S/PV.4734 Security Council

As this is the first meeting of the Security Council for the month of April, I should like to pay tribute on behalf of the Council to His Excellency Mr. Mamady Traoré, Permanent Representative of Guinea to the United Nations, for his service as President of the Security Council for the difficult month of March 2003. I am sure I speak for all members of the Council in expressing deep appreciation to Ambassador Traoré for the great diplomatic skill with which he conducted the Council’s business last month. Adoption of the agenda The agenda was adopted. Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, Fiji, Greece, India, Israel, Japan, Norway, Peru, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea in which they request to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided.

In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council’s prior consultations and in the absence of objection, I shall take it that the Security Council agrees to extend an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Sir Jeremy Greenstock, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerning counter-terrorism. There being no objection, it is so decided. I invite Sir Jeremy Greenstock to take a seat at the Council table. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. At this meeting the Security Council will hear a briefing by the Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, Sir Jeremy Greenstock. At this particular juncture, I have the honour and privilege to state the following as President of the Security Council and on behalf of all its members. The members of the Security Council wish to express to Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock their deep gratitude for his work chairing the Counter-Terrorism Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001). His leadership and great diplomatic skills, together with his firm conviction that the United Nations must play a central role in the fight against terrorism were all components of his successful chairmanship. Ambassador Greenstock has built a solid basis for the future work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. He has also had the vision to initiate and promote a dialogue with other international, regional and subregional organizations. We pay tribute to his outstanding performance, and we wish Sir Jeremy the very best. I shall now give the floor to Sir Jeremy Greenstock, Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the Security Council. Sir Jeremy Greenstock: I thank you, Mr. President, for that statement. Nothing has given more momentum to the work of the Committee and of the Chair than the warm and consistent support of all my colleagues on the Council, and I thank them for that. Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting to review the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) on the basis of the Committee’s next quarterly work programme. We have absorbed and are working to implement ministerial instructions to the CTC within resolution 1456 (2003). The task of guiding the implementation of this programme will rest with my successor, Ambassador Arias, and I wish him well. The CTC’s work programme for its seventh 90- day period, contained in document S/2003/387, builds on the solid foundation gained from 18 months’ work. I should like to highlight for the Council two aspects: first, the excellent cooperation we have established with the vast majority of Member States; and secondly, the beginnings of a global network to tackle terrorism. Transparency and consistent hard work have been the instruments. In 18 months, the CTC has received 343 reports from States and others. In response, it has sent 243 detailed letters in its efforts thoroughly to monitor the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). For those furthest ahead, the CTC’s comments and questions are moving from examining legislation to establishing that executive machinery exists, is sufficient and is functioning effectively. We do not expect every State to move at the same pace, but we do expect each State to move at its best possible pace. The CTC will need to move ahead with both sensitivity and firmness as it gets into the detail of monitoring implementation. The existence of legislation was relatively easy to judge: it was there or it was not. But as we get into what the CTC has called stages B and C, the existence and then the utilization of Government machinery to prevent terrorist activities and to bring terrorists to justice, the CTC will need to deepen its understanding of what is required of States, and communicate that to Governments. There is no one standard pattern of counter-terrorism machinery for all countries. So, I am convinced that the CTC’s tailored approach must continue. States must be proactive in their response. The guidance is there. Log on to the CTC’s web site, which is getting increasingly good as a source of information. Talk to our experts, who know where assistance might be found. Seek assistance from, or offer assistance to, your neighbours and partners. Set your own benchmarks or use your regional organizations to do this. Because terrorism will not remain static. New threats will emerge. In January, our ministers highlighted weapons of mass destruction. We must at all costs prevent terrorists getting access to the materials used in chemical, biological, nuclear and other deadly weapons. I am pleased that the CTC will shortly meet representatives of those organizations and agencies with experience in this area: the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the World Customs Organization and Interpol. The CTC will need to explore how it can broaden its cooperation with them, including in its exchanges with Member States. I must mention here the States that need to do more to achieve full current compliance with the CTC. Three States have still not submitted even a preliminary report to the CTC. They are Sao Tome and Principe, Swaziland and Vanuatu. The Council should now decide what further action to take in this regard. The Council should also consider what action to take, if any, with respect to the 51 States that have not yet met the deadline set by the CTC for subsequent reports. All late submitters have been repeatedly contacted and offered the necessary assistance, and are in contravention of resolution 1373 (2001). Could I recall that there is a self-interest reason for responding to the CTC. We have all seen, for instance in Bali and Mombasa, the effects a single terrorist outrage can have on tourism, investment, the economy, social structure and political stability of a whole region. Counter-terrorism, in response, has now gone