A/66/PV.119 General Assembly

First of all, allow me to congratulate you, Sir, on convening this important meeting of the General Assembly, and to thank Canada for its work to achieve a consensus on the text of the draft resolution (A/66/L.53), which reflects the main priorities of the action plan of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We welcome that effort because we believe that the fight against terrorism cannot be effective without coordination and consensus on goals. The next two years will be a challenge in achieving a balanced implementation of the Strategy, in particular in strengthening the work on those pillars where we see significant shortfalls, primarily on measures to address conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and to ensure respect for human rights for all and the rule of law as the foundation of the fight against terrorism. We agree with the Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force that the implementation of international human rights standards and the rule of law remain weak within the context of dealing with terrorist crimes, and that further effort needs to be undertaken to strengthen that awareness. In addressing the complex aspects of counter­ terrorism, there is also international consensus on the obligation of States to respect human rights. Consequently, the fight against terrorism must not be set apart from those established values. Among the contributions that my country has made in that area, we would underscore the boost given to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance when it was specially mentioned as a significant contribution in resolution 66/171 to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the fight against terrorism. With respect to dialogue and understanding, Argentina supports and promotes the dialogue among civilizations and cultures in order to develop and promote humanitarian education and culture, helping to remove inequalities and encourage respect for diversity. Argentina has suffered from two massive terrorist attacks. We believe, as noted by the late President Nestor Kirchner on the occasion of the summit meeting of the Security Council in 2005 (see S/PV.5261), that new threats to international peace and security such as terrorism have in the end helped us to understand the true concept of solidarity among nations. In that context, international cooperation, including judicial cooperation, is crucial both in terms of extradition and mutual legal assistance and in combating the financing of terrorism. I would therefore like to refer to the progress made by my country in the past year on measures to counter the financing of terrorism. Recent legislative reforms have incorporated into the penal code rules that are able to adapt continuously to the international treaties in that sphere. Law 26734, enacted in December 2011, amends and expands the crime of financing of terrorism and criminalizes the financing pursuant to the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). In particular, it refers to the collection or provision of funds to be used in terrorist acts by terrorism organizations or by an individual terrorist. A new type of crime is covered in the legislation — “crime against the financial and economic order”  — that involves the collection or provision of goods or money to finance crimes intended to terrorize the population. The law also introduces a taxonomy that distinguishes between a terrorist act committed individually and one committed by an illicit association formed for that purpose, while specifically excluding all forms of social protest from qualifying as a terrorist act. In addition, the minimum and maximum sanctions applicable to any crime under Argentine law will be doubled if it is committed with terrorist objectives. Along those lines, the recent Presidential Decree 918 of 2012 sets forth in its chapter II a procedure for the administrative freezing of funds related to the crime of financing terrorism, empowering the Financial Information Unit that I head to act quickly and efficiently. The Decree was recognized in a communiqué of the President of the FATF in a recent meeting in Rome, which stated the following: “The FATF welcomed the continued progress made by Argentina and the substantial steps taken in addressing its anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) deficiencies identified in the mutual evaluation in October 2010, in particular the new Presidential Decree creating a framework for freezing of terrorist-related assets. The FATF also welcomed Argentina’s updated action plan on measures and milestones to assess Argentina’s effective implementation of its money laundering offence, and urges Argentina’s continued progress in this area for October 2012. The FATF will continue to work with Argentina in the follow-up process and encourages Argentina to continue addressing its remaining AML/CFT deficiencies.” Regionally, our security forces have worked with immigration and customs officials and with the security forces of neighbouring countries, whose members cooperate in the fight against arms trafficking, smuggling in all its forms, drug trafficking, kidnapping, money-laundering, illegal smuggling and trafficking of persons, and monitoring data on activities associated with international terrorism and related crimes. Subregionally, Argentina takes part in the specialized forum on terrorism of the Southern Cone Common Market, which constitutes a dynamic and fruitful forum for exchanging information among security and intelligence forces of member States, and a channel for conveying useful conclusions to decisionmakers. With regard to maritime and aviation security, Argentina has implemented the regulations of the International Maritime Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization, and has begun to develop South-South cooperation projects. In conclusion, we express Argentina’s support for the draft text agreed during our negotiations on the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy Review (A/66/L.53), and reiterates its determination to implement its principles and develop all its measures in the most effective manner in order that the threat may be eradicated.

I would like to extend my thanks to the President and our Facilitator, the Permanent Representative of Canada, for their very skilful efforts to bring us to where we are today. My delegation aligns itself with the remarks made earlier today by the observer of the European Union on behalf of the Union and its member States. I would like to take this opportunity to underline the fundamental importance Sweden attaches to a well-known counter-terrorism issue — the importance of public national counter-terrorism strategies  — and the important role of the United Nations in supporting countries and regions in the process of developing such strategies, focusing on best practices. A public national counter-terrorism strategy provides not only a platform for action, but also sets standards. It serves as a basis for evaluation and a point of reference for public scrutiny. It brings counter-terrorism efforts out in the open, provides transparency and encourages public discussion. The process itself is also of great value, involving various ministries and agencies and providing for a cross-cultural discussion that serves the comprehensive approach. At the beginning of 2012, Sweden revised its national counter-terrorism strategy. At the same time, we also launched for the first time a national action plan against violent extremism. The plan will run for three years and involve a number of non-governmental organizations, including religious organizations. It will cover a wide field, including the so-called white power groups, the autonomous left and religiously motivated perpetrators of violence. One of the fundamental points underlying the action plan is its clear focus on the younger generation and the role of schools and civil society. One of our greatest challenges overall in the global countering of violent extremism and terrorism is the vulnerability of our young people. One finds them everywhere — youngsters caught between cultures and value systems, seeking easy solutions in frustration and becoming easy prey for extremist messages. We need to provide our young people with the tools for critical thinking, and that should be reflected in our strategies and action plans. We need deeper insight into the mechanisms behind terrorism and violent extremism. We need to reach out to scholars and researchers. A fundamental element is support to civil society organizations engaged in countering extremism. Part of the Swedish action plan is a special study on best methods to strengthen young people’s democratic values, and a study on how xenophobia and similar forms of intolerance can best be combated. It also includes, inter alia, a study on how youngsters can be made less vulnerable to anti-democratic messages spread via the Internet, with a view to developing their awareness as media users. Terrorist and violence-promoting propaganda on the Internet is a highly complex issue, and we need to keep a sound perspective, not throwing out the baby with the bathwater, as it were. The internet has given us tremendous new opportunities, including increased openness and transparency; there are few dark corners in the world anymore. If we believe that human development depends on the individual expression of ideas, then we have a very strong case for protecting a free Internet. The Internet has been developing relatively free of State interference, based on a multi-stakeholder approach, and we should be careful not to deviate from that path to success. Unfortunately, we see that the fear of terrorism is increasingly being used as an excuse for regulating the free flow of information on the Internet and even for censorship. The problem of the Internet being abused as a channel for spreading messages advocating violence and extremism has to be dealt with by means other than censorship. Combating hate speech on the internet should be a task for the law enforcement agencies within the rule of law, safeguarding human rights and freedoms and international law. Finally, I would like to assure the General Assembly of Sweden’s support for the greater coherence, visibility and effectiveness of the United Nations counter-terrorism activities. In our view, a positive contribution to the achievement of those goals would be to create a single United Nations counter-terrorism coordinator. Sweden very much looks forward to the Assembly addressing that issue during its sixty-seventh session.

Australia very much welcomes the third biennial review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Allow me to express our strong appreciation for the leadership provided by Ambassador Rishchynski and his team in facilitating negotiations on the important and consensus draft resolution before us (A/66/L.53). The fight against terrorism remains a critical priority for Australia. As we all know too well, terrorism continues to kill and maim innocent people, damages property and infrastructure, fosters fear in local communities, undermines social and economic confidence and, in many cases, entrenches the forces of poverty. Australia 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 devastating terrorist attacks — plays a key role in those efforts. The United Nations has the capacity to condemn and confront terrorism in all its forms, while helping to ensure that global efforts are rooted in respect for human rights, the rule of law and the peaceful resolution of conflict. There have been a number of important achievements in the fight against terrorism since the last review of the Strategy, but the threat from terrorist groups has not diminished. Rather, it is evolving in new and challenging ways. It is showing itself to be innovative, adaptable and, above all, resilient. Terrorists are exploiting instability in some parts of the world to expand their geographical reach. They are also taking advantage of new technologies to coordinate their actions, spread their message and recruit new members. The challenge for us all is to ensure that international cooperation against terrorism adapts and innovates at least as quickly as the enduring threat we face. Australia believes that the need for the Strategy and the coordinated action of Member States in support of it is as strong as ever. We welcome the focus that the United Nations is giving to countering the appeal of terrorism in our societies, including through initiatives such as the seminar convened yesterday. Australia will be drawing on the outcomes of the seminar in our work with regional partners, particularly in prison management. Regional approaches to combating terrorism are crucial, and we are pleased that Member States have recognized the value of regional initiatives undertaken to implement the Strategy. In South and South-East Asia, Australia is working closely with partners to strengthen criminal justice systems and law enforcement capabilities, primarily through our support for the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation. We would like to acknowledge the leading role that Indonesia plays in the region in hosting the Centre and more broadly. Australia has also significantly increased our cooperation with countries in Africa, especially to address threats in the Sahel and Maghreb, providing anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism financing training, technical support on mutual legal assistance and border management capacity-building. We have integrated the support with poverty reduction initiatives in the light of the very strong nexus between security and development. Australia supports the draft resolution that is before us today. We have been pleased with the high level of support for the Strategy that was expressed during the negotiations. Australia commends the role played by the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate in helping States to respond to threats. The Secretary-General recommends in his report to the General Assembly (A/66/762) that a United Nations counter-terrorism coordinator be appointed to further strengthen the coordination and coherence of the overall United Nations counter-terrorism effort. Australia strongly supports that recommendation. The appointment of a counter-terrorism coordinator would enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of United Nations actions to implement the Strategy. It would also reinforce the importance of the United Nations and its membership working together, based on universal principles, in the fight against terrorism. Member States have expressed their desire to consider the issue in a timely manner, and we look forward to that happening soon. In conclusion, let me reiterate Australia’s unwavering support for the Strategy and its four pillars. We will continue to strengthen implementation of the Strategy in our national, regional and multilateral efforts.

