferences will foster a deeper understanding of the comprehensive approach to counter-terrorism and thus foster greater support for the Global Strategy. Let me end by expressing our sincere gratitude to Ambassador Abulkalam Abdul Momen of Bangladesh and Mr. Muhammad Rafiuddin Shah of Pakistan for their able leadership and guidance, which brought us to the successful conclusion of the negotiations of the draft resolution on the review of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy(A/64/L.69). Our thanks also go to all the delegations participating in those negotiations.

I would first like to congratulate Ambassador Abulkalam Abdul Momen of Bangladesh for his worthy efforts in facilitating a consensus on the draft resolution (A/64/L.69), despite the many difficulties in his path. Algeria endorses the statement made by the representative of Syria on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. We take this opportunity to reiterate in the strongest terms its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including actions that directly or indirectly encourage or strengthen it. With its lengthy experience at the cutting edge of the fight against terrorism, from the very outset Algeria has recommended a global approach to this scourge. In that context, Algeria offered its full and active support for the adoption of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, whose spirit is a full response to the quest for global cooperation in combating the scourge of terrorism. On the occasion of the second review, Algeria also emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the Strategy document remains relevant and open to the adaptation required by new developments in the struggle on the ground and by the evolving procedures and methods used by terrorist groups. In this regard, the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, whose move towards the institutionalization necessary to implementing the Strategy is to be encouraged, must continually develop its capacities, taking due account of the evolving modus operandi of terrorist groups. In this context, terrorists’ growing recourse to a despicable form of blackmail — the taking of hostages for ransom or to exchange for imprisoned terrorists — is a worrying development that the implementation of the Strategy must address. The fight against terrorism cannot become more effective unless its sources of funding are blocked and all criminal activities connected to it dismantled. Algeria has thus urged the African Union to take action to improve international legal provisions for combating terrorism with respect to the payment of ransom or the freeing of terrorists in exchange for hostages. The African Union has responded favourably by requesting the United Nations to take the necessary decisions in the Security Council and the General Assembly. Here, my delegation welcomes the first important step taken by the Security Council in adopting resolution 1904 (2009), which clearly added ransom payments to the terrorist groups covered by resolution 1267 (1999) to the other forms of terrorism funding already prohibited. Algeria, which fully subscribes to the goals of the Strategy and its four underlying pillars, would now like to make its contribution by describing our approach to combating international terrorism, in our country and region, based on our assessments of the terrorism threat and the challenges it currently poses. Our strategy is based on three main tenets. The first is strengthening domestic efforts at the national level to combat terrorism. Counter-terrorism has a political dimension. Based on our own experience and in line with existing international norms, Algeria understands the importance of a comprehensive approach to preventing and combating terrorism. In tandem with implementing legal, judicial and operational measures, we have also adopted a political approach based on peace and national reconciliation. That strategy is focused on the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation launched by our President, which was endorsed through a popular referendum in September 2005. The strategy has made it possible to eliminate any excuse for terrorist activity and to return to normalcy and implement a sweeping plan for social and economic development. The terrorist threat today emanates primarily from the remains of the organization formerly known as the Salafist Group for Call and Combat, which has attempted to take on a new dimension by further integrating itself into the nebulous web of international terrorism known as Al-Qaida and calling itself the Organization of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb. That process now constitutes a serious security challenge, both for Algeria and for the region. Algeria has also not neglected ideological and cultural aspects in combating debased speech used to justify, indoctrinate and radicalize. Language of that sort makes it possible for terrorist groups to continue to exist, recruit and have influence in some segments on the margins of society. Delegitimizing all such causes and removing them from the realm of the sacred is a job for religious and cultural figures and for educational systems and cultural programmes steeped in universal values that emphasize the true spiritual values of religion. In that regard, Algeria has made a substantial contribution to the exercise in reflection undertaken by the United Nations Working Group on Addressing Radicalization and Extremism that Lead to Terrorism. Lastly, our efforts are also coupled with the mobilization of national resources to combat causes of inequality resulting from development and growth. The second tenet of our strategy entails Algeria’s efforts at the subregional and African continental levels. Dangerous developments are taking place today in the Sahelo-Saharan area, basically stemming from the growth of trafficking of all sorts — in particular in drugs and weapons — and the emergence of terrorists acting under the name of Al-Qaida who, as we have seen, take hostages for ransom or in exchange for the release of other terrorists. The need to strengthen cooperation among the countries of the subregion has thus become a major imperative. For Algeria, which has reduced terrorist violence on its territory, this is above all about consolidating our achievements by putting in place a subregional scheme whose primary goals include preventing any attempt to create safe havens for terrorist groups in the Sahel region, fending off all forms of foreign interference in the area and promoting economic and social development in the subregion as part of a renewed partnership. With regard to Africa, our efforts are focused on providing support, as host country, to the African Centre for Studies and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), which was established under the aegis of the African Union. Our goal is to make the Centre an effective institution for research and operational support for the regional strategy to prevent and combat terrorism. With a view to strengthening the Centre’s role as a regional African mechanism for coordination and cooperation, in June 2009 Algeria funded and participated in the holding of two workshops, one on the implementation in West Africa of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the other involving ACSRT focal points. Both meetings brought together African counter- terrorism experts and experts of the Security Council Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004). Thirdly, with regard to partnerships at the multilateral and international levels, Algeria’s cooperation with United Nations bodies continues to be focused on the overall goal of strengthening the judicial system and institutional capacities of our country in the area of counter-terrorism, in particular improving our capacity to adapt national legislation and take the steps necessary to ensure the implementation of Security Council resolutions. To that end, we want to ensure that the Council’s resolutions are rigorously implemented and to make our contribution to United Nations efforts to combat this scourge by making constructive suggestions at meetings of United Nations bodies. In the same vein, we look forward to the establishment of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime technical assistance and cooperation programme, with a view to expanding Algeria’s capacity to combat terrorism. With regard to the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its third pillar, on strengthening the capacity of States, Algeria organized two workshops in 2009, one of which was on the theme of money-laundering and combating the financing of terrorism. Algeria is determined to pursue efforts undertaken in this regard. We believe we are fully engaged in cooperating with United Nations institutions, in particular with the Counter-Terrorism Committee. We do not lose sight of the fact that our own efforts, which are set out in the series of national reports we have submitted on the subject, should be robustly strengthened internationally. Moreover, as a founding member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Algeria has always worked to ensure that OIC makes efforts to educate its members about the cross-border threat posed by terrorism. At the same time, we have reached agreement with the European Union on a technical cooperation and assistance programme. In conclusion, on the bilateral level, we have established contacts with many institutional stakeholders among Algeria’s traditional partners, with which we have continued dialogue and intensified cooperation. These contacts allow us to establish and expand good practices in the areas of dialogue and cooperation with regard to international terrorism and associated security issues and to address and follow up efforts stemming from the implementation of cooperation agreements and programmes that are now entering the phase of active implementation.