global, with the United Nations at the centre. The special meeting I hosted on 6 March brought together the representatives of some 60 international, regional and subregional organizations, all with counter- terrorism programmes. The event was important for establishing a global structure in concrete terms. Participants recognized that every organization had its own role to play and its own mandate. But they agreed that, by working together, everyone could shorten the journey and add more value to the fight against terrorism. So what does creating a global network mean in practical terms? First, it means a better flow of information. The CTC’s web site will be expanded to host the best information, in an user-friendly format, so that in one place an interested person can access information on assistance, regional activities, implementation kits for the conventions and every piece of collective best practice relevant to resolution 1373 (2001). Secondly, the network must be exploited, so that best practice spreads quickly and easily. The CTC will further develop the list of contact points so that contacts are made as simple as possible. I encourage all States, and all international, regional and subregional organizations, to use these contact points, and the information about what others are doing, to develop collective action. Now let me say a few words in my personal capacity. It is satisfying that the CTC has been complimented for the dynamism of its approach over the first 18 months. But there has also been criticism. Colleagues have asked: When is the CTC going to make a difference? When is it going to catch terrorists? How can it make a difference on the ground when it will not even say what terrorism is? They have accused the CTC of doing no more than push paper. These are perhaps understandable criticisms, but they are misguided ones. First, there has been a real change in a huge number of capitals. There is an almost universal awareness of the threat of terrorism as a particularly hideous form of violent crime. This has led to revised legislation, in some States already in force, elsewhere working through the parliamentary system. Governments are understanding the connection between tackling terrorism and tackling organized crime and other illegal activity. They are on heightened alert for suspicious activity, including fund-raising. And they are beginning to recognize that the world has changed forever. Secondly, the Committee has unlocked the potential of collective effort. I suspect that many participants in the 6 March meeting were surprised by the extent of existing best practice and experience, on which they can now capitalize. The international and regional organizations have understood that there is a standard of activity to follow. To keep up, they must become more professional, harnessing the activities of the international community, and sharing this with their member States. The 6 March meeting showed that regional organizations will be stronger, and will serve their members better, if they develop institutional capacity on counter-terrorism. They have also, like the CTC itself, recognized the link between resolution 1373 (2001) and other obligations, particularly those in the human rights field. The CTC will follow up this awareness. I believe that collective effort will pay dividends, because no country can prevent terrorism in isolation. Parts of the world that never considered counter- terrorism before are now taking action. This was well illustrated by a meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Botswana last week, attended by our own chief technical assistance expert, where participants grappled with issues such as how to prevent the movement of terrorists and terrorist- related goods in an open border region. I doubt whether, before the CTC came into existence, the members of SADC would have ever expected to tackle counter-terrorism alongside their traditional development agenda. But raising Government counter- terrorism capacity is a key part of development. Counter-terrorism policies must be mainstreamed into Government programmes and development programmes. Only Governments working together can raise global counter-terrorism capacity. But they have to be organized. It took a horrific terrorist act less than five miles from this building to shake the international community into adopting the legally binding and global standards of resolution 1373 (2001). But memories can fade, and so can the call of responsibility. The vigour of a central, catalytic body can make a huge difference to the maintenance of global law and order in this vital field. The CTC has become that. And perhaps, one day, it may become something more: a full-time, professional and global body of experts, working under the Security Council but following up all the avenues which resolution 1373 (2001) has opened. Speaking once again in my capacity as Committee Chairman, I cannot end without paying tribute to those most closely involved in our work over the past 18 months. The Committee’s experts have brought to us their experience, their professionalism and their enthusiasm, and the CTC has relied on them fully. I thank the Secretariat for managing a voluminous paper flow, ensuring that we have meeting rooms and translation and interpretation as required, and overseeing the smooth running of the Committee. I thank the Vice-Chairmen through the past 18 months, Ambassadors Gaspar Martins, Lavrov, Koonjul, Valdivieso and yourself, Mr. President, for your wise guidance and immense dedication. I pay tribute to every member of the Committee, without exception, for his or her constant interest, patience and constructiveness over these 18 months. I would be expected to add something else, which is the pride that I feel in the work of my own team in the United Kingdom delegation — Anna Clunes, Iain MacLeod, Juliette Gilbert, John Steven and Sue Broughton — in providing the intellectual and bureaucratic energy and innovation to fill the vacuum that stood in the world and in the Council on 4 October 2001 and in giving their dedication to the work of the Council and the Committee over that period. I thank them from the bottom of my heart. It has been an honour to chair the CTC for its first 18 months, and I thank the members of the Security Council for the confidence they have placed in me. Ambassador Arias has a far more daunting challenge ahead of him, as the Committee gets into the meat of its important work. But he has all the qualities to succeed. I hope that we have given him a solid basis on which to continue. He can rely on the full support of the United Kingdom Government and the United Kingdom delegation in the period ahead.