At the outset, I thank Mr. John Baird, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Canada, for his statement. Let me also thank the Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, Mr. Guillermo Rishchynski, for his role as the Facilitator of the current review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We also extend our appreciation to all the other speakers today for their expressions of support to the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. My delegation aligns itself with the statement of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. However, I would like to highlight a few points in my national capacity. Terrorism, in both its magnitude and diversity, is one of the gravest challenges, not only to international peace and security but also to human security and dignity. The adoption of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006, through resolution 60/288, was a watershed achievement in the global fight against terrorism. The Strategy was adopted to streamline the coordination and coherence of the United Nations counter-terrorism work. The four pillars of the Strategy and the establishment of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force to support its implementation were important steps in that direction. Bangladesh fully supports the Strategy. Bangladesh was the facilitator of the resolution on the review of the Strategy in 2010. I share the view that all of the efforts made in the area of counter-terrorism under the auspices of the United Nations should be transparent and that implementation should be strengthened. Considering the role played by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate in countering terrorism, we also feel that all of the States Members of the United Nations should be briefed more frequently on its activities. I followed the recommendations of Member States on the various preambular and operative paragraphs of the draft follow-up resolution (A/66/L.53) on counter-terrorism. I am pleased that all Member States ultimately were able to bridge the gap and finalize the text. We are pleased at the gradual institutionalization of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. Bangladesh feels privileged to have partnered with the Task Force in the holding of a regional workshop — the South Asia Regional Meeting on the Implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy was held in Dhaka on 16 and 17 May 2012. I welcome the Secretary-General’s latest report (A/66/762), entitled “United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy: activities of the United Nations system in implementing the Strategy”. Briefly, the Secretary-General put forward five recommendations for the way forward: first, the appointment of a United Nations counter-terrorism coordinator; secondly, developing national and regional strategy implementation plans; thirdly, enhancing capacity-building efforts; fourthly, promoting international cooperation; and fifthly, strengthening international solidarity with victims of terrorism. Here I wish to express my appreciation for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s initiative to set up the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre and for its contribution to finance the Centre for the first three years of its operation, which we believe will promote international cooperation. Bangladesh pursues a value-driven foreign policy that promotes peace, democracy, secularism, freedom, human rights, good governance and social justice, and upholds multilateralism. We believe that those values, coupled with our vibrant Bengali culture and our commitment to education, the empowerment of women, social inclusion and the socio-economic uplifting of our people, with the goal of creating livelihoods, as well as moral and ethical values and a mindset and culture of peace, form excellent counter-radicalization and counter-terrorism strategies and marginalize the extremists, whoever they may be. An inclusive society that empowers its people cannot go wrong in seeking to marginalize terrorists. Our deep ideological position on, and zero tolerance for, terrorism and radicalization are evident in our Government’s strong anti-terrorism and anti-radicalization track record over the past few years. Bangladesh condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It is a party to all 13 universal anti-terrorism instruments. Not only did Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, take the initiative to enact the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Anti-Money-Laundering Act in 2009; within a record two years we had laboriously upgraded and amended both laws to make them fully compliant with all provisions of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre and the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. To strengthen national actions to curb such transboundary crimes, we also ratified the Palermo Convention last year. A national counter-terrorism strategy has been finalized. Our Government has been following, and will continue to follow, a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and religious extremism. We have made history by penalizing both categories of actions with legal consequences and even the death penalty. Our Government has banned all of the terrorist groups designated by the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities, and dismantled their networks. We remain confident but not complacent, and believe that ideologically as a nation we are holding the fort strongly against the terrorist and extremist elements that are involved in international terrorism. We are determined to continue our crusade against both categories of criminals without any compromise. International terrorism is a transboundary crime, and the best and most logical way to address it is by continually strengthening our regional and global cooperation mechanisms to deal with this menace. The root causes of terrorism, including economic disparity, political and economic exclusion, prolonged and unresolved conflicts, the unfair and non-judicious treatment and intolerance of certain groups of people, deprivation and discrimination, and climatically induced loss of livelihood, must be addressed in this context. At the same time, respect for human rights and for the rule of law must prevail over any fight against terrorism. Any attempt to associate terrorism with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group should be avoided. The media must be used effectively to create awareness of our resolve to fight terrorism and our means to do so. The world should strive for a universal agreement on the legal definition of terrorism, while a comprehensive convention on international terrorism, together with a distinction made for the legitimate struggle of peoples for independence from foreign occupation, should be concluded at an early date. We also believe that the United Nations is the only legitimate multilateral body capable of coordinating global action against terrorism. National capacity-building and the training of counter-terrorism personnel in developing countries and least developed countries, such as Bangladesh, must remain high on the agenda of the United Nations and its partners for the effective combating of terrorism by all States. Bangladesh will continue to consciously promote innovative socio-economic interventions, including the attainment of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, sustained economic growth, social safety nets for the inclusion of excluded people, microcredit-based livelihoods for women, people’s empowerment and job creation for all, as well as a strong legal and institutional regime to counter the causes of terrorism and extremism. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that the comprehensiveness of the strategy gives it a unique status as a document, but it is only through its effective and integrated implementation, in all its aspects, that we can defeat terrorism. Bangladesh reaffirms its support for the implementation of the Strategy and its four pillars in a comprehensive and balanced manner.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is firmly committed to combating all terrorist acts, regardless of their perpetrators and motives. We welcome the draft resolution (A/66/L.53) that is before us today, which underscores the importance of the comprehensive and balanced implementation of all pillars of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and reaffirms the key role of States in its implementation. My country is at the forefront of the combat against the terrible scourge of terrorism. The countless treaties and conventions signed by Venezuela are evidence of this. The Government of President Hugo Chávez Frías, aware of the role that the Venezuelan State must play in the combat against terrorism, has called for a set of legal instruments focusing on measures of monitoring, prevention and prosecution in combating the financing of terrorism and money-laundering. The best-known example of those mechanisms is the recently enacted organic law to combat organized crime and the financing of terrorism, the purpose of which is to prevent, investigate, codify and sanction crimes related to organized crime, with a particular emphasis on the financing of terrorism. Terrorism assumes various forms and manifestations, but the most abhorrent is State terrorism. All States are compelled to comply with their international obligations. Terrorism is practised not just by non-State actors operating in shadowy illegality, but by States that practise it in the full light of day. Some imperialist Powers practise State terrorism, which they justify by invoking reasons of national security. State terrorism infringes upon the sovereignty of States, disregards the rule of international law and massively violates human rights. Terrorism must not be associated with any religion, civilization or ethnic group; hence the importance of dialogue among the distinct civilizations and cultures. We must uproot prejudice, which hampers good relations among peoples, and promote solidarity among human beings. The world continues to observe in horror while, on the pretext of supposed responsibility to protect and to combat terrorism, indiscriminate attacks are launched with missiles, bombs and drones against helpless people, causing thousands of deaths. A report published on 29 May 2012 in The New York Times by journalists Jo Becker and Scott Shane, states that: “[Obama] signs off on every strike in Yemen and Somalia and also on the more complex and risky strikes in Pakistan”. According to Seumas Milne, writing in the British newspaper the Guardian, also on 29 May, in Pakistan alone drones have killed approximately 3,145 people, of whom 828 were civilians and 175 were children. The 2002 Nobel Peace Prize recipient and former President of the United States Jimmy Carter, in an article published in The New York Times on 24 June 2012, denounced the fact that human rights, including the right to legitimate self-defence, respect for due process and the presumption of innocence are being brazenly violated in the United States under the pretext of combating terrorism. According to the former President, the Government of the United States is “violating at least 10 of the 30 articles [of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights], including the prohibition against ‘cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.’” He also points out, “that any man killed by drones is declared an enemy terrorist” and “the death of nearby innocent women and children is accepted as inevitable”. The Nobel laureate also denounced the fact that the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay houses around 169 prisoners. About half of these have been cleared for release, yet have little prospect of ever obtaining their freedom. He notes that the methods of torture used include waterboarding, intimidation with semi-automatic weapons, power drills or threats of sexual assault against their family members, all in order to elicit forced confessions. That is irrefutable proof that human rights are being violated in the name of the war on terrorism. These violations are crimes that are clearly classified under the Rome Statute. Why does the International Criminal Court not open an investigation of the organizers and perpetrators of drone attacks? The people of the world are calling for an immediate end to State terrorism practised by the Government of the United States with its murderous drones. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has filed a request with the Government of the United States for the extradition of the well-known terrorist Luis Posada Carriles because of his responsibility in the planning of the terrorist attack carried out in 1976 against a Cubana de Aviación airliner, in which 73 innocent people lost their lives. Declassified documents of the State Department of the United States reveal that Posada Carriles is responsible for that terrorist act, and yet that agent of the Central Intelligence Agency has never been brought to justice in the United States to pay for his crimes. The United States Government is violating the extradition treaty and the international counter-terrorism conventions signed by that country by denying the extradition request put forward by Venezuela. Since 2007, Posada Carriles has been living peacefully in the United States and enjoys the protection of the Washington authorities. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela insists that combating terrorism must be carried out in strict compliance with the international and regional instruments that govern that field: the norms of public international law, human rights and international humanitarian law. For more than a decade, we have discussed terrorism in the Ad Hoc Committee established by the United Nations in 1996. It is now time to move from words to action and to adopt an international legal instrument to serve as a framework for effectively combating terrorism. In conclusion, allow me to underscore the full commitment of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

I am pleased to be here today to discuss and exchange views on the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Despite the adoption of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006 and international, regional and national efforts to eliminate the phenomenon of terrorism, the threat of terrorism remains and has been especially prevalent during the past few years. However, those efforts are not enough to eradicate terrorism and its causes due to the existence of many international conflicts that fuel and help spread terrorism. The State of Qatar believes that terrorism at any level is dangerous and has paid close attention to all the efforts of the United Nations to eradicate it. To that end, the State of Qatar has pursued the adoption and implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its four pillars. Regarding pillar I, the State of Qatar has adopted an open cultural and educational policy based on dialogue. Qatar has also organized and hosted many conventions and meetings on interfaith dialogue and the alliance of civilizations, and established the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue in 2007 and the Qatari National Committee for the Alliance of Civilizations in 2010. Regarding pillar II, within the framework of preventing and combating terrorism, the State of Qatar has adopted a number of laws that criminalize terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including law No.3 on combating terrorism, which was adopted in 2004, and law No. 4 on money-laundering and the financing of terrorism, which was adopted in 2010. Regarding pillar III, on capacity-building, the State of Qatar has organized many training workshops on combating terrorism in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Regarding pillar IV, the State of Qatar confirms its leadership in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this regard, its Constitution and national laws seek to ensure human rights. The State of Qatar has also joined all international conventions on human rights. We hope that our deliberations on the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy will result in the most effective measures being taken to guarantee the success of the Strategy in achieving its goals in the context of the United Nations counter-terrorism objectives. In conclusion, I extend my deep gratitude and appreciation to the organizers of this meeting and to all those who participated in its preparation. I hope that our meeting will be successful.