At the outset, I wish to thank the Secretary-General for his report (A/64/818) and for his efforts to strengthen the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Our thanks go also to the President of the General Assembly and to Ambassador Abulkalam Abdul Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, for all their efforts during the informal consultations to facilitate reaching a consensus draft resolution (A/64/L.69) on the second review of the Strategy. Furthermore, I would like to associate my delegation with the statement delivered today by the Permanent Representative of Syria on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Egypt participated actively and contributed tangibly in the drafting and adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We have always reaffirmed that the primary responsibility for implementing the Strategy lies with Member States. We stress further the importance of coordination between United Nations mechanisms and the specialized agencies of the Organization working in the area of counter-terrorism, so as to avoid duplication and the wasting of resources. Moreover, Egypt is of the view that the Global Strategy should be the general framework for actions taken by the United Nations and by its mechanisms and specialized agencies in countering terrorism. Counter- terrorism efforts by the United Nations should not be limited to the mechanisms and bodies of the Security Council, but should be extended to mechanisms that involve the participation of the larger general membership of the Organization. Hence, the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) should develop mechanisms that include the States members of the General Assembly in its decision-making process. From this standpoint, Egypt supports initiatives aimed at enhancing implementation of the Strategy, including integration of the initiative of His Majesty the King of Saudi Arabia to establish a global centre for countering terrorism. This would be an efficient way to enhance implementation of the Strategy in a more balanced manner that would preserve the interests of the wider membership, increase the engagement of the General Assembly and limit the control of the Security Council in implementing and steering the activities of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. It is of paramount importance that the Global Strategy be implemented in a balanced manner in all its aspects, including by addressing conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism — inter alia, through eliminating foreign occupation and socio-economic marginalization, and through the peaceful resolution of prolonged, unresolved conflicts. Since this constitutes the core of pillar one of the Strategy, it requires making more funds available — through cooperation between donor countries, civil society, and business and international financial institutions — in order to assist developing countries in implementing the Strategy. Such an approach is consistent with the discussion in the Secretary-General’s report (A/64/818) of measures aimed at enhancing implementation of the Global Strategy and also with the importance of comprehensive implementation of all four pillars. In this regard, Egypt reaffirms the importance of the comprehensive implementation of pillar two of the Strategy, pertaining to measures to prevent and combat terrorism, stressing the need to consider such acts of terrorism to be criminal regardless of their purpose and without applying a selective approach or double standards. Special emphasis should be placed here on the significant role that the CTITF, and the initiative launched by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, can play in clarifying current conflicting notions concerning implementation of the Strategy. Egypt therefore supports the conclusion of the Secretary- General’s report that stresses the need for building in- depth knowledge of the mechanisms concerned with implementing the Strategy. Finally, my delegation deems it crucial to continue to promote dialogue, tolerance and understanding between civilizations, cultures and religions, and it calls for mutual respect and prevention of the defamation of religions, religious values, beliefs and cultures.

The Russian Federation is at the forefront of the struggle against international terrorism and advocates enhancing effective anti-terrorism cooperation and strengthening the role of the United Nations as coordinator of that process. In this regard, we consider comprehensive implementation of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy to be of fundamental importance. We view the Strategy as one of the principal instruments of international counter-terrorism and an exceedingly important consensus decision of the General Assembly that defines the priority areas for efforts to combat international terrorism. In our view, it is important during the course of this review to support just such an understanding of the significance of the Strategy, not to allow it to be undermined and to emphasize the importance of efforts aimed at its further implementation. We believe that a constructive, realistic and at the same time careful approach to the Strategy is fully reflected in the draft resolution (A/64/L.69) prepared for this meeting. This is to a large extent thanks to the congenial and wise leadership of the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh. We consider that such a text will assure our future joint, committed and effective efforts within the framework of international counter-terrorist cooperation, and that it will serve as an additional tool for successful implementation of the Strategy. The Security Council brings its own significant contribution to the implementation of the Strategy. I would mention the measures being taken by the Counter-Terrorism Committee, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to Council resolution 1267 (1999) and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to Council resolution 1540 (2004), as well as the contributions of the expert groups under those committees as set out in their mandates, and the work of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. Russia fully supports the work of the Task Force under its current mandate. We have maintained, and continue to maintain, that future steps taken in this area will increase the effectiveness of United Nations counter-terrorism efforts, promote effective dialogue with Member States, regional organizations and civil society and increase the capacity to respond to the threat of terrorism. We support further enhanced cooperation between the Task Force and the General Assembly, and the establishment of more regular contacts and feedback with Member States. In this regard, we welcome the plan to hold quarterly briefings and reports by the Task Force to Member States, as well as its plan to set up its own website for publicizing and promoting the Global Strategy. For today’s review, we have prepared detailed background information on the efforts being made by the Russian Government and society as a whole to combat terrorism. These documents highlight measures being taken in areas of the Strategy that have priority for Russia. This means issues such as preventing terrorism, preventing radicalization of social attitudes, suppressing the propagation of extremist and violent ideologies and combating use of the media and the Internet for terrorist ends. We have also demonstrated the potential for partnership and cooperation between State and non-State bodies as well as institutions of civil society. A recent example of such cooperation was the international research and educational conference held in Moscow in March on the theme “The Counter- Terrorism Partnership of the State, Business and Civil Society: Practice, Theory, Education”, organized by the Russian University of Friendship among Peoples. An international research and teaching institute on the problems of combating terrorism is being set up at that university in close cooperation with the Task Force. Plans are also under way to publish on a permanent basis a news, analysis and research journal entitled The Anti-Terrorism Bulletin. Since we attach special importance to the role of regional organizations in implementing the Global Strategy, we have taken an active part in such efforts through the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). With Russia’s active participation in those organizations, we developed and, in June 2009, signed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Counter- Terrorism Convention and the CSTO Agreement on collective response measures; in October 2009 a model law on countering terrorism within the CIS was approved. We are convinced that with the signing in March and April of declarations of cooperation between the United Nations and the CSTO and the SCO, the contribution of these organizations to implementing the Global Strategy will grow and acquire a new dimension. Since the last review of the Global Strategy, the President of the Russian Federation endorsed, in October 2009, the Concept of Counter-Terrorism in Russia, defining the basic principles of Government policy in this sphere. The Concept consolidates Russia’s approach to effective implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We have continued to implement the integrated presidential communication plan to combat terrorism in the Russian Federation for the period 2008 to 2012. This plan focuses on Russia’s own efforts but essentially meets the requirements of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. It aims to establish an information system on State policy in countering terrorist and extremist ideologies, including via the Internet. I stress once again that the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is an active part of the arsenal of Russian law enforcement bodies and associated civil society institutions, and is fully incorporated into my country’s day-to-day counter- terrorist efforts. The Russian Federation is prepared to continue to share with foreign partners its effective counter- terrorism experience. We are convinced that we will thus continue to make our contribution to the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy. Today’s meeting will give added impetus to the attainment of that objective.