I thank Sir Jeremy Greenstock for his comprehensive briefing and for his leadership, which has laid a good basis for the future work of this Committee. To enable us to conduct this meeting as efficiently as possible, I would request that statements be limited to seven minutes. The presidency intends to conclude the morning meeting at 1.10 at the latest. If necessary, we will continue after lunch.

Let me first of all, Sir, join you in thanking Ambassador Traoré for his skilful handling of the presidency during the month of March and assure you of our trust and support for your own presidency. Germany remains fully committed to the fight against terrorism and to maintaining and strengthening the broadest possible international coalition against terrorism. Minister Fischer reaffirmed this commitment in his intervention on 20 January before the Council. Terrorist networks must be destroyed; its perpetrators must be persecuted by all legal means. Our efforts so far have already yielded first results. Six weeks ago, a German criminal court sentenced an active supporter of international terrorism to a harsh prison term. In fact, this sentence by a Hamburg court was the very first criminal procedure ever brought against a member of the 11 September terrorist network. We commend the Counter-Terrorism Committee for the increased attention it is devoting to the risk of terrorists’ gaining access to weapons of mass destruction. Close cooperation with all relevant international institutions is imperative in this context. International instruments of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation provide important tools for this end and must be strengthened accordingly. At the same time, we attach particular importance to the dialogue with other civilizations, in particular with the Islamic world, with the aim of broadening common understanding for, and dealing with, the underlying causes of terrorism. Our common fight must respect national and international law, human rights and the United Nations Charter. The rule of law must always prevail. Strengthening the rule of law and efficient judicial and law enforcement structures worldwide is one of the main objectives of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. This Committee has been a landmark in the fight against terrorism. Under the able leadership of its first Chairman, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, it has carried out its tasks with determination, dedication and transparency. We would like to pay tribute to Sir Jeremy for the excellent job he and his devoted team have done during the last 18 months. Allow me a personal word: Ambassador Greenstock has shown that policy is driven not only by events, but also by a personality that combines vision with energy, creativity and professional skill. His name will remain connected to the CTC. If the CTC were a piece of art, there would be a little mark in the corner: “JF” — Jeremy fecit. The United Nations can build on what he has achieved, and he can be proud of his achievement. For that, he has our admiration and our gratitude. We are confident that Ambassador Arias will continue to maintain the CTC’s high profile by successfully responding to the challenges laid down in resolution 1373 (2001), and we will actively support him in this effort. Germany will continue to assist third States in developing suitable measures to combat terrorism and to coordinate this assistance with the Committee. We will spare no effort in order to enhance and invigorate the international coalition against terrorism, within the CTC and all other relevant organs of the United Nations. To conclude, I would like to underline that this statement is complementary to the statement to be made later today by the Greek Presidency of the European Union, to which Germany fully subscribes.

Allow me at the outset to congratulate you, Sir, on presiding over our work for this month. I wish also to express our admiration for the intelligent and dignified manner in which Ambassador Mamady Traoré conducted the work of the Council during a particularly difficult month. My country welcomes the report submitted to the Council by Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock concerning the first 18 months of the existence of the Counter- Terrorism Committee (CTC), which he chaired during that period in a very skilful and responsible manner. We also welcome the new work programme that he is presenting, jointly with the new Chairman of the Committee, for the seventh 90-day period. However, before touching on the programme and its future development, I should like to voice my delegation’s feeling of gratitude, which we in the Council all share, to Sir Jeremy for his outstanding performance. It fell to him to put into operation a Committee that was unprecedented in terms of the scope of its mandate and its jurisdiction. He faced the challenge of mobilizing the whole of the international community behind the common objective of a global and systematic anti-terrorism campaign. That was a massive task, delicate and replete with difficulties. The Committee today is indebted to the zeal, seriousness, transparency and boundless enthusiasm that Ambassador Greenstock brought to the task. We sincerely wish Ambassador Inocencio Arias of Spain every success in the function which he is now undertaking. He can count on the fullest support of the Chilean delegation. To date a tremendous effort has been made in the implementation of the resolutions established in this forum. Member States have contributed to this effort, as have regional, subregional and international organizations, the Secretariat and, naturally, the Committee, as I have already stated, and its team of independent experts. We are on the right course to expand the scope of work to cover the operational aspects of resolution 1373 (2001), as set out in the new quarterly work programme. We should also keep in mind the guidelines set out in the ministerial declaration adopted in resolution 1456 (2003). In this same vein, we would highlight the need to continue to cooperate with States in order to enhance their capacity to combat terrorism. Technical