Poland fully aligns itself with the statement delivered by the observer of the European Union. At the outset, I would like to express our appreciation to Ambassador Guillermo Rishchynski, Permanent Representative of Canada, who, as facilitator, conducted the preparations for the current review and the final outcome, resulting in draft resolution A/66/L.53, which covers all elements that are important to the further implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Since the last review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, Poland has taken several steps aimed at further developing and improving the national counter-terrorism system. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy indicates the need to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism. In this context, Poland has prepared a comprehensive national anti-terrorism programme for the years 2012-2016. It is focused, for example, on the prevention of radicalization and recruitment to terrorist organizations, responding to and remedying the effects of terrorist attacks, and international cooperation. Its priorities include working out an effective information policy and a platform for communicating with society. The recently adopted National Critical Infrastructure Protection Programme indicates the roles and responsibilities of different Government agencies in the context of terrorist threats. We continue efforts to counteract cyberterrorism. The adoption of the National Cyberspace Security Policy is currently under way. The Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) in the second half of 2011 was an opportunity to emphasize the priorities and main direction of our counter-terrorism policy. Let me briefly acquaint the Assembly with some key issues Poland has focused on. The Polish presidency coincided with the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. Poland successfully guided the drafting of conclusions on EU counter-terrorism achievements, which were adopted on 12 September 2011. Poland also raised the issue of ensuring aviation security as part of the integrated border security system against terrorism. In the light of the threats posed by various terrorist organizations, we are all obliged to intensify efforts in this domain. Poland also raised the question of the protection of mass sports events from terrorist attack. Every mass sports event with an international dimension requires careful counter-terrorism preparations, including strategic planning, threat analysis and risk assessment. We have consistently been developing our counter-terrorism cooperation with neighbouring countries. We have worked closely with the Visegrad Group countries and the Baltic countries. We also attach great importance to cooperation with our Eastern European partners. The balanced and comprehensive implementation of the Strategy by all regional stakeholders will determine the success of counter-terrorism efforts. The adoption in November 2011 of the joint action plan for Central Asia puts the Strategy into practice. Poland is of the view that this example should be duplicated in other regions, and encourages the development of other regional action plans. The creation of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) gives new opportunities to enforce international counter-terrorism measures. We hope that GCTF will strengthen cooperation with non-member States for that purpose. Attempts by non-State actors to produce or acquire chemical or biological agents to be used as weapons remain a threat to the international community. Countering this effectively requires a holistic approach that recognizes the need to develop appropriate and effective national and international regulatory mechanisms. In this context, we highly appreciate the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force report on inter-agency coordination in the event of a terrorist attack using chemical or biological weapons and materials, presented in November 2011. Poland is convinced that the United Nations should serve as a forum in which to discuss and upgrade the implementation of the international norms against weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. For this purpose, we strongly support the implementation of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). Next month in Warsaw, we will be hosting a regional workshop on strengthening the implementation of that instrument. The terrorist threat remains the key challenge facing the international community. The United Nations, at the same time, remains a unique structure able to deal with all of those challenges. Practical cooperation aimed at the implementation of all pillars of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is therefore a must for all Member States. We are truly convinced that this aim will be easier to realize once the United Nations counter-terrorism coordinator is nominated. Poland stands ready to actively and pragmatically engage in discussions on that matter.

At the outset, allow me to pay tribute to Ambassador Guillermo Rishchynski, Permanent Representative of Canada, for having facilitated the draft resolution we will be adopting during this review (A/66/L.53). Mexico attaches great importance to the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its action plan. Its legitimacy is based on the added value of its multidimensional nature, which catalyses the synergies of all the concerned stakeholders. The Strategy is the voice of the international community, condemning international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Six years after its establishment, we can see that it is indeed a milestone in this area. Mexico believes it is extremely important that the Strategy take a broad and holistic approach that promotes communication and coherence within the United Nations system and outside of it through regional machinery. We therefore support the Secretary-General’s proposal to appoint a single coordinator on this issue. We will follow closely and actively any future discussions undertaken by Member States on that matter. Thanks to the strengthening of the fight against terrorism, today we have better tools to create and strengthen environments where there is greater understanding, prevention and response capacity to meet the challenges posed to international security. Mexico believes it crucial to promote the exchange of intelligence information at the different levels of government within a country and at the regional and international levels in order to encourage a preventive and multidimensional approach that permits coordinated action and the exchange of best practices. These are fundamental tools for strengthening the rule of law, protecting the human rights of the victims of terrorism, and identifying new threats and risks to international peace and security. Mexico acknowledges that the Global Strategy has helped to reconcile and balance points of view between security interests and the need to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. Appointing an Ombudsperson for the de-listing of persons and entities subject to sanctions on the consolidated list of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities is a successful example of that. The Ombudsperson, as guarantor of the right to due process, is one aspect of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms that must be strengthened in order to preserve the rule of law at the international level. In the opinion of my delegation, the remaining challenges we face in putting an end to the scourge of international terrorism include the financing of terrorism, cyberthreats, the use of dual-purpose nuclear material and the ongoing relationship, in some cases and under certain circumstances, between terrorism and other manifestations of organized transnational crime. Mexico believes that strengthening the national capacities of Member States in those areas is crucial to combating terrorism. Mexico therefore attaches particular importance to developing a policy that, on the basis of the recommendations of the specialized agencies, would promote an integrated approach to meeting the needs of Member States in combating international terrorism. Consistent with our commitment to fighting terrorism, my Government issued an invitation to the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, which visited Mexico to review jointly with the Mexican authorities all of the measures taken by Mexico in the fight against terrorism with a view to strengthening those areas that needed it and to identifying successes and best practices where Mexico could offer cooperation and assistance to other countries. Mexico will continue supporting measures taken here to put an end to terrorism. We will continue to encourage dialogue, cooperation, the promotion of the rule of law and respect for international law and human rights as we combat terrorism. We believe that the scourge of terrorism cannot be linked to any religion, nationality or civilization, while keeping in mind that respecting each others’ differences is essential to living together as human beings.

At the outset, I would like to extend my thanks to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for the report before us (A/66/762). I would also like to thank the delegation of Canada for its tremendous efforts in coordinating the draft resolution under consideration today (A/66/L.53). My country supports the statement made on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. For many years now, the international community has sought to reduce the dangers posed by terrorism and to combat its root causes. Many international efforts have been undertaken in the General Assembly, the Security Council, the specialized agencies of the United Nations and in other regional instances. Our meeting today is an extension of and complement to those efforts. However, questions remain. Is terrorism finished? Have its root causes been eliminated? Those questions strongly impose themselves on the international community today, and we know the answers. Terrorism is not finished; it has sharply increased and its causes have become many. Have our efforts therefore been a failure or insufficient? Perhaps it is the means of treating the problem that have been ineffective. Intense international action is very important and much needed, but we must always assess such efforts and point out their successes and failures. What are the gaps and shortcomings that need to be filled? What are the problems that need to be dealt with? Today’s discussion is a historic opportunity to listen to one another, make use of the different viewpoints, review the mechanisms in the fight and hear the concerns of the specialized agencies so that we can have a close look at the points of failure, deal with them and improve the situation. The most recent report of the Secretary-General has many elements and suggests many important steps that need further discussion so that the suitable machinery can be found to undertake international efforts in the field. Following a people’s revolution against a dictatorial regime, Libya, after having been a source of concern and instability to many for decades, has managed to extract itself from a difficult situation and has worked to establish itself as a peaceful, secure and prosperous democratic State that is a pillar of stability and peace in the region and the world. The Al-Qadhafi regime recruited thousands of foreigners to work in its security brigades as mercenaries and gave them weapons to quell our popular revolution. After the fall of the regime, those mercenaries returned to their countries with all their weapons. They have now started to threaten security of countries throughout the region by rebelling against central authorities and cooperating with terrorist organizations in the Sahel and the Sahara. They have become involved in transnational organized crime by smuggling weapons and drugs and by encouraging illegal migration. There is no doubt that the absence of a State with institutions and the rule of law, which existed for many decades under the Al-Qadhafi regime, is still a source of concern. The Libyan Government is trying to establish institutions, impose the rule of law and prevent impunity. Much has been accomplished. We hope that our work will continue after the elections scheduled for 7 July to choose members of a public national conference and adopt a permanent constitution for the country. Despite the repercussions and developments that took place in my country after the fall of the previous regime and the spread of weapons, we believe that democracy, good governance and the establishment of the rule of law and national reconciliation are the basic elements needed to achieve development, security and stability and to eliminate the sources of violence and terrorism. Libya will spare no effort in continuing to fulfil its commitments in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. That is why we convened a regional ministerial conference on border security, held in Tripoli on 11 and 12 March, which resulted in the Tripoli plan of action and the adoption of concrete measures on border control designed to combat organized crime, drug and arms trafficking, terrorism and illegal immigration. There is no doubt that cooperation among the countries of the region is the cornerstone of any international effort to combat terrorism. Libya will continue to cooperate with all countries in order to stand against terrorism and eliminate its causes.

I thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his briefing. I take this opportunity to thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Canada, the facilitator of the third biennial review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, for his work. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy represents the broadest consensus reached by Member States in the area of counter-terrorism and is of great significance. This year marks the third review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The international community has made many efforts to fight terrorism. However, terrorism is far from being eliminated and still threatens international peace and security. Terrorism has evolved in its forms and manifestations. With regard to how to further implement the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and continuously strengthen counter-terrorism and international cooperation, I would like to emphasize the following four points. First, China supports the comprehensive implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. In fighting terrorism, it is necessary to treat the symptoms, seek cures and adopt a comprehensive strategy. Eliminating the huge gaps between rich and poor and social injustice; properly resolving regional conflicts; and stopping the spread of separatism, extremism, violence, hatred and intolerance are of great significance in fighting terrorism. China hopes that the international community will pay more attention to resolving the root causes of terrorism and implementing the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in a balanced and comprehensive manner. Secondly, China supports the United Nations agencies in pursuing a balanced implementation of the four pillars of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy and strengthening coordination and cooperation, in accordance with their mandates. We support the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force’s coordinating role in that regard, and welcome the establishment of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre. The Security Council’s subsidiary bodies can actively participate in the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy within their mandates. We note the proposal of the Secretary-General on the appointment of a United Nations counter-terrorism coordinator. The Member States should continue their consultations on that issue. Thirdly, in fighting terrorism, it is necessary to uphold the Charter of the United Nations and the basic principles of international law, and to respect the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Member States. Member States should renounce double standards in fighting terrorism. The international community should oppose any incitement of or support for terrorism. Regardless of where and when terrorist activities take place, what means are used to carry them out, who the terrorists are and what their motives are, we should clearly oppose and fight them. No country should adopt a different stance out of self-interest or protect or tolerate terrorism based on political considerations. Fourthly, when fighting terrorism, it is necessary to maintain dialogue among civilizations and to promote understanding and tolerance. In international cooperation on fighting terrorism, it is necessary to advocate dialogue, understanding, exchanges, mutual respect and harmony among civilizations, religions and ethnic groups. We oppose associating terrorism with any particular ethnic group or religion. China is a victim of terrorism and is under threat of terrorist activities carried out by terrorist forces in eastern Turkistan, international terrorist organizations, and domestic and foreign terrorists. China will continue adamantly to fight terrorism in its various forms, ensure national security, protect lives and property, and maintain and protect human rights. China will continue to actively implement the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and join in international cooperation within the framework of the United Nations. China is willing to join the relevant countries in strengthening exchanges and cooperation in counter-terrorism legislation, law enforcement, information-sharing, the interception of financing, extradition and the repatriation of terrorist suspects to contain and fight terrorism.