The purposes and principles of the United Nations on matters pertaining to international peace and security, as set forth in the Charter when it was created, are more relevant and timely than ever. These purposes are firm and these principles constant, and our Organization remains the central point to ensure and protect the rights of the world’s peoples in the spheres of security, development and human rights. Combating terrorism is a common task requiring the effective cooperation of all Member States at all levels in order to maintain international peace and security. Therefore, the delegation of Madagascar welcomes this review of the implementation of the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy as an ideal opportunity for Member States to exchange experiences and information. As in the past, the Organization is continuing to take positive action to combat terrorism effectively. We wish in particular to underscore: the adoption of a number of international counter-terrorism conventions; the Millennium Declaration, in which leaders of the entire world resolved to act together to combat international terrorism; the 2005 World Summit Outcome, in which Member States agreed to condemn terrorism categorically and without reservation; and the unanimous adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288, annex) in September 2006, which was a historic milestone expressing the determination of Member States to defeat the scourge of terrorism. We must also praise the efforts taken by the Counter-Terrorism Task Force, made up of 30 bodies, organizations and funds, to implement in an integrated fashion the Global Strategy and Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). Visits and seminars have been organized for this purpose. I would mention the regional seminar of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on machine readable travel documents, and the ICAO meeting on biometrics and security standards, held at Abuja, Nigeria, from 6 to 8 April 2009. Those events have made it possible to enhance border security control by implementing a machine reading system using electronically readable travel documents and electronic passports with biometric functions. I would also refer to the meetings organized by the Counter-Terrorism Committee with representatives of regional organizations such as the African Centre for Studies and Research on Terrorism and the League of Arab States, and the meeting organized in Vienna, Austria, by the same Committee for national terrorism focal points, in which Madagascar participated. There were also exchanges of information and interactive briefings with Member States. We welcome the establishment of the global Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and the progress it has achieved. We also congratulate Mr. Jean- Paul Laborde on his appointment as Chair of the Task Force, and we wish him every success in his work. Madagascar was greatly honoured at having received from 28 September to 3 October 2008 a visit from the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) together with that of the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force in the context of facilitating the integrated implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The team, led by Mr. Mike Smith, included high-level representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Maritime Organization as well as representatives from the Security Council Committee established pursuant to Council resolution 1540 (2004), ICAO, the World Customs Organization and INTERPOL. This was a visit of great importance for Madagascar because of its geographical location and its vulnerability to acts of terrorism and trafficking of all types. It also enabled the Task Force to observe the realities of the country. The Task Force did excellent and effective work during its visit. Thus, the Government of Madagascar would like to express once again its warmest thanks and appreciation to each of the members of the team who visited. We wish to renew our constant availability to work together with the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and CTED. Madagascar reaffirms its commitment to the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, in an integrated fashion and in all its aspects. However, while our desire to cooperate is great, our resources are weak, even inadequate. Madagascar therefore reiterates its request for technical and financial assistance from the United Nations and its partners for capacity-building. My delegation takes this opportunity to emphasize some of Madagascar’s achievements as a result of the visit that I have just mentioned. These include reformed legislation, as well as bills on terrorism and extradition ready to be submitted to the new parliament. We have also established a national counter-terrorism committee. My delegation lends its unreserved support to draft resolution A/64/L.69, which is before us today. It is consonant with the enhancement of international cooperation in the integrated implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its four pillars — for there are terrorist groups which are highly organized and have sophisticated weapons. It also reaffirms the need for dialogue among the counter-terrorism officials of Member States to promote international, regional and subregional cooperation in order to make the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy better known. Madagascar thanks the facilitators and coordinators for their efforts. Our thanks go also to the delegations that have demonstrated their understanding and flexibility during the negotiations on this draft resolution. We hope that it will be adopted by consensus.

At the outset, let me thank the President of the Assembly for convening this meeting on a subject that has, tragically, touched the lives of too many individuals around the world. Israel firmly believes that the collective fight against terrorism must be more than just statements of commitment reaffirmed from time to time. The reality that terrorists, as well as their sponsors, weapons, know-how and ideology, flow across borders requires a truly global effort to confront this threat. We should therefore seize today’s opportunity to highlight avenues of cooperation, establish effective action plans and emphasize the obligation of all States to confront terrorism wherever it may rear its head. We must bear in mind that no cause or grievance justifies terrorism in any form or manifestation, without exception. Israel supports the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy and Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) as a vital framework in confronting terrorism. We welcome the most recent report of the Secretary-General on this matter (A/64/818), as well as the extensive United Nations activities in the field of counter-terrorism. It is clear that the United Nations offers Member States an unprecedented number of resources for capacity-building and information-sharing. Turning to specific issues surrounding our review, Israel supports the work of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, which was created to coordinate United Nations counter-terrorism activities and streamline the process of assisting Member States in this regard. However, this process is not an end in itself. Instead, it should serve to promote the identification of concrete, innovative ways in which the United Nations can partner with Member States to ensure that counter-terrorism obligations are met and capacities are strengthened. In this respect, the Secretary-General’s report highlights the fact that Member States have the tools to build their capacity to fight terrorism more effectively. The four pillars of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy, all of which should be addressed simultaneously and be given equal weight and consideration, provide an essential framework for all States. Yet, just as terrorism changes and adapts, so, too, must the Strategy, in order to ensure that terrorism committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purpose will not be tolerated. Therefore, Israel believes that the implementation of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy must continue to be dynamic in order to remain relevant. On this subject, we believe that increased partnerships among States, as well as regional groups, are essential. Israel is committed to being a dedicated partner in the global effort to counter terrorism in the international, regional and bilateral spheres. Over many years, we have developed a unique body of knowledge and capabilities in the field of