assistance and guidance also play an important role in terms of the level of response that we expect from those States. The guidance notes and the information on sources of assistance to combat terrorism prepared by the Committee, which can be consulted on the Committee Web site, is a very valuable online information instrument which will help to facilitate the provision of assistance. Another aspect that we need to bear in mind in developing the future work of the Committee, as rightly proposed in the new programme of action, is intensifying contacts with international, regional and subregional organizations in the wake of the successful meeting, held on 6 March, between the Committee and a group of such organizations. This will lead to improving the flow of information on, among other things, best practices, codes and international standards. I wish also to express my thoughts about the origin of terrorist activities in various regions. In this regard, we look forward to the follow-up meeting that the Organization of American States will be holding shortly for representatives of regional and subregional organizations. The recent meeting held by the representative of the Group of Experts with the Commission on Human Rights and those that the Committee will be holding with technical agencies and organizations whose activities relate to the control of the use of nuclear, chemical, biological or other kinds of lethal materials to assess how to enhance the effectiveness of global activities to combat terrorism in these areas indicate the dynamism that we desire to achieve in our dialogue with these organizations. The Ministerial Declaration of 20 January urged member States to cooperate in resolving all the outstanding issues, with a view to adopting, by consensus, the comprehensive draft to combat international terrorism and the draft convention to combat nuclear terrorism. It is regrettable that the Special Committee, which met recently at Headquarters to pursue these negotiations, did not make significant headway in its work. Nonetheless, we hope that the effort will continue and that action in the normative area will not be paralysed. Lastly, I wish to repeat what my country stated at this Council to the effect that in a globalized world the fate of each and every one of our countries is that of all peoples of the world. For this reason, combating terrorism is not merely an issue for Governments, but must involve the commitment of our civil societies, and it must take place in a framework of legitimacy, respect for the law and full observance of human rights. In our Latin American region, marked for two decades by State terrorism, we well understand the need for maintaining the validity of these principles. For all who decide to combat terrorism using its methods degrades their own cause and proliferates the threat of terrorism. We are concerned that this principle be accepted by everyone. Again, as a member of this Council, I reaffirm Chile’s full commitment to the efforts of the Counter- Terrorism Committee and all the initiatives that the United Nations may undertake in order to eradicate this scourge. As Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), I would state once again that we intend to promote closer cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Committee, with all the members of this body and with all the members of our Organization.

Mr. President, we, too, look forward to a productive month under your leadership. We join others in thanking our Guinean colleague for his leadership as Council President in March. Eighteen months after the establishment of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), the United States joins others in paying tribute to the work of the CTC Chairman, Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, as he passes the baton to Ambassador Arias. Ambassador Greenstock’s vision and vigorous and committed leadership has helped put the CTC at the centre of the international community’s efforts to combat terrorism. His chairmanship was an outstanding success. I also take this opportunity to thank the United Kingdom delegation for all of the hard work and creative work that was necessary to keep up with such an energetic ambassador, and translating his vision into reality. In particular, I mention Anna Clunes, who was Ambassador Greenstock’s indispensable right-hand person throughout his chairmanship, and his legal counsel, Iain MacLeod. They have done exceptional work. I also want to join in thanking the Vice- Chairman of the CTC and the CTC experts. Unfortunately, terrorism remains a clear and present danger, an ongoing threat to international peace and security. It is a violent outrage that must be dealt with. In the last year, there have been major terrorist attacks in Bali and Kenya. Earlier this year, there was a terrorist attack against the United States consulate in Karachi, killing 2 Pakistani guards. Recently, there was an attack in the Philippines. Unfortunately, there continue to be frequent terrorist attacks in the Middle East and elsewhere. It is not acceptable to intentionally target innocent civilians for violent attacks. The United Nations Security Council must continue our work to fight terrorism. This threat must be met. The United Nations has made a valuable contribution in setting norms against terrorism. The United Nations is doing important work through the 1267 Committee to interrupt the financial flow to terrorists, to force them out of their comfort zone, to diminish the capacity of terrorists to do their evil acts. And the United Nations is in a unique position to help build the capacity of the international community to fight terrorism. And through the Counter-Terrorism Committee, under the leadership of Ambassador Greenstock, the United Nations has begun to make this important contribution to the fight against terrorism. As President Bush has said, the world is threatened by the risk of the world’s most destructive weapons getting into the hands of the world’s most vicious predators: terrorists of the world. Fighting terrorism and stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction are critical