At the outset, we thank the Secretary-General and the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force for this year’s report on the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/66/762). The challenges are manifold. Terrorists continue to attack our societies and our values. They use modern technology and wage aggressive campaigns. In response, we must be vigilant and determined, but, above all, we must also understand that terrorism cannot be defeated by security measures alone. The United Nations Strategy clearly indicates that addressing the conditions conducive to terrorism, building State capacities and respecting human rights and the rule of law are equally important. There should also be an increasing focus on the victims and their grievances and needs. We thank the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism for his useful report on this matter (A/66/310). The Strategy identifies a balanced, integrated and holistic approach that should be reflected in institutional mechanisms. At the national level, inter-agency coordination has largely become a reality. For example, in Switzerland, some 30 agencies meet regularly to discuss issues relating to counter-terrorism. Within the United Nations, a similar trend can be discerned. A growing number of entities have joined the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. We welcome that cooperative approach, which is in line with the One United Nations initiative. The draft resolution (A/66/L.53) that we are about to adopt on the Strategy reflects the constructive atmosphere during the negotiations. In that regard, we commend the Canadian facilitators for their skill. The draft resolution recognizes that the principal responsibility for the implementation of the Strategy lies with the States. Switzerland tries to live up to that task at home and by supporting a number of projects abroad. As part of its support for Arab Spring countries, Switzerland earmarked funds for the building of rule-of-law structures, for reforming and building the capacity of the security and military sectors, for the protection of human rights and for strengthening pluralistic societies. Switzerland also sponsors three Security Council initiatives in the area of terrorist financing. In addition, Switzerland is co-sponsoring a Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force initiative on implementing the Strategy at the regional level. Four meetings have so far been held in Indonesia, Ethiopia, Namibia and Bangladesh, with another to take place soon in West Africa. In 2009, as a forerunner to the regional initiatives I have just mentioned, Switzerland, together with a group of other States and in close cooperation with various United Nations entities, organized in Vienna the first International Workshop for National Counter-Terrorism Focal Points. We are currently looking into the feasibility of organizing a follow-up conference next year. We eagerly await the discussion on the establishment of the post of United Nations Counter-Terrorism coordinator. The United Nations stands to gain much by doing so. The recent report of the Center on Global Counterterrorism Cooperation on the reshaping of United Nations counter-terrorism efforts also strongly recommends the creation of such a post. Improved coordination within the Organization would enhance the effectiveness and coherence of the fight against terrorism. Externally, the coordinator would give the United Nations a face and a voice, boosting the Organization’s visibility by showing that it presents a unified and strong front in the fight against terrorism. Switzerland appreciates the fact that civil society has again been encouraged to participate in the implementation of the Strategy in the draft resolution. We also believe that this works both ways. Not only should civil society be encouraged to engage in United Nations efforts, but the United Nations should also be encouraged to engage more closely with civil society. States will not be able to defeat terrorism by themselves; they will need the support of their societies to do so. Civil society can act as a multiplier in this sense. Switzerland would like to express its appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its generous contribution to the new United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre. As a member of the Centre’s Advisory Board, Switzerland will work towards a balanced implementation of the four pillars of the Strategy. We also believe that a civil society advisory committee should be created within the Centre, as it could serve as a source of expertise and a sounding board on policy and programming issues. The United Nations should work in partnership with all stakeholders. In this regard, the Global Counterterrorism Forum has appeared as a new actor on the scene. As a member of both the United Nations and the Forum, Switzerland has a strong interest in both organizations working hand in hand in a complementary and mutually supportive manner. In February 2012, Switzerland organized a conference in Interlaken, attended by the members of the Forum, eight United Nations entities and eight regional organizations, with a view to strengthening the relationship between these actors. Switzerland is indeed convinced that cooperation is more than ever needed in the fight against terrorism, and I would assure you, Sir, of our readiness and full commitment in this matter.

As we gather here today to renew once again our commitment to the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, the incidents of terrorism this month alone — in Nigeria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Israel and elsewhere — remind us that no country is immune from the threat of terrorism and that no single country can address it on its own. The United States support for the Strategy and the collaborative and long-term strategic approach it embodies is unwavering. This body’s adoption of the document (resolution 60/288) almost six years ago marked the first time that all Member States agreed on a common, comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy. In recent years, with the United Nations playing a central role, the international community has made important strides in the fight against violent extremism. Together, we have worked to disrupt terrorist financing, enact more effective counter-terrorism laws, tighten border, aviation and maritime security, improve coordination, and raise awareness of the importance of the Strategy. Over the past decade, more than 120,000 suspected terrorists have been arrested around the world, and more than 35,000 have been convicted. Just last week, an Indonesian court sentenced Umar Patek to 20 years in prison for his role in several terrorist acts, including the twin nightclub bombings in Bali in 2002 that killed 202 people. Despite this progress, the danger from terrorism remains urgent and undeniable. The core of Al-Qaida that carried out the 9/11 attacks and other attacks around the world may be on the path to defeat, but the threat has become more geographically diffuse as groups associated with Al-Qaida expand their operations. Terrorists now hold territory in Mali, Somalia and Yemen, and they are carrying out frequent and destabilizing attacks in Nigeria and the Maghreb. These developments, which underscore the resilience of terrorist networks and the violent ideology that underpins them, mean that we must redouble our collective efforts to combat terrorism and undermine the appeal of the extremist narrative. We have a lot of work in front of us that we need to undertake together. The Strategy, with its emphasis on diminishing the economic, political and social drivers of violent extremism that often fuel recruitment and on strengthening criminal justice and other civilian institutions to enable countries to deal with terrorist threats within a rule-of-law framework, offers the right policy framework to underpin our collective work. Since the General Assembly’s most recent review of the Strategy in September 2010, the United States has redoubled its efforts to support implementation around the globe. This includes supporting the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) and its entities as they work with countries on such issues as border security, terror finance, prosecutions, judicial cooperation and victims to provide them with the tools to better implement the Strategy. We are particularly pleased to be able to provide funding to allow the United Nations to develop two innovative projects. One will allow the United Nations, for the first time, to deliver counter-terrorism-related human rights training to law enforcement officials in key regions around the globe. The other will allow the United Nations to work with prison officials to develop rule-of-law-based programmes aimed at rehabilitating violent extremists. In addition to our direct support to the United Nations, the Global Counterterrorism Forum, which we are honoured to co-chair, is mobilizing new resources and expertise to catalyse national and regional efforts to implement the Strategy. We encourage the United Nations to build upon its contributions to the global counter-terrorism effort. This includes the recent establishment of the United Nations Centre for Counter-Terrorism within the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, which will offer the CTITF additional resources to support Member States’ efforts to implement the Strategy. With the continued expansion of the United Nations counter-terrorism system, we are particularly pleased that the Secretary-General has proposed creating the post of United Nations Counter-Terrorism coordinator to further unify the United Nations counter-terrorism architecture. The United States looks forward to working together in common cause within the General Assembly to operationalize this proposal in the months ahead and, with the broader international community, to prevent and combat terrorism wherever and in whatever form it occurs.

I would like to begin by expressing my delegation’s appreciation for the third review of the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We commend the immaculate manner in which Ambassador Rishchynski of Canada and his team at the Canadian Mission led the review process. Afghanistan aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Almost half a decade has passed since the General Assembly’s adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288). The milestone event was a demonstration of collective international commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. That commitment was founded on the clear reality that this global menace spares no nationality, ethnicity, religion or region. We have seen it strike in all parts of the world, from South and Central Asia to the Western Hemisphere, and from Africa to the Middle East. Recent years have seen noticeable progress in the context of United Nations implementation of the Strategy at the national, regional and international levels. The Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) has convened a number of important initiatives, including regional workshops in various parts of the world, such as those that have been held in southern and eastern Africa, and in South and Central Asia. In June of last year, the CTITF partnered with the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia and the European Union to initiate a project that culminated in the adoption of a joint plan of action by Central Asian States for implementing the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Widespread implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy has yet to take place, and remains a challenge to many. Factors contributing to that have included a lack of coherence among the relevant United Nations agencies in dealing with terrorism and overlaps in their activities, which too often have resulted in misunderstandings on the part of Member States about whom to contact when they need technical assistance. In that context, we welcome the recommendations contained in the Secretary-General’s report (A/66/762), including the proposal for creating the post of counter-terrorism coordinator for increasing the coordination and coherence of United Nations counter-terrorism activities. The establishment of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre is an important development in strengthening the global fight against terrorism. We are confident that, within the framework of the CTITF, the Centre will make an important contribution to fostering counter-terrorism cooperation and building States’ capacity, two issues that are vital for real and substantial progress in the fight against terrorism. We express our appreciation to His Majesty King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their efforts in making the Centre a reality. My country, Afghanistan, has long been the number-one victim of terrorism. Each and every day, Afghan men, women and children wake up with the fear that another brutal act of terror will occur, killing or maiming another family member or fellow citizen. Terror and violence committed by Afghanistan’s enemies continue through suicide and roadside bombings, and attacks on our clinics and schools and some of our patriotic national figures, who have served their country with honour and dignity in the cause of a prosperous Afghanistan. In that regard, regional cooperation is vital to a successful fight against terrorism. The regional dynamics of the terrorist threat facing Afghanistan are such that if we do not address the continuing presence of terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries in our immediate region, we will not achieve durable peace and stability. Over the past decade, together with our international partners we have significantly weakened the overall capabilities of the terrorist networks. As a result of our counter-terrorism endeavours, the brutal efforts of a considerable number of terrorists have been curtailed; some have been captured, while others are being pursued. Our State institutions have thwarted a substantial number of terrorist plots across the country. Consistent with the process of transition, the Afghan National Army and Police are assuming a greater role in all security activities across the country, including counter-terrorism operations. Our counter-terrorism policies are a key part of our overall national security strategy. To that effect, we have further strengthened our counter-terrorism legal framework. Afghanistan is party to 13 international conventions and protocols concerning terrorism, and we have adopted a multitude of laws aimed at combating terrorism and other forms of organized crime. They include laws on combating terrorism financing, terrorist offences and money-laundering. At the regional level, we are intensifying cooperation and dialogue with regional partners through bilateral, trilateral and multilateral regional processes designed to deal effectively with the problems of terrorism and extremism in all their forms and manifestations. Most recently, on 14 June we convened the Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference in Kabul, where Afghanistan and its regional partners reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring peace and prosperity in Afghanistan and our region by implementing a broad set of confidence-building measures, which include counter-terrorism cooperation. As a country that has been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, Afghanistan has suffered immensely in terms of human and material loss. A significantly high number of Afghans, including civilians, tribal and religious figures, law enforcement personnel and Government officials, as well as some of our renowned national figures, have lost their lives in the struggle against terrorism. Only last weekend, the Taliban brutally attacked a hotel near Kabul and massacred 20 civilians in cold blood. Such attacks will not undermine our commitment to peace and security. We will remain as resolute as ever in our fight against terrorism and in implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