counter- terrorism. Through our ongoing technical cooperation and support of projects and initiatives, including through various United Nations agencies, we seek to share our best practices and expertise and to contribute professionally to global counter-terrorism efforts. As part of these efforts, Israel has welcomed and endorsed the 2009 initiative to establish a global network of national counter-terrorism coordinators, with the close cooperation of relevant United Nations bodies. As a party to the core United Nations conventions on terrorism, Israel has enacted effective legislation in order to implement its international obligations pursuant to those instruments. In doing so, successive Israeli Governments have not only prevented and combated terrorism, but have effectively addressed the participation in, and financing, planning and preparation of, terrorist acts. Furthermore, a Government bill concerning the struggle against terrorism is currently under consideration, with a view to addressing outstanding problems and challenges arising from the threat of terrorism, while striking a delicate balance between human rights concerns and security considerations. In addition, greater attention in our work should be given to confronting the transfer of weapons by States to terrorist organizations and to the financing of terrorists, particularly in the Middle East. State sponsorship of terrorist groups — including the provision of weapons, training, funds and safe haven — creates an unprecedented threat in which groups that have no respect for any humanitarian principles are empowered with military capabilities previously found only in the arsenals of sovereign States. The response of the international community to such States must be forthright: sponsoring terrorism and permitting terrorist groups to act with impunity from one’s territory are not among the prerogatives of sovereignty. In this regard, it is crucial that the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force intensifies efforts to raise awareness among States of the pressing need to designate terrorists and terrorist organizations as part of their national legislation, in order to avoid any legal void and ambiguity in confronting this scourge. Israel welcomes the most recent report’s attention to radicalization. For years, Israel has cautioned that the danger of incitement is a precursor of terrorism. We must acknowledge that terrorism does not begin with an attack on a bus, café, restaurant, office building or religious site. That is how terrorism ends. Terrorism begins with words and thoughts of hate. Terrorism begins when individuals dehumanize others and encourage martyrdom and a culture of death. Therefore, the international community has a duty to prevent incitement in schools, houses of worship, the media and elsewhere. Just as we bring terrorists to justice, irrespective of their cause, so too must we pursue those who build the foundations of terrorism by teaching children — or anyone, for that matter — to glorify death, hatred and murder in the name of any political movement, ideology or religion. Beyond the issue of incitement, we cannot overlook the simple reality that good governance is a strong bulwark against terrorism. When the rule of law prevails, we can more successfully avert terrorist attacks. Therefore, building State capacity to counter terrorism must simultaneously establish benchmarks for overall levels of governance and transparency. As we look to the future, Israel hopes that States, leaving today’s debate, will be encouraged to develop and implement concrete proposals and policies that deny all terrorists everywhere the means to harm the innocent.

At the outset, I would like to thank the members of the Bureau, and in particular to thank the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, Ambassador Abulkalam Abdul Momen, for his efforts and commitment in coordinating the activities of the working group on the second review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Terrorism is one of the most serious threats to the life, welfare and fundamental freedoms of all peoples. This global crime is not only a threat to international peace and security, but also undermines the principles and values of States, democratic institutions, the rule of law and the freedoms established and promoted by United Nations instruments. For this reason, Colombia, with unwavering firmness, completely rejects any act of terrorism in any form or manifestation. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy provides the basis for a concrete plan of action to prevent the spread of terrorism; to prevent and fight this menace; to adopt measures to build the capacity of States to fight terrorism; to strengthen United Nations functions in the fight against this crime; and to ensure that the implementation of the agreed measures ensures respect for human rights. To follow up on these measures, Colombia, in complete fulfilment of its obligations under international law and within a framework of inter-institutional cooperation, has undertaken significant efforts to confront any manifestation of terrorism and make progress towards the firm goal of consolidating State security, protecting democratic stability and national institutions, and ensuring the security and welfare of all citizens. Our comprehensive strategy, which was established through significant political, legal, operative and international cooperative mechanisms, has been focused on strengthening the rule of law and control of the entirety of the national territory; strengthening the protection of civil society; and completely dismantling the terrorist organizations that remain active in Colombia and that are linked to transitional organized crime, the illicit traffic of arms and illicit drug trafficking. As part of the measures to support the role of the United Nation system in this regard, Colombia has made significant contributions both to the Counter- Terrorism Committee and to the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy, amounting to $200,000 over the past three years. These contributions have been aimed at strengthening national capacities through inter- institutional platforms, technical legal assistance, the promotion of international cooperation against terrorism at the regional level, and the application of relevant instruments to prevent terrorism. The coordinated efforts of our national institutions engaged in combating terrorism with the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime have resulted in significant national and cooperation programmes aimed at enhancing and strengthening the legal, administrative and related tools in the fight against terrorism, as well as Colombia’s institutional capacity in the implementation of relevant policies and norms. Furthermore, I would like to note that the counter-terrorism policy adopted by Colombia includes respect for human rights as one of its central elements. In 2008, the Government laid out a comprehensive policy that sets out guidelines and actions on this matter, and which the police and military forces must understand and apply in their fight against terrorism. These important national achievements in the fight against terrorism, many of which took place with the support of the international community, require complementary actions within an effective cooperation framework. In this regard, it is essential that Member States strengthen their commitment to unswervingly implement the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, in order to jointly and coherently fight this phenomenon, which affects us all. The draft resolution before us today (A/64/L.69) reflects the willingness of States to keep working and cooperating in the global fight against terrorism to combat this common threat. Colombia understands this as a decisive endorsement of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, its strengthening and the establishment of specialized teams that provide support and technical and legal assistance to States. The terrorist threat, which has an impact on the security of our countries, also interacts with diverse transnational criminal networks that act in complex and multidimensional ways. Only if States are determined to strengthen cooperation and mutual support in the fight against these organizations will we be able to prevent, punish and eliminate terrorism in all its forms. Colombia will continue to offer its full capacity in this field, to share with the international community the good practices acquired in our fight against terrorism and to support the work of the United Nations in this regard.