to a safer, more secure world. The Counter-Terrorism Committee’s task is to increase the capability of every Member State to deal with terrorism. All Governments must take effective steps to ensure that there is no support, active or passive, for terrorism anywhere. Chairman Greenstock saw early on that the Counter-Terrorism Committee could not accomplish this task alone. It needs the help of others. These include donors of assistance in the different substantive areas covered by resolution 1373 (2001) and international, regional and subregional organizations, enhancing the effectiveness of action against terrorism by their member States. The special meeting of 6 March, which brought more than 65 other organizations together, will not only help solidify these relationships and raise the counter-terrorism profile in these organizations, but it will also reinforce the central role that the CTC plays in the international effort to increase capacity. The United States is pleased that the Organization of American States (OAS) has agreed to hold a follow- up conference in Washington for regional and subregional organizations, and we look forward to providing support to the OAS on this initiative. In its review of more than 300 reports from Member States to date, the Counter-Terrorism Committee is focused on identifying legislative gaps in States’ capacity to fight terrorism and working with States and assistance providers to ensure that those gaps can be filled. This approach is paying dividends, but in order for the CTC to be effective, to remain credible, this work must translate into on-the-ground results. As Ambassador Greenstock said at the Security Council in January, it is time for the Counter-Terrorism Committee to move up a notch. The CTC will soon be focusing on whether States are actually implementing the legal and political measures necessary to prevent terrorism, so that we can name and shame those States that fail to meet their responsibilities. Effective monitoring of Member States’ actual on-the-ground efforts to implement resolution 1373 (2001) is necessary for the full global implementation of the resolution and for the continuing efficacy of the CTC. The CTC enjoys a strong mandate to monitor implementation, and this effort should be given high priority. As the CTC begins to focus on effectiveness, it will need to go beyond the review of written reports. For example, we will have to determine whether States’ police, intelligence, judicial, customs and immigration institutions are operating effectively. The United States believes that the Committee must expand its tool kit in order to conduct a credible review of these issues. For example, each CTC member should direct its overseas missions to analyse the written reports against the reality of implementation and share this analysis with the CTC and its experts. Moreover, the Counter-Terrorism Committee should request international, regional and subregional organizations to undertake such assessments, which can complement the work of the CTC without duplicating it. Organizations such as the World Bank, the World Customs Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization are well placed to conduct these assessments. Such an approach would be an appropriate result of the 6 March Counter-Terrorism Committee special meeting. In addition, we believe that some form of site visits might be necessary to ascertain the truth on the ground in certain instances. We look forward to discussing these and other ideas for enhancing the effectiveness of the Counter-Terrorism Committee during the early period of Ambassador Arias’s chairmanship. The work of the Committee established under resolution 1267 (1999) under the able leadership of Ambassador Valdés should also be noted. It, too, constituted a key part of the United Nations counter- terrorism effort. Security Council resolution 1455 (2003) rightly focuses on improved Member State implementation of the Al Qaeda Taliban sanctions regime. The United States believes strongly that the counter-terrorism expectations for Member States should be set high. We all can and should do more to meet the challenged posed by terrorists, who continue to seek to destroy the very fabric that binds us together. We must remain ever vigilant in our effort to end the plague of terrorism and to protect our freedom. The United States strongly encourages willing and able States to do more, my own Government included. The United States can do better. We are still learning how to deal better with our ongoing threats at our own borders, in our skies and across our land. The United States remains strongly committed to helping unable but willing States to achieve greater counter-terrorism successes. Increased assistance and capacity are key in this shared effort. The Counter- Terrorism Committee has made important strides that will require follow-up, both multilaterally and bilaterally. Finally, the United States emphasizes that unwilling States, whatever the reason, must be encouraged and, indeed, pressured, as necessary, to do more. We cannot tolerate unwilling States to be the weak link that undermines the international community’s shared counter-terrorism effort. These States must accept their obligation to the world at large. Ultimately, each Member State bears a special responsibility to fight terrorism. Those that harbour and support terrorists must be held accountable. They must be exposed, named and shamed. Shared vigilance must remain our watchword. Increased expectations, we believe, will result in increased accountability. Although important progress has been achieved, the international community’s counter-terrorism efforts remain incomplete. Shared attention and commitment will be needed for years to come. We cannot become complacent, nor afford to fail in our long-term counter- terrorism efforts. Too much is at stake, not just for America, but for all of us. Before closing, allow me once again to thank Ambassador Greenstock for all of his efforts. We are confident that he has left the chairmanship in good hands, and pledge our full support to Ambassador Arias and his delegation during the coming period.