I would first like to thank the President for having organized this meeting on the third biennial review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. In my country’s view, the Strategy, besides reflecting a consensus among all Member States, is an effective tool for preventing, punishing and eliminating this scourge. We believe that the four pillars developed in the action plan should be fully implemented. We do not believe that there is a hierarchy among them, and we affirm our commitment to their comprehensive and effective implementation. Terrorism is a threat to international peace and security, and affects society as a whole, the rule of law and the enjoyment of human rights. The human costs of terrorism are felt all over the world. That is why the international community must tackle this many-headed threat in a coordinated way and in all its stages and manifestations. My country condemns it in all its forms and manifestations, and reaffirms that there is no motive or circumstance that can be invoked to justify it. It not only runs counter to and undermines the fundamental principles and mechanisms of international law and the international community’s shared values, but also creates fear within our societies and has a negative impact on development. Because terrorism is a phenomenon with global implications, the United Nations, and particularly the General Assembly as the Organization’s organ of universal membership, must be the main forum for agreeing on policies and cooperation. Under the Global Strategy, we must promote and strengthen international and regional cooperation as a crucial element in confronting the threat in an effective, balanced and integrated way. The adoption, implementation and promotion of cooperation frameworks are an effective response to terrorism. Colombia participates actively in various different bodies for regional and multilateral cooperation. In addition to the United Nations, we have been working with the Organization of American States, the Global Counterterrorism Forum, countries of Central America and the Caribbean, and more recently with African countries, to share our experiences and build capacity that help to combat all forms of transnational crime that are in one way or another linked to terrorism. We believe it necessary to reach agreement on how to deal with the close connection between terrorism and transnational organized crime. We must coordinate regional and multilateral initiatives and strategies that incorporate elements of instruments addressing transnational organized crime in order to prevent terrorist networks from using financial and logistic resources that help them to operate. Accordingly, we welcome the fact that the draft resolution that we will adopt on this review (A/66/L.53) acknowledges the need to continue taking steps to prevent and end the financing of terrorism. It encourages United Nations entities to cooperate with Member States in order to help them to fully comply with their international obligations in the fight against the financing of terrorism. By its very nature, the financing of terrorism is a factor concerning which the international community will have to take more effective measures. Funds derived from criminal activities create new scenarios in which States must work together to design strategies with a comprehensive view that allows us to face terrorism in all its dimensions and complexity. Protecting and supporting victims of terrorism is another matter of special concern to my delegation. We have made great progress in that area since the Strategy was adopted. We take this opportunity to express our solidarity with victims. We not only acknowledge the work and efforts undertaken by the competent bodies and entities in the United Nations to recognize, support and protect the rights of victims of terrorism, but we would urge those bodies to work even harder to provide technical assistance in order to enhance States’ capacity to draw up and implement programmes of assistance and support to victims. My country has participated in and sponsored many initiatives developed by the Organization, particularly the publication of the manual entitled “The Criminal Justice Response to Support Victims of Acts of Terrorism”, which was drafted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The manual is a concrete measure for protecting and promoting the rights of victims and the recognition thereof. We trust that it will serve as a basis for activities undertaken by the Organization and that it will help Member States to build capacity to ensure that the voice of victims is heard during criminal trials. I cannot fail to mention another important point made in the draft resolution, namely, the recommendation by the Secretary-General that the Member States appoint a United Nations counter-terrorism coordinator. We firmly believe that it is necessary to continue working to avoid duplication of effort and promote better and more efficient coordination and coherence in activities within the United Nations and among the Member States and other competent international, regional and subregional organizations involved in the fight against terrorism. Coherence within the United Nations system forms the basis of the integrated and effective implementation of the Strategy. We therefore believe that the agreement reached in consultations, and reflected in paragraph 15 of the draft resolution before us, takes note of the status of the proposal, and specifically that it remains a matter for discussion and decision in the General Assembly. Nevertheless, the fact that the discussion on this subject remains open is a further reason for all Member States to continue supporting the work of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, which was established to ensure coordination and coherence of actions within the United Nations system to address the international scourge, while fully respecting and advancing the principles and purposes of the Charter. My country confirms its commitment to the comprehensive implementation of the Global Strategy. Accordingly, we will continue to offer cooperation and share our experiences. In conclusion, I pay tribute to the Permanent Representative of Canada, Ambassador Guillermo Rishchynski, and his team for their work in facilitating the draft resolution submitted for the consideration of the General Assembly.

My country aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic on behalf of the States members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. My delegation also takes note of the report of the Secretary-General (A/66/762), which contains an update on measures taken to implement the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy within the past two years. We firmly believe that the Strategy should be implemented in a balanced way under the auspices of the General Assembly as the only United Nations organ with universal membership. In that regard, we highly encourage the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force to better interact with all Member States on a regular basis in order to gain more support in the overall implementation of the Strategy and to strengthen the sense of ownership among all Members. The Islamic Republic of Iran has been a victim of terrorism for decades and is still suffering from terrorist attacks in different forms and manifestations, including State terrorism. As a target of terrorism sponsored by certain States, we fully understand the untold consequences of acts of terrorism for victims and for society at large. We hold in high regard the large number of Iranian victims of terrorism in numerous terrorist incidents, and the Government has taken all possible measures to address their concerns properly. The victims are the best evidence of failed policies of terrorist groups and those who support them. Just a few months ago, on 11 January 2012, a professional Iranian scientist, the late Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, fell victim to a terrorist attack in Tehran. The victim was a chemical engineer and had served as deputy director of a nuclear industry facility in Iran. In the incident, two other innocent people were seriously injured, one of whom died later in a hospital as a result of his wounds. It was not the first time that an Iranian scientist had come under malicious terrorist attack. Such crimes have been committed on several occasions by the true sponsors of State terrorism as a means to serve their political purposes. However, it is regrettable that such horrific terrorist incidents have seen little reaction from those who are obligated to take all possible measures to combat terrorism. The case just mentioned is among one of the clearest examples of our main challenge in countering terrorism  — double standards and the simple-minded categorization of good and bad types of terrorism on the basis of immediate political interests. Selective or double-standard approaches in dealing with terrorism should be firmly rejected, and we should point out that such approaches could undermine international trust and cooperation in countering terrorism. The international community must work towards achieving a unified approach to fighting this scourge without discrimination. That is indeed key to promoting the fight against terrorism worldwide. It is very disturbing that, despite continuing efforts on various fronts, the threat of terrorism continues to affect our societies and we still seem to be far from eliminating it. For decades, a number of root causes and factors have led or contributed to the spread of terrorism, including, to name a few, the unlawful use of force by some States and foreign aggression and occupation, as well as foreign interference and meddling in other States’ internal affairs. Unlawful occupation and use of force, as well as the use of excessive or disproportionate military force in the name of combating terrorists, prepares the ground for vicious cycles of violence and terrorism. I emphasize that terrorism should not be equated with the legitimate struggle of peoples for self-determination and national liberation from colonial or alien domination and foreign occupation. The brutalization of peoples under foreign occupation should always be denounced as the worst form of terrorism, and the use of State power to suppress and attack those struggling against foreign occupation and exercising their inalienable right to self-determination must be condemned. To that end, my delegation is anxious to see greater attention given to this aspect and the most effective measures possible taken under pillar I. Moreover, the fight against terrorism should not be misused in order to advance other agendas. We believe that it should be undertaken in full conformity with the United Nations Charter, international law and international human rights and humanitarian law. The rule of law and respect for civilians’ rights and humanitarian law should be our guiding principles in fighting terrorism, as is appropriately emphasized under pillar IV of the Strategy. Iran is committed to using all possible means to fight terrorism and to strengthen international cooperation to that end. In that regard, I recall the International Conference on the Global Fight Against Terrorism that was held in Tehran just at this time last year, with the participation of high-level delegations from more than 70 States and international and regional organizations, as well as prominent experts from all over the world. The purpose of the Tehran Conference was to exchange views on the global fight against terrorism and to find practical ways to further mobilize political will and strengthen international capacities to combat terrorism at the national and international levels. The Conference welcomed all initiatives seeking to promote dialogue among civilizations, cultures and religions. The greater the consensus on the various aspects of terrorism, the better will be the results we can achieve from our joint efforts. Having successfully accomplished the third biennial review of the Strategy in the past few days, we must pursue our national, regional and global plans with determination in order to achieve comprehensive implementation of the Strategy in a balanced manner, with universal cooperation and adequate attention to dealing with conditions that are conducive to the spread of terrorism, and by avoiding double standards and discrimination so as to gain better, lasting results.

We are deeply appreciative of the efforts made by the Permanent Representative of Canada, Ambassador Guillermo Rishchynski, facilitator of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy review consultations, towards a consensus resolution on the review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The delegation of Pakistan associates itself with the statement made by the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Pakistan unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomsoever, wherever and against whomsoever. We also condemn the murder of civilians anywhere in the world, whether it is motivated by ideological differences or the use of disproportionate force against soft targets. Terrorism and extremism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, race, ethnicity, faith, value system, culture or society. Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to strengthening international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Coherence and coordination are essential to the success of that fight. Accordingly, Pakistan supports the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and a balanced implementation of it that addresses the root causes of terrorism, including prolonged unresolved conflicts, the unlawful use of force, aggression, foreign occupation, denial of the right of peoples living under foreign occupation to self-determination, political and economic injustices, political marginalization and alienation. The promotion of international cooperation in combating terrorism is a noble goal. Pakistan has complied highly responsibly with its international obligations, particularly its commitment to implementing various conventions on counter-terrorism. We have ratified 10 of 13 United Nations conventions relating to terrorism, and we are also a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Pakistan has become a party to the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and has enacted a landmark anti-money-laundering bill. A financial monitoring unit has been established within the State Bank of Pakistan to monitor suspicious financial transactions. Recently, 64 additional bank accounts and 750.8 million Pakistani rupees have been frozen. We cooperate consistently with friends and allies in implementing all four pillars of the Strategy. Pakistan has deployed 160,000 troops on its border with Afghanistan and has set up 822 border posts to interdict Al-Qaida and Taliban members. Countering terrorism requires a coordinated and cooperative regional and international approach that rises above polemics and blame games. In the six years since the adoption of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288), we have realized that the Strategy will be of little value in itself unless it is implemented in all its aspects. We are of the view that the implementation of the Strategy in the following areas would redound to the benefit of the third review. First, one pillar of the Strategy underlines the need for settling prolonged unresolved conflicts. Addressing festering disputes would go a long way towards increasing the effectiveness of counter-terrorism efforts. Secondly, the Strategy addresses the problem of defamation of religion. Such bigotry plays into the hands of terrorists while exacerbating intra- and inter-State differences. In today’s globalized world, the need for understanding, harmony and bridge-building among all cultures and peoples is greater than ever. Thirdly, the Strategy also addresses the need to promote economic and social development in order to help curb extremism and terrorism. Socio-economic marginalization is a leading cause of terrorism’s appeal. The international community should make the balanced socio-economic development of regions vulnerable to terrorism a high priority. Pakistan sees the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its four pillars as a work in progress. The Strategy must be updated and revised substantively and regularly in the light of new developments. For instance, it is a deficiency that the draft resolution (A/66/L.53) on the review takes no note of the emerging trend of homegrown radicals who are misled by propaganda facilitated by information and communication technology advances. The consensus draft resolution on the third review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy highlights the need to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights and the observance of the rule of law while countering terrorism. The rule of law is indeed an antidote to terrorism, provided that it is observed ungrudgingly at both the national and international levels. The fair prosecution and conviction of terrorists in courts of law would be more effective than eliminating them by extrajudicial means. Such a cavalier approach to human life only feeds extremism. We would also like to express our support for continuing efforts to reform the proceedings of Security Council Committees so as to ensure due process and the promotion of transparency. We welcome the recent efforts made by the Council in that regard. We expect that the process of reform will continue in the interests of further improvement of procedures. The United Nations has a special role in promoting international cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism. The Organization and its counter-terrorism bodies need inter-agency coordination, policy coherence and closer cooperation with each other. We note that in his report (A/66/762), the Secretary-General has proposed the creation of the position of a United Nations counter-terrorism coordinator. We believe that the modalities for carrying out the proposal need further elaboration and due deliberation by Member States on various aspects. While supporting the institutional coherence of the United Nations, we also emphasize the importance of respecting the mandates of its various bodies.