At the outset, I would like to express the appreciation of the Government of Japan for the leadership of the President of the Assembly in advancing the discussion on counter-terrorism. I also extend our sincere gratitude to Ambassador Momen of Bangladesh for his extraordinary contribution and efforts in facilitating the consultations on the draft resolution for the review of the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/64/L.69). Japan welcomes as well the comprehensive report of the Secretary-General (A/64/818) on the activities undertaken by the United Nations system in implementing the Strategy. The concerted endeavours of the international community to counter terrorism have yielded positive results. However, terrorism continues to pose a serious threat, given the emergence of new trends such as the radicalization of ordinary citizens, the recent increase in the number of home-grown terrorists, cyberterrorism and the use of the Internet for the incitement of terrorism. A continuing and comprehensive effort is called for in order to meet these challenges. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, adopted in 2006, continues to be a relevant and useful instrument in our efforts to combat terrorism, providing a holistic, comprehensive and multifaceted approach. The Strategy covers not only measures to prevent and combat terrorism but also measures to address the political, social and economic conditions that are conducive to the spread of terrorism, as well emphasizing the importance of respecting human rights and the rule of law. The Strategy also stresses the value of involving all stakeholders, from Member States, the United Nations and other regional and international bodies to the private sector and civil society. We therefore should take this opportunity of the biennial review to examine our counter-terrorism efforts, to ensure that our efforts are coordinated and in concurrence with the principles and measures set forth in the Strategy and to reaffirm our commitment to further enhance our counter-terrorism cooperation under the Strategy. Japan is an active and dedicated member of the international community engaged in numerous efforts to combat terrorism, at both the national and the international levels. Japan has long held the view that, while we must stand firm in combating and prosecuting terrorists, the promotion of respect for human rights and diversity, democracy, equitable social conditions and inclusiveness is most effective in the long run. In the light of the recent trend towards extremism and radicalization, which has led ordinary citizens to be successful or nearly successful in large-scale terrorist attempts, Japan has reaffirmed that view. In this regard, Japan has been promoting a culture of dialogue and providing assistance to address the educational needs of, and provide support for, moderate communities that show resilience vis-à-vis the threat of violent radicalism. Japan also has been extending cooperation to many countries in areas including peacebuilding, poverty reduction, good governance and the rule of law and socio-economic infrastructure development. One example is the assistance package for Afghanistan of an amount in the area of $5 billion, announced last November. The package includes vocational training; capacity-building for financial and project management; infrastructure development such as the construction of roads, water facilities and power grids; and assistance in agricultural and rural development. This cooperation brings together the knowledge and expertise of diverse actors, including private organizations and non-governmental organizations. Japan stands firm in implementing international and national measures to prevent and combat terrorism. Japan is party to 13 international counter-terrorism conventions and protocols and works, through the holding of annual seminars on this topic, to encourage other countries to accede to these conventions and protocols. The most recent such initiative was held in Tokyo in March, with the participation of all the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies. Japan is taking active part in the discussions in the relevant Security Council committees and is fully implementing Council resolutions. In addition, Japan has taken the lead in enhancing cooperation on aviation security by organizing the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Aviation Security, also held in March 2010. In Japan, the private sector plays an important role, not only in addressing conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, but also through preventive efforts, where the relevant industries are required to record and provide information on suspicious private transactions to Government agencies, and through promoting information and technology development through the sponsorship of large-scale exhibitions in that field. In the area of capacity-building, Japan has extended assistance both bilaterally and multilaterally to improve the capacity of counties to combat terrorism in a wide range of areas, including immigration control, aviation security, port and maritime security, customs cooperation, anti-terror financing efforts and law enforcement. This cooperation has been provided in the form of technical assistance, seminars, trainer training and the provision of equipment. Japan has taken the lead in cooperation in these areas in the context of regional frameworks such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, APEC and the Asia-Europe Meeting. While Member States have the primary responsibility to implement the Strategy, the United Nations, with its expertise, resources and experience, plays a vital and central role in its implementation. To maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the United Nations system, the work of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) is essential, and it was in recognition of its important role that the General Assembly authorized the institutionalization of the CTITF in December 2009. We look forward to the Task Force becoming fully operational, so that it can intensify its efforts to enhance coordination and cooperation among entities within the United Nations system in order to avoid overlaps and duplication. In view of the comprehensive and holistic nature of the Strategy, Japan also looks forward to efforts by the CTITF not only to work in close cooperation with the main actors in counter-terrorism, such as the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, but also to communicate the Strategy to the wider United Nations system and the principal actors in order to promote counter-terrorism as a cross-cutting theme in the United Nations as a whole. I take this opportunity to reaffirm Japan’s resolve to implement the Strategy and its strong commitment to cooperate with the international community in the ongoing fight against terrorism.

As we gather here today to renew our commitment to the 2006 United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, we all recognize that no single country can address this global threat alone. The recent brutal attacks in Kampala, Uganda, which killed dozens of innocent people from nine different countries who were watching the World Cup finals, were a stark reminder of this fact. New Yorkers have also known the horrors of such cruel attacks. These are stark reminders that terrorism remains one of the most complicated threats to address. The support of the United States for the Strategy is unwavering. We are committed to deepening and broadening our multilateral engagement and revitalizing and expanding our cooperation with our partners. The September 2006 adoption of the Strategy marked the first time that all Member States agreed on a common comprehensive framework to guide our collective efforts to combat and prevent terrorism. It reminds us what the General Assembly is capable of achieving when it chooses to focus on what unites countries from around the world — for example, the urgent need to disrupt, dismantle and defeat Al-Qaida and its adherents, a network that has killed thousands of people of many faiths and nationalities. America will permit Al-Qaida and its extremist allies no safe haven from which to plot mass murder. We will forge lasting partnerships to target terrorists, share intelligence, coordinate law enforcement and protect our people. With its four pillars, the Strategy’s plan of action provides an essential framework for a holistic response to terrorism. The United States considers each pillar to be essential, and they are all reflected in our own new National Security Strategy. To implement the first pillar, we need to look to the grievances and local drivers that terrorist organizations exploit and the ideology that is their key instrument in pushing vulnerable individuals on the path towards violence. More efforts are needed, through words and deeds, to undermine the insidious message of Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups and to prevent vulnerable individuals from turning to violence. To make progress on this pillar, we must resolve legitimate grievances peacefully and strive to foster good governance, reduce poverty and corruption and improve education, health and basic services. These objectives, necessary and valuable for many reasons, can play an important role as well in undermining the forces that can put the disillusioned and the dispossessed on the path to militancy. The United States is working to deepen our cooperation with the United Nations in countering violent extremism, including by expanding our support for the Center on Policies to Counter the Appeal of Terrorism, of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute. We encourage others to do the same. The Center is a useful platform where Governments from different regions that have created or are considering developing rehabilitation programmes for violent extremists can exchange information and coordinate their efforts. We are also focusing attention on ensuring that the voices of the survivors and victims of terrorism who have been bravely speaking out against violent and extremist ideologies are heard and that the victims are never forgotten. The United States is committed to implementing the second pillar. It prescribes a number of concrete and vital measures to prevent and combat terrorism, including putting in place the necessary legal framework to bring terrorists to justice. As evidence of our commitment to this pillar, we will be providing support for the seminar, to be held from 1 to 3 December, that the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) will sponsor to bring together national prosecutors from around the world to exchange experiences and good practices in their handling of complex terrorism cases in their domestic courts. The third pillar, capacity-building, is critical to implementation of the second. The United States wants to make counter-terrorism training for police, prosecutors, border officials and members of the judiciary more systematic, more innovative and more far-reaching. Beyond our bilateral and regional programmes, we recognize the unique capacity- building experience that the United Nations can bring to bear in a range of counter-terrorism-related fields. For example, we are pleased to see how both the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate and the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime have developed effective training and other programmes to connect the work of the United Nations with that of national counter- terrorism policymakers and practitioners. We plan to increase our funding support for both those entities. The fourth pillar is integral to our approach to addressing the terrorism threat. It is clear that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law is an essential part of a successful counter- terrorism effort. That is why the United States has ended practices that were morally repugnant and counterproductive, such as enhanced interrogation techniques and the use of secret detention sites, and it is why President Obama ordered that the prison at Guantanamo Bay be closed. The United Nations has a critical role to play in encouraging national counter-terrorism measures to be grounded in respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, in reinforcing the concept that respect for human rights is essential for effective international counter-terrorism cooperation and in working with countries to develop effective, rule-of-law-based criminal justice systems, as called for in the United Nations Strategy. As we renew our commitment to the United Nations Strategy, we look to the United Nations, in particular through the work of its Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF), to find ways to further reinforce existing and to stimulate new national and regional implementation efforts. We are optimistic that the recent appointment of the first full-time head of the Task Force and the institutionalization of the CTITF office will support implementation efforts across all four pillars and will strengthen coordination and cooperation among the Task Force entities — including in the field, where it matters most. We hope that the CTITF will now be able to make progress in crucial areas, such as raising awareness of the United Nations Strategy and its practical significance among national counter-terrorism policymakers and practitioners. Contemporary terrorism has been decades in the making. My colleagues know that it will take many more years to un-make it. There is much that we still need to learn, especially about how to prevent individuals from choosing the path of violence. With its Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and a newly institutionalized Task Force with 30 members, the United Nations has both the right framework and the set of tools to assume a central role in our common efforts to tackle this challenge. In closing, the United States congratulates Ambassador Momen on his success in facilitating a consensus draft resolution (A/64/L.69) that reinforces the continued commitment of all of us to implement the Strategy.