Allow me, Sir, to extend once again the congratulations of my delegation on your assumption to the presidency of the Council during the month of April and to assure you of our full cooperation. As I have already said, I know that the legacy that I have left you to take up is a heavy responsibility. Indeed, war is continuing in Iraq. The Council has not yet fully recovered from the differences that arose before the war. But thanks to your rich experience and your personal skills, I remain convinced that the Mexican presidency will be able to guide us during this difficult period for the sake of the unity and effectiveness of the Council. I would like to thank you, and the other colleagues here, for the gratitude you expressed towards Guinea during its presidency in March 2003. I would also like to thank Sir Jeremy Greenstock for his presentation, which has further briefed us on work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). There is absolutely no doubt that terrorism, which is one of the scourges of our time, is antithetical to our Organization. The adoption of resolution 1373 (2001) and 1456 (2003), inter alia, and the establishment of the CTC by the Security Council have once again demonstrated our determination to combat this scourge robustly. My delegation welcomes the actions taken by the Committee to effectively carry out these resolutions. The drafting of rules on the conduct of the work of the Committee, the making available to Member States the necessary guidelines for drawing up their national reports, the publication of lists of contacts, the coordination of the question of assistance and the creation of a Web site on this issue are clear evidence of the desire of the Committee and Member States to fully cooperate on this question. We would like here to reiterate to the Chairman and members of the Committee, as well as support staff, our appreciation for the volume and high quality of the work that has been accomplished over the last year and a half by dint of their immense efforts. My delegation particularly appreciated the personal devotion of Sir Jeremy Greenstock as well as the transparency with which he has constantly kept Member States and institutions informed of the activities of the Committee. This attests to his determination to cooperate with all parties to complete the mandate that was entrusted to him. We have no doubt that the spirit that he has imparted to the Committee will continue to guide it. The professional skills of our colleague Ambassador Arias are a guarantee of that. We wish him every success in his new responsibilities as the Chairman of the Committee and assure him of our full cooperation. My delegation cannot overstress the point that the campaign to combat terrorism is long-term endeavour. The success of any action to counter this scourge will continue to depend on the solidarity of members of the international community. This is why we appreciate the strengthening of contacts between the Committee and international, regional and subregional organizations to improve its ability as well as that of interested States to combat terrorism collectively. We note with satisfaction the meeting of 6 March 2003 with these organizations and encourage the Committee to pursue efforts to follow up on that meeting. We urge all States to assume their responsibilities for implementing resolution 1373 (2001). Moreover, we hope that the international community will give particular attention to the question of assistance to allow all players to shoulder their respective responsibilities for the effective implementation of the various resolutions. My delegation welcomes the extension of the mandate of the Committee and urges it to continue its work with transparency and to focus its attention on the lessons learned from the 18 months of its existence in order to obtain better results. It supports the programme of work of the Committee for the seventh term. Finally, my country, which has always strongly condemned terrorism and taken specific and energetic measures to eliminate it, will continue to contribute to this common endeavour.

I thank the representative of Guinea for his kind words addressed to me.

May I take this opportunity to extend Pakistan’s felicitations to Mexico and to you, Sir, and your delegation on your assumption of the presidency of the Council at this crucial moment in global affairs. Your task will be challenging, but we have no doubt that you will live up to the high expectations that we have all come to have of you. I also wish to express our great appreciation to our brother Ambassador Mamady Traoré of Guinea for the excellent discharge of his responsibilities at a critical period in the history of the United Nations. Today we join others in expressing our warm appreciation to the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) for the role it has played and especially to Sir Jeremy Greenstock, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, for his outstanding and pioneering contributions in that context. We are sure that Ambassador Arias of Spain will be able to fill Sir Jeremy’s shoes admirably. Humanity has faced the phenomenon of terrorism in one form or another throughout history, but never before has the threat of terrorism possessed such vast potential or such universal reach. The events of 11 September 2001 have magnified, both in reality and in perception, the threat of terrorism to the world. No one can discount the danger of the use or the threat of use by terrorists of weapons of mass destruction or of other modern means of mass destruction. This is, indeed, a challenge unparalleled in history. Pakistan has suffered from terrorism for several decades from various sources, internal and external. This challenge has, however, only strengthened our resolve to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Pakistan is proud of the role it has played as the front line in the fight against terrorism since 11 September 2001. We continue to interdict terrorists on our border with Afghanistan. Our successes in capturing more than 500 suspected terrorists — including some of the most senior members of Al Qaeda — have not come easily. We owe them in large part to the heroic efforts of our military and our law enforcement officials, many of whom have paid the ultimate sacrifice in this endeavour. We are grateful also for the international assistance and cooperation that have made it possible to apprehend some key suspects. Pakistan has carefully noted the report of Ambassador Greenstock on the work of the CTC since its creation 18 months ago. We have also reviewed the seventh 90-day work programme and have noted the increased attention that the CTC is devoting to helping Member States in a practical way in receiving technical assistance to enhance their