Kazakhstan aligns itself with the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Syria on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. I would first like to thank you, Sir, for convening this meeting, I would also like to thank Ambassador Guillermo Rishchynski, Permanent Representative of Canada, for his work as coordinator of the informal consultations on this important issue. We believe that the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy has been, over the years, a valuable framework and policy guide for concerted multilateral action in fighting all forms of terrorism, with the United Nations playing a central role within it. In that context, my delegation would like to outline the experience gained and counter-terrorism measures undertaken by Kazakhstan both internally and within the framework of regional structures. Kazakhstan has been guided by the Strategy and by the 14 international instruments that it has ratified. At the present time, the national procedures for ratifying two more protocols and amendments have been completed, along with the establishment of a unified Statewide anti-terrorism policy and legislation covering all aspects of counter-terrorism. Kazakhstan’s basic provisions, regulations and mechanisms are formulated to comply with international law and the recommendations of the United Nations and the Security Council, particularly in the area of combating money-laundering and the financing of terrorist organizations. Our main national strategy is thus directed at eliminating the causes of terrorism and detecting threats and incidences of it in a timely manner. As a country that voluntarily renounced possession of one-fourth of the world’s nuclear arsenal, Kazakhstan attaches great importance to implementing measures to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction into the hands of terrorists. After the President of Kazakhstan initiated this policy at the Global Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., in 2010, we followed it up with a Conference of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism aimed at counteracting terrorist financing, which was held in Astana in 2011, as was the first meeting of the Implementation and Assessment Group was held in Astana in 2011. That same year, we carried out the removal of our nuclear materials to safe and secure storage, in accordance with international standards, with the direct assistance of the United States. That operation is ample proof of the importance of close cooperation at the subregional, regional and international levels in combating terrorism. Kazakhstan, as an active member of the Anti-Terrorism Centre of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), has signed the SCO Convention against Terrorism and all agreements on combating the illicit trafficking of arms, ammunition and explosives. We believe that one important step in strengthening the provisions of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy was the adoption, in Ashgabat on 30 November, of the joint action plan for implementation of the Strategy in Central Asia. The plan was formulated by several partners, including the countries of the region, the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, the European Union and the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia. In June, a meeting with regional organizations was held in Almaty to consult on execution of the Strategy in Central Asia, supported by the Government of Kazakhstan in partnership with various regional organizations. As the 2010 Chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Kazakhstan, in accordance with the OSCE’s military-political mandates, hosted a conference in Astana on the prevention of terrorism. The Conference adopted the Astana Declaration, affirming the commitment of participating OSCE States and partner countries to combating terrorism. Counter-terrorist activities are also on the agenda of cooperative activities between Kazakhstan and the European Union. Kazakhstan is also a participant in the Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO, thus expanding its collaboration with the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. We welcome the establishment of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre and are ready to cooperate with it. We also support the Secretary-General’s proposal for appointing a coordinator for counter-terrorism in order to help strengthen and improve coordination of the various entities within the United Nations. Similarly, we welcome the Secretary-General’s report (A/66/762) on United Nations activities aimed at implementing the Strategy, particularly those of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. We join with other countries that have expressed concern about the tendency for terrorism to merge with organized crime. While they are undoubtedly interconnected, a primary and independent focus should be placed on eliminating drug trafficking, a source of much financing of terrorism. The Republic of Kazakhstan has always stood for strengthening the national capacities of Member States to address drug trafficking through regional and international cooperation. We are confident that constructive cooperation among Member States will considerably enhance national, regional and international security so that we can combat the ever-growing scourge of terrorism more effectively.

At the outset, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to you, Sir, for convening this important meeting to assess the progress made in the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy since its second biennial review in 2010. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the hard work of Ambassador Rishchynski, who has led this review process and worked diligently to prepare the draft resolution (A/66/L.53). The Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, adopted unanimously by the General Assembly in September 2006 (resolution 60/288), has provided a solid foundation for the international community’s efforts to establish comprehensive and systematic counter-terrorism activities. In addition, the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force has intensified its multilateral efforts to enhance coordination and cooperation with entities within the United Nations system as well as with Member States. Currently, a range of efforts is being pursued, including easing socio-economic marginalization, promoting dialogue among civilizations and integrating ethnic and religious minorities. Convinced of the need for comprehensive and systematic counter-terrorism efforts, the Republic of Korea is actively participating in international cooperation efforts and is strengthening domestic measures to counter terrorism at the national level. My delegation also believes that an effective counter-terrorism approach should address all aspects of terrorism, including denying terrorists access to weapons, especially weapons of mass destruction (WMD), suppressing the financing of terrorism, and strengthening law enforcement and State capacity-building. With globalization, the proliferation of WMD and an increased risk of terrorist attacks involving WMD have come to the fore as a grave threat to the security of all countries. As a signatory to all key international conventions related to non-proliferation and counter-terrorism regimes, the Republic of Korea has been playing its part to contribute to such global efforts. In this regard, the Republic of Korea hosted the 2011 plenary of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism and the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul in March of this year. At the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, the Republic of Korea was joined by a host of countries in underscoring the centrality of international cooperation in detecting, tracking and responding to illicit trafficking of nuclear materials. That was embodied in the Seoul communiqué adopted as a Summit declaration. My delegation believes that effective financial measures can greatly contribute to the unravelling of the complex matrix of proliferation and interrelated terrorism networks. Efforts to address proliferation financing will also complement our efforts in countering terrorism, which would strengthen our overall counter-terrorism capacities. It is in that light that the Republic of Korea hosted a proliferation financing conference last May to emphasize the importance of coordinated action and to stimulate new thinking and creative policy options in that emerging field. The conference offered an invaluable opportunity to learn from each other’s expertise and experience at the national level, and provided a timely forum to discuss how we can scale up our individual and collective capabilities in countering proliferation financing. The Republic of Korea has made efforts to help other Member States to build and enhance their counter-terrorism capacities through various assistance programmes. We will continue to support critical international efforts, such as poverty reduction, disease control, human resources development and sustainable development, which can be valuable to the efforts to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and insecurity. In the area of capacity-building, the Republic of Korea has been extending assistance both bilaterally and multilaterally to improve the capacity of countries to combat terrorism in a wide range of areas. One example is our assistance of $36 million for the Afghan National Army trust fund. In addition, we have provided technical training and equipment to South-East Asian countries in cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with a view towards combating terrorism and eradicating drugs. We are also making preparations to establish, with ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific information and coordination centre for combating drug crimes in the near future. Standing united in the goal of ensuring peace and security for the world, the Republic of Korea would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm its strong commitment to combating terrorism and ensuring a safe and secure world for tomorrow’s generations.

At the outset, let me thank you, Sir, for convening this review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. I would also like to commend Canada’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Rishchynski, and his team for skilfully facilitating the negotiations of the draft resolution of the third review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/66/L.53). I would also like to express Israel’s deep appreciation to the many individuals inside the United Nations who work tirelessly to combat terrorism. I know that many of their successes may not rise into the public’s radar screen, but let me assure them that they do not go unnoticed. This forum has a solemn responsibility. We are tasked with producing a clear-eyed assessment of the international community’s response to terrorism  — perhaps the single greatest threat facing the world today. Several principles should guide this discussion as we evaluate what has been accomplished and where the international community is lagging behind. We cannot substitute words for action and we cannot expect wishful thinking today to prevent devastating consequences tomorrow. One thing is clear. If we do not take the next steps in advancing our collective efforts, the terrorists certainly will. The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy provides a basic framework for confronting terrorism. It was carefully crafted to provide a comprehensive plan for addressing the various aspects of terrorism. Israel stands behind that approach. We believe strongly that all four pillars of the Strategy must be implemented with equal determination, as was envisioned when the Strategy was created. The Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of the Strategy (A/66/762 and A/66/762/Add.1) offers helpful recommendations for improving the United Nations efficiency on this issue. Israel welcomes the debate on his suggestion to create a United Nations counter-terrorism coordinator. Such an appointment must be considered carefully, however. We must ensure that it does not duplicate the functions of existing structures and that it translates into genuine improvements on the ground. We should be wary of mistaking process for progress. Each and every victim of terrorism has a face and a family, a name and a story. They are people like us. In all corners of the world, the voices of the victims should ring louder than the deadly siren songs of terrorists. Israel greatly appreciates the priority that the Secretary-General has placed on victims of terrorism. Victims’ stories can help prevent those at risk from joining the ranks of terrorists. They can compel communities to move from indifference to action. The Secretary-General’s report notes that a range of United Nations entities are working today to counter radicalization. That is important, but much more must be done. For years, Israel has warned of the unmistakable link between incitement and terrorism. Terrorism does not begin with an attack on a bus or café. That is how terrorism ends. Terrorism begins with words and thoughts of hatred. Terrorism begins when individuals dehumanize others and glorify martyrs. It begins when the world stands by as extremists create a culture of death. Unfortunately, today, in too many parts of our region, the next generation of children is being taught hatred instead of peace and violence instead of tolerance. The international community has a very clear duty to prevent this incitement in mosques, schools, in the media and elsewhere. Just as States have an obligation under the Global Strategy to bring terrorists to justice, we must also pursue those who build the foundations of terrorism by teaching children to hate. States that sponsor terrorism should find no refuge in these halls. One nation stands above all others as an active supporter of terrorism. Iran is the central banker, primary sponsor and chief trainer of terrorists from Bangkok to Baghdad, from the Gaza Strip to the Washington Beltway. Iran sits on Bashar Al-Assad’s advisory board, guiding him on how to butcher the Syrian people more effectively. In the civilian villages of southern Lebanon, it has helped the Hizbullah terrorist organization to build up an arsenal of more missiles than are possessed by most conventional armies. In Gaza, it is arming Hamas with the advanced rockets that continue to rain down on Israeli civilians day after day. In the past week alone, more than 125 rockets have been fired into Israeli cities, homes and schools. On Tuesday, Iran’s Vice-President, Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, spoke to senior United Nations officials at an event in Tehran supposedly dedicated to the issue of illicit drug trafficking. He said that the teachings of the Talmud  — one of Judaism’s holiest books  — are responsible for “inciting global drug trade and addiction in a bid to annihilate non-Jewish communities”. He added that gynaecologists around the world kill “black babies” on the orders of the Zionists.Those vile anti-Semitic statements are outrageous. They defame the Jewish faith, the Jewish State and the Jewish people. They should bring immediate condemnation from all corners of the United Nations. I call on all responsible members of the international community to speak out immediately, forcefully and unequivocally against Iranian anti-Semitic statements and hatred. Some countries represented in this Hall condemn such appalling anti-Semitic rants; there are many more that have failed to do so until now. History shows that words can kill, and there are times when silence is not an option. The international community must send a clear message to Iran and other States that sponsor, incite and support terrorism. We cannot allow them to place deadly tools in the hands of terrorists or offer them safe havens from which to operate. In that regard, the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force must intensify its efforts to provide technical assistance and raise awareness at the national level, which allows for the designation of terrorists, terrorist organizations and those who support them. That work is critical to removing any legal void or ambiguity in confronting the plague. Israel is on the front lines in the fight against terrorism. That is not by choice, but by necessity. Since our inception, we have had to struggle day after day against terrorists who brutally target our civilians, while at the same time acting to preserve our democracy and rule of law. That is a unique challenge. As Israel’s Supreme Court wrote in a famous ruling, “This is the destiny of democracy, as not all means are acceptable to it, and not all practices employed by its enemies are open before it. Although a democracy must often fight with one hand tied behind its back, it nonetheless has the upper hand.” As a party to the core United Nations conventions on terrorism, Israel has enacted effective legislation to implement its international obligations pursuant to those instruments. We are committed to working at the international, regional and bilateral levels to confront terrorism wherever it rears its head. Over many years, we have developed a unique body of knowledge and capabilities in the field. Through our ongoing technical cooperation and support of projects, including through United Nations agencies, we are sharing our expertise and contributing professionally to global counter-terrorism efforts. The words spoken here today are only as meaningful as the political will that stands behind them. The Global Strategy can only be as effective as the support that it receives from the nations represented in this Hall. The great threat posed by terrorism calls for more than the international community’s best efforts. We have no other choice but to succeed. As Winston Churchill once said, “It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required”.