Let me start by saying that Poland fully aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union. Terrorism continues to pose a serious threat to international peace, security and stability and deserves a decisive response by all peoples and Governments. The United Nations plays a central role in the global response to terrorism while influencing and strengthening regional and local counter-terrorism efforts. We believe that the discussion on drafting the United Nations comprehensive convention on international terrorism will soon produce a common position. The unanimous adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006, as one of the most important and comprehensive steps in conducting coordinated, consistent and integrated counter-terrorism strategies at all levels, cannot be underestimated. The Strategy offers countries a broad- based, long-term framework that is needed not only to thwart and respond to terrorist attacks, but to address socio-economic conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and to the violent radicalization of local populations. The creation of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) significantly developed the coordination of counter-terrorism activities within the United Nations system to implement the Strategy. The further institutionalization of the CTITF gives us additional opportunities to improve the effectiveness of counter-terrorism coherence and cooperation. The CTITF also constitutes a very useful and practical forum for discussing strategic issues and sharing knowledge and experiences. The assistance role of the CTITF vis-à-vis Member States should be developed to help countries in implementing the Strategy. Since terrorist actions have, in all cases, a global or regional dimension, our policy underlines the importance and necessity of strengthening international cooperation and developing and implementing international law within national law systems. In the two years since the first review of the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, Poland has made significant progress in developing counter- terrorism activities in international forums, including the United Nations, the European Union, NATO, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe, as well as nationally by enhancing its legal and institutional anti-terrorist systems. To date, Poland has signed and ratified 13 of the 16 United Nations anti-terrorism conventions and protocols. Thanks to our President’s ratification on 22 March, Poland has now become a party to the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. In recent years, Poland has also become party to other international documents, including two Council of Europe conventions, namely, on the prevention of terrorism and on the laundering, search, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds from crime and on the financing of terrorism. Poland is actively involved in developing intercultural and interreligious dialogue that leads to better understanding of different nations, customs and confessions. In July 2010, Poland hosted a ninth conference of young Muslims. In October 2010, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Muslim Union of Poland are planning to organize a conference devoted to the conditions of Muslim minorities living in Central and Eastern Europe. The conference will take place under the patronage of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Taking into account the need to counter the roots of terrorism, we are engaged in delivering development aid to strengthen State structures, civil society and domestic markets, as well as to help youth gain access to jobs, education and health care — for example, in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Palestinian Authority and Central Asian countries. We are also seriously engaged in countering the threat of the proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons through the Proliferation Security Initiative and the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. In November 2010, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will conduct a tabletop exercise in Poland on reducing the risks of toxic chemicals being acquired or used for terrorist purposes. Poland has consistently developed bilateral cooperation with numerous countries to counter the phenomenon of terrorism more effectively. Last year and this year, Polish Government institutions organized seminars for partners from Algeria, Pakistan, Romania and Tunisia to share our experience in countering the financing of terrorism. Poland is closely cooperating on counter-terrorism issues with Ukraine in preparation for the European football championship in 2012. The Polish legal framework on anti-terrorism issues is being consistently developed and adjusted to evolving circumstances. In 2009, a bill amending the act on countering the introduction into financial circulation of property assets derived from illegal or undisclosed sources was adopted, as was a bill amending the crisis management act. We are also engaged in fighting new threats such as cyberterrorism. In March 2009, Poland adopted its Government cyberspace protection programme for the period 2009 to 2011. We are also making ongoing efforts with regard to our national counter-terrorism strategy that will comprehensively address issues associated with preventing and countering terrorism. In 2008 and 2009, we developed our institutional system for countering terrorism. For example, we established a Government response team for computer incidents within the framework of the computer systems security department of our internal security agency. Its purpose is to protect computer systems and networks in Poland from cyberthreats. In 2008, the inter-ministerial team on the prevention of the illegal proliferation of weapons of mass destruction was established as an advisory team to the council of ministers, in implementation of the Cracow initiative. In August 2008, the Government’s security centre was established to be responsible for the provision of analysis on current threats, preparing crisis management procedures, supervising the validity of crisis response plans and other issues. In 2008, the Government crisis management team was established to be responsible for opinion-making provided to the Government and for coordinating various crisis-management issues. We also established an anti-terrorism centre at our internal security agency. Its basic functions are to monitor and analyze various terrorist threats concerning Poland and Polish interests and citizens abroad, as well as to provide advice to the President, the Prime Minister and Government institutions. Finally, in 2009, an inter-ministerial committee on financial security was established under the inspector-general for financial information as an advisory body that is part of the application of special measures to counter the financing of terrorism. The changes to which I have referred have significantly improved the functioning and effectiveness of the Polish counter-terrorism system. We have seized the opportunity to enhance our contribution to international activities to counter the phenomenon of terrorism. In conclusion, let me say that while progress has been achieved in our common fight against terrorism and in implementing the Strategy, important challenges remain in many areas. Those include fully safeguarding human rights when fighting terrorism and promoting efficient international counter-terrorism cooperation. We need to continue our efforts to eliminate this terrifying phenomenon.