capacity for counter- terrorism. I should like to underline that what is important is that countries should take action against terrorism and that they should be provided with the resources and the ability to do so. We must not get caught up in procedures, processes and reporting requirements, which must be secondary to the actual action on the ground that is taken by States. The CTC has contributed by focusing on building the capacity of States to pursue anti-terror goals. The signature contribution of Sir Jeremy Greenstock and his able team has been outstanding. Today, I should like to look a bit at the future. We believe that the United Nations should pursue its counter-terrorism goals with a clear strategic vision and within a comprehensive framework. The Security Council’s debate today can help in developing both of them. A useful framework for United Nations action is contained in the tripartite strategy proposed last year by the Secretary-General’s Policy Working Group on the United Nations and Terrorism. The strategy consists of, first, dissuading disaffected groups from embracing terrorism; secondly, denying groups or individuals the means to carry out acts of terrorism; and thirdly, sustaining broad-based international cooperation in the struggle against terrorism. We also need to focus on both the operational measures and the structural mechanisms required to succeed in the counter-terrorism campaign. Our work on counter-terrorism has proceeded with moral clarity and despite legal ambiguity. The absence of an agreed definition of terrorism is an obvious impediment to both the operational and the structural measures required to combat terrorism. In particular, in the campaign against terrorism, we must not allow any erosion of the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations — especially the principles of equal rights and the self-determination of peoples. Nor should we exclude from the ambit of anti- terrorism the phenomenon of State terrorism, which is often the worst form of terrorism in the degree of suffering and destruction visited upon innocent people. In that context, we feel that it is imperative that the Security Council insist on the development of peaceful solutions to outstanding disputes and conflicts among States. The philosopher Nietzsche one said, “He who fights against monsters should see to it that he does not become a monster in the process”. Therefore, we believe that the CTC must devote further attention to the need to ensure the protection of human rights and the observance of international humanitarian law in the anti-terror campaign. The CTC could, for example, convene an informal working group that would include the participation of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, members of the Human Rights Commission and concerned non- governmental organizations as a useful way to identify concerns and possible solutions in this context. For the long term, there is a need to address the underlying causes: the social and economic factors that contribute to the most proximate causes of terrorism. The existence of poverty, of course, does not directly lead to terrorism, but poverty weakens States and communities and creates the frustrations and desperation in which extremist beliefs and the proclivity to violence breed best. The sixth preambular paragraph of resolution 1373 (2001) refers to acts of terrorism motivated by “intolerance or extremism”. Pakistan has taken legal and political action against extremist groups within our society in order to combat extremism and manifestations of terrorism. But we have also noted — and we welcome — statements which say that the war against terrorism is not a war against Islam. This assurance must be given greater credibility at the political and operational levels. There are at least three aspects which need to addressed. First, we need to promote greater mutual understanding among religions and cultures. Pakistan made a proposal to that end in the General Assembly, and we hope that this will contribute to this aspect. Secondly, we must focus not only on Islamic extremism but on other forms of religious and ideological extremism which are manifested in various parts of the world. Today, I would like to draw attention to the terrorism which is promoted by certain extremist political and other parties which have been responsible for the massacre of thousands of Muslims — thousands of women and children — in areas adjacent to the territory of Pakistan. These groups are at present busy raising funds through so-called charities in richer countries, including this one. We are afraid that such funding will be used to finance acts of extremism and terrorism. We must try to find ways to put a stop to that. Thirdly, the focus so far on terrorism spawned by extremists in the Islamic world should not be allowed to suppress the legitimate rights and aspirations of Muslim peoples and Islamic nations in various parts of the world. This is clearly the case in the context of the legitimate aspirations of the peoples of Palestine and of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their right to self- determination, in accordance with the prescriptions of Security Council resolutions. It is unacceptable that the slogan of counter-terrorism should be used by the Government in New Delhi as the most convenient stick with which to beat back the rising tide of the Kashmiri struggle for freedom. In his statement of 20 January at the ministerial meeting of the Security Council on combating terrorism, the Secretary-General said: “We are seeing too many cases where States living in tension with their neighbours make opportunistic use of the fight against terrorism to threaten or justify new military action on long- running disputes.” (S/PV.4688, p. 3) Last year witnessed the phenomenon of a terrorist incident being utilized by one State to justify a large- scale military mobilization and the threat of force. The resulting military confrontation almost led to a major war between two States which possessed nuclear weapons. It is essential to devise some safeguard mechanisms to prevent terrorist incidents and unsubstantiated allegations from becoming a casus belli for the use or threat of force, contrary to the United Nations Charter. One safeguard mechanism could be that, through the adoption of a decision by the Security Council, any allegation by one State against another that the latter was responsible for a terrorist act or incident must be investigated impartially, perhaps by a United Nations fact-finding mission or another United Nations mechanism. States should not be allowed to act as judge, jury and executioner or to use allegations of terrorism for the purposes of propaganda or, worse, for the threat of use of force or, worst of all, the use of force.