My delegation would like to thank the Secretary-General for his informative report on the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, including his recommendations on the way forward (A/66/762 and A/66/762/Add.1). Terrorism cannot be overcome without respect for human rights and the rule of law. That must be the starting point for all our efforts against terrorism. Democracy, freedom of speech, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are all crucial to preventing the emergence of terrorism. The terrorist attacks in Norway last July demonstrated that no society can take these values for granted. Preventing terrorism requires a comprehensive and long-term approach. We must make use of a broad range of measures, including political, economic, legal and military means, and we must maintain a long-term perspective. That approach is at the core of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and that is why Norway not only supports the Strategy but seeks its full implementation as the core of our long-term counter-terrorism policy. The responsibility for implementing the Global Strategy lies with the Member States, yet the United Nations has an important role to play in coordinating counter-terrorism efforts at the global, regional and country levels, and in assisting Member States in their implementation of the Strategy. However, there is a need to further strengthen cooperation and coordination among United Nations entities to increase efficiency and avoid overlap or gaps. Therefore, Norway welcomes the proposal to appoint a high-level United Nations counter-terrorism coordinator, responsible for strategy coordination, coherence and implementation of the Strategy. The Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force is charged with coordinating the efforts of United Nations agencies and other international organizations to assist Member States. In particular, the Integrated Assistance for Countering Terrorism (I-ACT) framework has yielded positive results in coordination at the country level. Norway supports the Task Force both politically and financially, and is pleased to be associated with the I-ACT project. Let me conclude by making two brief points. First, we must recognize the important role that victims of terrorism can play, not only because they can counter the appeal of terrorism, but also because they have much to offer in terms of understanding. We should listen to victims and be guided by their experiences when formulating counter-terrorism policies. Victims of terrorism should be treated with dignity and respect. Secondly, I would also like to note that civil society provides valuable input in many political areas. Hence, it also plays an important role in the implementation of the Global Strategy. Norway thus strongly supports a stronger role for civil society, both internationally and within individual Member States, on all four pillars of the Strategy. For that reason, we should encourage civil society to increase its engagement, and we should establish mechanisms for such engagement in relevant areas and forums.

First of all, I would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for his opening remarks. Likewise, I wish to thank Ambassador Guillermo Rishchynski of Canada and his able team for their unremitting efforts to facilitate an agreement on the draft resolution before us today (A/66/L.53). In 2006, the General Assembly took a historic step when it unanimously adopted the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (see resolution 60/288). It was a milestone in reaffirming the international community’s collective commitment to combating the shared threat of terrorism. The establishment of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) in December 2009 constituted another significant step in the same direction. At the same time, the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre under the auspices of the CTITF is another institution that has helped to promote our efforts to counter terrorism within the United Nations. From the first day of its inception, the Centre has received much attention and support from the Member States. I believe that the Centre will play an instrumental role in meeting Member States’ increasing number of requests for technical assistance and capacity-building. The review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy presents us with a unique opportunity to examine biennial progress made in the implementation of the Strategy. On this occasion, we will consider updating it so that it responds to the new challenges posed by the changing nature of terrorist acts. In that context, I would like to thank Assistant Secretaries-General Bob Orr and Mike Smith for their invaluable efforts to promote the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy as a whole. We cannot counter terrorism solely through law enforcement measures. While the security component of the fight is critical, it is not alone sufficient to obtain the desired result. It is simply not possible to achieve lasting security at the cost of democratic freedoms. Hence, we must preserve the critical balance between security requirements, on the one hand, and democratic freedoms and basic human rights, on the other. However, like all democratic rights, freedom of speech should not be abused. Incitement to terrorism, violence, racial/ ethnic hatred and discrimination, or glorifying such acts, cannot be accepted or condoned. We should continue to enhance existing measures and to adopt new ones to prevent and to combat terrorism, in particular by denying terrorists access to the means to carry out their attacks, to their targets and to the intended impact of those attacks. However, any counter-terrorism strategy, no matter how successful on its own merits, can lead to tangible results only if it benefits from international cooperation and the true support of other nations. Let me touch upon a few points. A lack of capacity, particularly in expertise and resources, constitutes the highest challenge for many countries. Enhancing capacity-building and law enforcement in all Member States requires particular attention. Cooperation at the regional and subregional levels is particularly significant to countering terrorism. In that context, it is important to build new partnerships, to enhance institutional capacities and to develop cooperative networks. That would have an enduring impact on our collective efforts. I believe that disseminating information through the United Nations and creating awareness of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and relevant Security Council resolutions are essential. We need to redouble our efforts to strengthen United Nations outreach with that aim. I believe that ensuring effective implementation is highly important to succeeding in our endeavours to combat terrorism. In conclusion, I take this opportunity once again to underline Turkey’s full commitment in that regard and to voice our belief that the international community can and will win such a campaign.

Liechtenstein strongly condemns all acts of terrorism, irrespective of their motivation and wherever and by whomsoever committed. We also reaffirm our commitment to contribute to the fullest extent to the international fight against terrorism in all its aspects, including through cooperation with the relevant United Nations bodies and through the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We are pleased that the third review of the Strategy has resulted in its reaffirmation, thus underscoring that the international community is united in the fight against terrorism. We strongly believe that the General Assembly must continue to play a key role in shaping the work of the United Nations, including the Security Council and the Human Rights Council, to combat terrorism. We would like to thank Canada for having steered us through the review process. In our view, the highlight of this year’s review is the greater attention given to the plight of victims of terrorism. Supporting the victims of terrorism, including through steps for their rehabilitation, must be one of our top priorities. Such victims must also be given a stronger voice in our efforts, as they are the ones who can send the most powerful message against the terrorists’ message of violence. The adoption of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006 (resolution 60/288) was a unique achievement that brought significant progress in our effort to enhance and to streamline the counter-terrorism work of the United Nations and its Member States. We strongly support the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, which will further benefit from the newly established United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre. Furthermore, we support the Secretary-General’s proposal to establish a system-wide counter-terrorism coordinator as a step towards greater coherence and impact. We remain keenly aware of the inherent limits of any effort to coordinate the various United Nations entities with different mandates and reporting lines. In establishing that position, we will have to find the right balance between respecting mandates and eliminating the existing fragmentation, to the extent possible. A key aspect of the Strategy is the balance provided by its four pillars: addressing the conditions conducive to terrorism, preventing and combating terrorism, capacity-building and respect for human rights and the rule of law. All four pillars must be evenly implemented by States and by the United Nations. We all know that that is often not the case in practice. In particular, measures to ensure respect for human rights and the rule of law, as the fundamental basis for the fight against terrorism, are often just an afterthought, at best. At worst, counter-terrorist operations are undertaken without due regard for the rights of innocent civilians, or even target civilian populations for political reasons. That issue requires greater attention from the United Nations system, including the Security Council in the most serious cases, but also in the context of responsible capacity-building. Full respect for human rights while countering terrorism is not only an obligation under international law. It is also part of an effective fight against terrorism as systematic violations of human rights can be exploited by those who wish to promote terrorist movements. The importance of the human rights dimension also requires the United Nations to lead by example in areas where it undertakes concrete measures to prevent and to combat terrorism. In that regard, the Security Council has made significant progress by establishing, and by subsequently strengthening, the Office of the Ombudsperson of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999). We commend the work of the Ombudsperson, Ms. Kimberly Prost, who has admirably managed, within a short time and with limited resources, to bring greater fairness to the Al-Qaida sanctions regime. Such gains, however, remain fragile as the Ombudsperson system can only be effective with the full cooperation of all States concerned. We call on the Security Council to consider that aspect, in particular, when extending the mandate of the Ombudsperson at the end of this year.