In the interest of time, I shall read out only part of the Swiss statement. A complete version will be distributed in the Hall. Allow me, at the outset, to express my delegation’s gratitude to the Secretary-General for his report on the activities of the United Nations system in implementing the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy (A/64/818). The report contains a very useful survey of measures by Member States, regional and subregional organizations and other relevant organizations on the implementation of the Strategy. Switzerland commends the unremitting efforts of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) and its office with a view to enhancing coherence within the United Nations system and thereby promoting the Strategy’s four pillars. We also welcome the General Assembly’s institutionalization of the CTITF in December 2009. Switzerland participated actively in the preparation of the new draft resolution on the implementation of the Strategy and supports its final version (A/64/L.69). We welcome in particular the fact that the draft resolution refers to new tools aimed at better interaction between the CTITF and Member States. The Strategy provides a comprehensive framework for a coherent international response to terrorism. It reminds us that, to be effective, an international counter-terrorism programme must focus on non-military tools. Moreover, it underscores the need to promote all four pillars of the Strategy, including strengthening capacity-building, law enforcement cooperation and addressing the underlying social and political conditions that are conducive to the spread of terrorism. The draft resolution we are soon to adopt also affirms that counter-terrorism efforts must respect human rights, including due process and the rule of law. We believe that the Strategy is, and remains, the foundation of the United Nations global counter- terrorism programme. In that connection, the Strategy’s four pillars should receive equal attention. That should also be reflected in the composition of the CTITF as well as in the themes addressed by the various working groups. Since the Strategy’s adoption in 2006, Switzerland, alongside other States and organizations, has worked intensively to concretely implement the Strategy. In particular, we have done so through our participation in 2008 in the International Process on Global Counter-Terrorism Cooperation and, over two days in Vienna in October 2009, in an international workshop of national counter-terrorism focal points. This summer, Switzerland launched a new strategy — together with Austria, Germany, Norway, Turkey, the United States and the CTITF office — that builds on the Vienna meeting and aims at raising awareness and promoting in-depth knowledge of the Strategy and its relevance at the national level for the efforts of each country. The initiative will bring together national counter-terrorism practitioners and policymakers, including national counter-terrorism coordinators, as well as non-traditional partners, including from the development and education sectors. The project’s goal is to make the United Nations Strategy more relevant for, and responsive to, needs on the national, subregional and regional levels. Through those initiatives, we hope to promote the comparative advantage and specific added value of the United Nations counter-terrorism system. In that context, we should address the following questions. First, how can we further improve cooperation within the United Nations system among entities of differing legal status? Secondly, what sort of governance architecture allows the United Nations to carry out its functions in the most effective and most legitimate manner? Thirdly, how can we best give practical meaning to the United Nations Strategy in various regions and in Member States, and thus create a sense of ownership on the ground? Fourthly, how can the relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations be improved further? Fifthly and lastly, where can multilateral engagement through United Nations action add value to existing bilateral and regional programmes already implementing the four pillars of the Strategy comprehensively, albeit perhaps under a different label?

Turkey has aligned itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union. I shall therefore limit myself to the following points and to sharing with the General Assembly some of our views on this matter. It is a pleasure for me to address the General Assembly on this very important issue. First of all, I would like to thank the President of the Assembly for his opening remarks. Likewise, I wish to thank the facilitator, Ambassador Momen, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, and his able team for their unrelenting efforts in facilitating an agreement on the draft resolution before the Assembly today (A/64/L.69). Terrorism is a crime against humanity that violates fundamental human rights, particularly the right to life. It cannot, and should not, be justified under any circumstances. As a constantly evolving phenomenon, the threat of terrorism has proven to be extremely resilient by adapting itself to changing circumstances. Therefore, our fight against terrorism should be comprehensive and multidimensional. Moreover, the international community needs to work together in full harmony. This venue, the United Nations, is one of particular relevance in that respect, since is has always been at the forefront of efforts to advance the global fight against terrorism. In 2006, the General Assembly took a historic step by unanimously adopting the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. This was a milestone in reaffirming the collective commitment of the international community to combat the common threat of terrorism. The institutionalization of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, in December 2009, constituted another significant step in the same direction. Today we will conclude the second review of the Strategy. We have had useful and constructive discussions in the course of the past few weeks to conclude the draft resolution. I believe that it encompasses important points with regard to coherence and coordination within the United Nations system and interaction between the United Nations system and Member States. The importance of greater cooperation among United Nations entities and the need to continue to strengthen transparency are salient points in the draft resolution. We welcome the idea of having the secretariat of the Task Force provide quarterly briefings to Member States. The new website to be developed by the Task Force will help to ensure that its work is made more accessible to a wider audience. In our view, interaction and dialogue between the United Nations system and Member States are critical for more effective implementation of the Strategy. In addition to those on human rights, let me also underscore the references made to due process and the rule of law while countering terrorism. We are particularly pleased to have those elements in the draft resolution, as compliance with the principles of due process and the rule of law enhances the solemn basis of our efforts and ensures better cooperation among Member States. That in turn will contribute to our ability to effectively combat terrorism. It is now time to focus on achieving concrete results. The necessary basis for effective action exists. It is incumbent upon members of the international community to contribute to the full and effective implementation of the Strategy in an integrated manner and in all its aspects. In that regard, we would like to commend the efforts of Mr. Jean-Paul Laborde, Chairman of the Task Force, which is responsible for ensuring the overall coordination and coherence of the counter-terrorism endeavours of the United Nations system. We welcome the new initiative by the Task Force and a number of Member States to carry out concrete projects aimed at promoting awareness and in-depth knowledge of the Strategy at the regional level in various parts of the world. In particular, we find the regional approach of that initiative very useful. I would like to take this opportunity to mention Turkey’s decision to contribute to the workshops planned within the framework of the initiative. Counter-terrorism should be a standing priority of the international community and of the agenda of the United Nations. The United Nations, particularly the General Assembly and the Security Council, should continue to play a leading role in ensuring that we are prepared to combat terrorism. In that regard, in its capacity as President of the Security Council for September, Turkey will hold a thematic meeting on counter-terrorism on 27 September. We consider that meeting to be another opportunity to assess the current threat posed by terrorism and to lay out a forward- looking approach for our future actions to eradicate this scourge once and for all.

First of all, allow me to thank the President of the General Assembly for organizing this meeting. I would also like to thank Ambassador Abulkalam Abdul Momen, whom the President designated as facilitator for the preparation of draft resolution A/64/L.69, on the review of the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which is the subject that has brought us together today. France of course associates itself with the statement delivered earlier by the representative of Belgium on behalf of the European Union. I should just like to say a few additional words. Five years after its adoption, the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy has become the undisputed framework for United Nations counter-terrorism efforts. The Organization has learned to play a role in this area — something that was not clear it could do. The institutionalization of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, less than a year ago, was a crucial step in strengthening and making permanent the role of the United Nations in combating terrorism. However, the United Nations can do even more, and in a more coordinated manner. The draft resolution we will adopt today reaffirms the central role of the Task Force, under the direction of Jean-Paul Laborde, in coordinating the Organization’s internal efforts and developing contacts with local and regional authorities. As we prepare to adopt the draft resolution, we welcome the fact that the General Assembly has once again succeeded in demonstrating unanimity on this subject. It is essential that the international community preserve its capacity to maintain a united front so long as conventional, nuclear, radiological, biological and chemical terrorism continue to pose a global threat. In the same vein, we encourage Member States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify all United Nations conventions and protocols that are the legal foundation of international efforts to combat terrorism. We hope too that Member States will achieve success in the negotiations on a comprehensive convention against terrorism. As an operational tool, the Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy also requires an implementation review. That is all the more important given that the implementation of the Strategy involves a variety of stakeholders in each of its four pillars: the State, civil society, regional organizations and, of course, the United Nations. It also involves a variety of tools. Many efforts have been made at the State level, including thanks to technical assistance and international cooperation, which have made it possible to help strengthen the means to combat terrorism. For its part, France remains determined to make its contribution to this global effort.

We wish to express our deep appreciation for the efforts made by the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, His Excellency Ambassador Abulkalam Abdul Momen, facilitator of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy review consultations, aimed at reaching a consensus draft resolution on that review. The Pakistan delegation associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Syria on behalf of the group of States members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Pakistan is a victim not only of terrorism but also of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. We cooperate daily with friends and allies to implement all four pillars of the Strategy. Pakistan has deployed more than 120,000 security forces along our border with Afghanistan. We have set up 938 border posts to interdict members of Al-Qaida and the Taliban. We have captured hundreds of Al-Qaida operatives, including most of its top leaders. Our cooperation has pre-empted several terrorist plots. While we have lost the precious lives of a number of our security personnel in anti-terrorist operations, we have made the world a safer place. Pakistan is fulfilling its international obligations, particularly its commitment to implement the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We have ratified 10 of the 13 United Nations conventions relating to terrorism. In addition, we are a signatory to the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. In its efforts towards ratification of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, Pakistan has enacted a landmark anti-money-laundering bill. A financial monitoring unit has been established in the State Bank of Pakistan to monitor suspicious financial transactions. Pakistan is also implementing the comprehensive international standards embodied in 40 recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force on money laundering and nine special recommendations on terrorist financing. Pakistan is a member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering. We are party to the Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and its Additional Protocol on the Financing of Terrorism. In November 2009, Pakistani police representatives and prosecutors took part in a three-day workshop conducted by the United Nations in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In June 2010, Pakistan actively participated in a workshop in Colombo for senior-level police officers and prosecutors to consider specific issues that arise in the area of counter-terrorism. Pakistan strongly condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes. While we strongly condemn terrorism, we also condemn any aspect of it being associated with any religion, race, ethnicity, faith, value system, culture or society. No religious tradition or doctrine should be depicted as encouraging or inspiring acts of terrorism. Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to strengthen mutual cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Only through a coherent and coordinated approach will the international community’s fight against terrorism yield effective results. To achieve that objective, Pakistan supports a comprehensive strategy and its balanced implementation to combat terrorism. Such a strategy must address the root causes of terrorism, including prolonged unresolved conflicts, the unlawful use of force, aggression, foreign occupation, the denial of the right of peoples living under foreign occupation to self- determination, political and economic injustices and political marginalization and alienation. In the four years since the adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, we have realized that the Strategy in itself will be of little value unless it is transformed into action by an effective implementation mechanism. The Strategy needs to be implemented in a comprehensive manner and in all its aspects. No single pillar of the Strategy should be given preference over its other pillars, nor should part of any pillar be given priority over other parts of the same pillar. We are of the view that the implementation of the Strategy in the following areas would serve the purposes of the second review and maintain the consensus that the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy enjoyed in the first place. First, one pillar of the Strategy highlights the need to settle prolonged unresolved conflicts. Any breakthrough in addressing long-standing conflicts would go a long way in making our counter-terrorism efforts more effective. Secondly, the Strategy also addresses the unjust defamation of certain religions. The unfair and bigoted portrayal of Islam and Islamic beliefs adds fuel to the fire of extremist and terrorist strategies and exacerbates the divergence in attitudes and perceptions between the Islamic and Western worlds. In this increasingly globalized world, we need understanding, harmony and the building of bridges among all cultures and peoples more than ever before. Thirdly, the Strategy also addresses the need to promote economic and social development as the means to arrest and eliminate extremism and terrorism. Socio-economic marginalization is one of the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism. The promotion of balanced socio-economic development in regions where extremism exists should be a high priority for the international community. Pakistan considers the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its four pillars as an evolving document and an ongoing effort, and not as a stagnant, dead document that does not reflect changes taking place around it. Change is the only permanent aspect of reality. The Strategy must be updated and revised, substantively and regularly, in the light of new changes in the world. The draft resolution on the second review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which we hope will be adopted by consensus, highlights the need to ensure the observance of the rule of law and due process in the implementation of the Strategy. To that end, we would like to express our support for the continuation of reform in the procedures of the Security Council committees to ensure due process. We welcome the recent efforts made by the Council in that regard. We welcome the idea of enhancing dialogue among Member State counter-terrorism officials to promote international cooperation, as referred to in paragraph 11 of the draft resolution on the second review of the Strategy. We fully support the global counter-terrorism initiative in that regard. We thank those who showed understanding of that idea and we appreciate the support extended to us on this issue across the spectrum. The idea of the global counter- terrorism initiative has now matured and needs to be translated into action. We want to assure the Counter- Terrorism Implementation Task Force of our continued support in designing and implementing the project. We have taken note of the report of the Secretary- General entitled “United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy: activities of the United Nations system in implementing the Strategy” (A/64/818). We welcome its emphasis, in paragraph 138, on a holistic approach to counter-terrorism. We also welcome the recognition in paragraph 11 of the need for the peaceful resolution of conflicts to strengthen global efforts against terrorism. However, the reference in paragraph 22 to UNESCO’s role in the revision of curriculums and text books, with the aim of removing misinformation or embedded prejudices or stereotypes, needs to be viewed carefully in the context of the debate during the original Strategy negotiations in 2006. We are not sure whether embedded prejudices and stereotypes can be defined in an objective manner, particularly in the area of social and cultural studies. We reiterate our support for the initiative of His Majesty the King of Saudi Arabia to set up a global counter-terrorism centre.