At the outset, I wish to join others in extending our appreciation to the President for convening this highly important meeting, which allows us to take stock of the progress made in implementing the landmark Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy of 2006. I also wish to thank the Secretary-General for his report (A/66/762) on the ongoing implementation of the Strategy. Last, but not least, I wish to pay tribute to the tireless efforts and the excellent work of Ambassador Rishchynski, Permanent Representative of Canada, in facilitating consultations on the draft resolution on the third review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/66/L.53). At this juncture, I wish to align my statement with that made by the Permanent Representative of Syria on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Today, as we celebrate the sixth anniversary of the landmark Strategy, we do so with a sense of pride and accomplishment. For the first time, the international community came together as one to agree on a common Strategy that is all-encompassing and addresses the ugly scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, in all aspects and at all levels. The four pillars outlined in the Strategy allow us to deal with terrorism in an integrated manner. On this, my delegation feels that it is also important to deal with the various aspects of terrorism in a balanced way that gives equal attention to all four pillars of the Strategy. This is something that Malaysia has always been committed to and is reflected in our efforts to combat terrorism thus far. At the national level, Malaysia has ratified 9 of the 13 international conventions and protocols on terrorism and taken various measures to fulfil its obligations, as set forth by the General Assembly and the Security Council. We are in the midst of amending the relevant national laws to enable us to accede to the remaining conventions and protocols. Malaysia established the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism with the aim of enhancing capacity-building and extending technical assistance at the international level. Since its inception in November 2002, the Centre has conducted 96 training courses, workshops and forums attended by over 3,000 local and foreign participants. Of late, the Centre has expanded its collaboration with other international organizations, such as the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Malaysia has also signed bilateral agreements to enhance cooperation on counter-terrorism with many of our partners in the region and beyond. Malaysia believes in the saying that prevention is better than cure. In addressing some of the more common factors that lead people to turn to terrorism, Malaysia has taken various measures to eradicate hardcore poverty in the country and ensure that the population enjoys equitable economic growth. The Government has also ensured that Malaysia’s expenditure on education consistently exceeds 20 per cent of the annual national budget. Humiliation, despair and a sense of utter hopelessness are another wellspring of terrorism. In this regard, we believe in the undeniable need to allow those who live under occupation to enjoy their most fundamental right to life and liberty with dignity and hope. The international community must do more if we are truly sincere about and committed to eradicating terrorism and extremism, and we must act accordingly. We cannot pretend that the problem in the Middle East does not exist, nor can we continue to live in a state of denial about the atrocities that have been committed. So long as there are populations that live in dismal conditions and in despair, knowing that neither they nor their children have any hope for improvement in their lives, our efforts to eradicate terrorism will end in vain. While greater interaction and understanding are pivotal in building trust, Malaysia believes that the real problem that exists today is not between peoples of different faiths and cultures. It is, rather, between moderates and extremists of all faiths and cultures. It is for this reason that the Prime Minister of Malaysia called for the establishment of a global movement of the moderates during the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly. It is essentially a call on the silent majority of moderate people of all faiths and cultures to drown out the voices of hatred and extremism that have been perpetuated by a mere handful. It is an avenue that supports the voice of reason, understanding, tolerance and respect. What is pertinent is that moderates be seen as occupying the centre stage and that they push extremism and terrorism to the periphery. While we take a step back and examine the progress made, we must also look forward to what lies ahead. On this, my delegation is supportive of efforts to enhance counter-terrorism measures, and we look forward to further discussions leading to the appointment of an overall United Nations Counter-Terrorism coordinator, as proposed by the Secretary-General. This would create greater coherence in the work of the United Nations in fighting this ugly scourge. Malaysia appreciates the fact that the third review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy has brought the international community one step closer to achieving our noble intention of eradicating terrorism. To that end, rest assured, Sir, of Malaysia’s firm commitment to see a world free from terrorism.

Let me begin by thanking Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his report on the activities of the United Nations system in implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/66/762). The delegation of Indonesia is very pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this important third review of the Strategy, because this is the forum where we can measure our progress on this very critical agenda item and share views, best practices and lessons learned. In this regard, the delegation of Indonesia also appreciates the initiative of the President of the General Assembly in convening yesterday the seminar on dialogue, understanding and countering the appeal of terrorism. Terrorism continues to pose extremely serious challenges to the international community as a whole. There is ample proof that it remains a persistent, evolving and long-term threat to the security, stability and socio-economic development of all regions. The root causes of terrorism are varied and deep-seated. They demand a comprehensive response that will address all aspects of terrorism. Law enforcement alone will not suffice. Our response must also address those conditions that are conducive to the spread of terrorism, and broad and long-term strategies that make use of the soft-power approach. In this regard, the only realistic response to the threat of terrorism lies in international cooperation. That is why the Strategy is a viable and effective challenge to the growth of terrorism the world over. We have always advocated the need, however, for the Strategy to be fully and diligently implemented by members of the international community. It remains an article of faith for us that the Strategy must be implemented in full recognition of the principles of the United Nations Charter, particularly as they pertain to the sovereign equality of States and their territorial integrity and political independence. As Indonesia has always emphasized, however, it is of the greatest importance that all the pillars be implemented in a comprehensive, consistent and balanced way, because each is as important as the others. No pillar is less important, and no pillar comes before another. I am pleased to say that, at the global level, Indonesia has so far ratified seven of the 16 instruments related to counter-terrorism. We continue to work closely with various United Nations organs, such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, to promote the ratification of these instruments and to strengthen capacity-building for their implementation. We also continue to cooperate with the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) in promoting the implementation of the Strategy. In this regard, Indonesia participated actively in the symposium on international counter-terrorism cooperation convened by the Secretary-General last September, and in the media round table organized by the CTITF, on supporting the United Nations in advancing international cooperation to combat terrorism. We are also pleased to say that Indonesia and several other countries have been working within the Global Counterterrorism Forum framework, which, we are confident, could help advance the implementation of the Global Strategy. At the regional level, Indonesia has participated in several initiatives, such as the Asian-European meeting, the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum and the Bali Regional Ministerial Meeting on Counter-Terrorism, on various areas of counter-terrorism. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has a strong and highly coordinated counter-terrorism approach with various programmes. Indonesia also ratified the ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism in April 2012. We believe that the Convention will fully supplement and support the implementation of the Strategy, especially in the area of human rights and addressing the conditions conducive to terrorism. The Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation, established by Indonesia and Australia in 2004, continues to enhance the capacity of law enforcement authorities in the Asia-Pacific region with a variety of training programmes that have benefited relevant officials from over 52 countries. At the national level, Indonesia’s equally rigorous legislative and law enforcement approach to counter-terrorism has seen hundreds of suspected terrorists brought to justice, and many convicted. In our experience, terrorism cannot be addressed by using only the hard approach, and that is why, at present, our national counter-terrorism agency also employs, in the forefront of its strategy, soft-approach tactics that include deradicalization, counter-radicalization and promoting programmes for moderates. Of equal importance, it continues to organize and support interfaith dialogue as a way of empowering the moderates in our society. We continue to believe that, while terrorism and terrorist activity cannot be an excused, it is also important to address those conditions that are capable of contributing in any way to the spread of terrorism. In that regard, the implementation of the Strategy’s technical cooperation should be enhanced with the Member States to enable them to upgrade their capacity in line with pillar III. Furthermore, we must enhance dialogue among Member States towards promoting cooperation at all levels in the implementation of the Strategy. The delegation of Indonesia takes note of the proposal of the Secretary-General for the appointment of a counter-terrorism coordinator, and looks forward to achieving greater detail of this proposal. Finally, my delegation wishes to support the draft resolution on the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/66/L.53), and we look forward to its being adopted by consensus.

We have heard the last speaker for this meeting. Several representatives have asked to speak in exercise of the right of reply. I remind delegations that the right to reply is limited to 10 minutes for the first intervention and five minutes for the second, and that, according to established practice, must be made by representatives from their seats. I now call on those representatives who wish to speak in exercise of the right of reply.

We regret the statement made by the representative of Israel regarding Syria. We would like to recall that Israel should be the last to speak about combating State terrorism. This is an inappropriate term to be used by Israel, which was born at the expense of the suffering of the Arab people, their lives, land, security and homeland. Israel is in the habit of sending erroneous messages in an attempt to turn the eyes of the world away from its terrorist crimes. It is well known that Israel has many innovative trademarks of terrorism. As an example, Israel was the first nation to take a civilian airline hostage; unfortunately, it was a Syrian aircraft. Israel was the first to have assassinated an international representative. Israel continues to practise its terrorist activities in all corners of the world by killing and by destroying. Is the expulsion of citizens from Palestine, Syria and Lebanon and replacing them by settlers not a form of terrorism? Is not the killing of Palestinian activists in other States by agents of the Israeli secret services also a form of terrorism? Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

Earlier, the Assembly heard the representative of a main sponsor of State terrorism, the occupying Power in the Palestinian territories, make some unacceptable and insulting comments addressed to my country. It is very regrettable that we give the floor in this body to those who are behind the most horrific terrorist attacks of our times and have employed all terrorist techniques against the Palestinian people and neighbouring countries. Being accused by such a notorious State does no harm, as the whole world is conscious of the endless crimes that have been committed by that regime. We consider the statements made today to be simply a tactic to divert the public’s attention from the illegal and criminal activities that country commits, an example of which is the terrorizing of Iranian scientists in recent months, as well as the other crimes it intends to commit in future.

In the topography of terrorism, Syria and Iran are permanent features in the landscape. Iran lies at the true north on the compass of terrorism, while Syria is found at a nearby coordinate on the map. Whenever a Syrian or an Iranian representative speaks during a debate on terrorism, we are given an opportunity to gain insight into the mindsets and motivations of a State sponsor of terrorism. To the Syrian representative, I can only say that a regime that has murdered many thousands of its own citizens over the past year alone should be the last to lecture in this Hall. The Al-Assad regime has murdered thousands of its own people in the past year, and the death toll continues to climb as we speak. Syria is renowned for its expertise in the business of terrorism. Damascus harbours the headquarters of some of the most notorious terrorist organizations. They build terrorist infrastructure while seeking to demolish the edifice of basic norms and principles of international law. Syria is an open highway for advanced weapons flowing into Hizbullah’s bunkers in Lebanon and elsewhere. Syrian involvement in terrorism beyond its borders only mirrors the Al-Assad regime’s terrorizing of its own people. Obsessing over Israel has not stopped Al-Assad’s tanks from flattening entire communities; on the contrary, it has only distracted attention from his crimes. From Homs to Idlib, Al-Assad’s trail of destruction is tainted with the bloody footprints of the Iranian regime. They are fuelling Al-Assad’s tanks and loading his cannons. The desperate words spoken here by their representatives say nothing about Israel and everything about the desperate and despicable regime they represent. As for the representative of Iran, one does not, unfortunately, have to look any further than the recent attacks in Georgia, India and Thailand to see that Iran is the world’s central banker, chief trainer and primary sponsor of terrorism. As a leading architect of terrorism, Iran is directly involved in activities and plots, even on this soil. It provides sophisticated weapons to Hamas, Hizbullah and other terrorist organizations, and its proxies are the contractors and agents of horrific terrorist activities in the Middle East and elsewhere. Their actions speak for themselves. I need not say anything more.

I have a request for a second right of reply from the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic. I would like to remind him again that he is limited to not more than five minutes.

I was surprised to hear the representative of the Zionist regime respond once again to our words. I was even more surprised that she talked about maps, topography and the features of that topography in an occupying State that is exercising a new form of occupation based on expelling the original inhabitants of a country and replacing them with others. Any discussion of crimes can only remind us of Israel and its crimes against everyone. Shedding crocodile tears in order to divert attention from Israel’s crimes will never succeed. We have spent hour upon hour in meetings here at the United Nations, considering and discussing Israel’s crimes. The terrorism that Israel is perpetrating, as I have said, is multifaceted and, most important, includes nuclear terrorism against all its neighbours, exploiting the threat of nuclear weapons on its territory. I will end here. If I were to begin talking about the terrorist and criminal history of Israel, I would need a full day at least.