As this is the first occasion this month on which my delegation has taken the floor in the Council, I should like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency. We are pleased to see you presiding over our work; we are confident that we are in good hands. I should also like to take this opportunity to thank Ambassador Traoré for the transparency, skill and composure with which he guided our work during a month that was far from easy. My delegation would like to associate itself in advance with the statement to be made later by the Permanent Representative of Greece on behalf of the European Union. I should like to make some additional points in my national capacity. In its 18 months of existence, the Counter- Terrorism Committee (CTC) has accomplished remarkable work, which has been rightly recognized by all, in monitoring, pursuant to its mandate, the implementation by all States Members of the Organization of resolution 1373 (2001). This generally positive record is attributable in large part to the energy and dynamism of its Chairman, Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock. Like previous speakers, I would like to pay him and the other members of his delegation a well-deserved tribute. I have no doubt that the impetus that he has so effectively given to the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee will be of great value for his successor, our Spanish colleague Ambassador Inocencio Arias, whom we are very pleased to see taking over the leadership of that Committee. On several occasions, including during the ministerial meeting of the Security Council on 20 January, the Council rightly recognized and actively supported the significant work being done by the Counter-Terrorism Committee, with the valuable assistance of its independent experts, to secure implementation by all concerned of resolution 1373 (2001). Because of its multifaceted and global character, combating terrorism requires support and resolute action on the part of all. This genuine scourge is a universal threat to which no country, whatever its geographical situation or level of development, is immune. That is why my country welcomes the impressive number, unprecedented in our Organization, of national reports submitted to the Counter-Terrorism Committee to date. Nonetheless, as the Council has already noted in resolution 1456 (2003) of 20 January, all States must submit their national report to the Committee, pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) and in accordance with the timetable set therein. In this respect and if the need should arise, the experts of the Committee may give useful counsel and assistance to those few States that have yet to submit a report. This universal participation in combating terrorism, however, will be neither possible nor effective unless those States that are experiencing difficulties in fully implementing the provisions of resolution 1373 (2001) are able to benefit from the financial and technical assistance that they genuinely need. The Counter-Terrorism Committee has already created some very useful instruments, such as the Directory of Counter-Terrorism Information and Sources of Assistance and, more recently, the Matrix of Assistance Requests, so as to facilitate and contribute to a better understanding of the needs that have been stated in this regard and the responses provided by States, regional or international organizations to requests for assistance that have been received. We must, however, seriously consider setting priorities among requests for technical assistance if we wish to make that assistance as useful as possible with respect to stated objectives. It is encouraging that the Committee has initiated this process. It would be particularly useful in this respect for the Counter-Terrorism Committee, in the light of all the national reports submitted to it, to be better able to identify the difficulties of a general nature encountered in the effective implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). That would enable the Security Council, among others, to take the necessary measures, in a well- informed fashion, to remedy the problems that arise. Lastly, I would recall that the French Foreign Minister, Mr. Dominique de Villepin, proposed in his statement to the Council in January that consideration be given to the creation, under United Nations auspices, of a cooperation and assistance fund intended, in close cooperation with the international financial institutions, to strengthen national counter- terrorism arrangements, particularly in countries of the South. Consideration of this proposal should be pursued in the coming weeks in the appropriate bodies of our Organization. Moreover, France welcomes the vital cooperation in which the Counter-Terrorism Committee has engaged with regional or international organizations that have counter-terrorism competence and have developed programmes of action in that field. The meeting of 6 March between the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the representatives of those organizations was particularly useful in that regard. In addition to increasing the awareness of the actors concerned of the need to develop the fullest possible exchange of information, the meeting helped to highlight the important role that such organizations can and must play vis-à-vis their respective Member States in order to enhance and facilitate individual and collective action to counter the terrorist threat. Furthermore, in the context of its presidency of the Group of Eight, France is eager to strengthen technical assistance in combating terrorism, in support of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. However commendable the work completed by the Counter-Terrorism Committee to date may be, it must nevertheless be qualitatively strengthened. It is important in particular for the Committee to ensure — to a greater extent than it has done to date, for reasons that are quite understandable — that the diverse legislative or administrative measures announced or taken by States to give full effect to the provisions of resolution 1373 (2001) are given concrete expression and adapted in practice. It is heartening to note the Committee’s readiness to undertake this course, as indicated by its programme of work for this quarter. The cooperation of regional or international organizations with the Committee on this point will be essential in many respects. Indeed, those among them that are already evaluating the implementation by their respective Member States of good practices, codes or standards that they have developed in the various areas of counter-terrorism should be ready to exchange information on this subject with the Counter-Terrorism Committee.

At the outset, I wish to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council. I wish you every success. I am certain that your intelligence, impartiality and clear-sightedness will be of great assistance to us all. We wish also to congratulate Guinea on its presidency last month. The Guinean presidency did outstanding work at a historic, difficult and trying time, during which it demonstrated great flexibility and savoir faire. I wish to express my thanks to the mission of the United Kingdom, and in particular to Ambassador Greenstock and First Secretary Anna Clunes, for their arduous and magnificent work during the first 18 months of the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s existence. The Committee has been consolidated as the primary instrument of global cooperation against terrorism. This is due, to a great extent, to the wealth of professional qualities that make Ambassador Greenstock an irreplaceable diplomatic personality. I will do my very best to follow his example, however humbly. Terrorism threatens all States and must therefore be addressed in concertation. Since it easily transcends borders, international cooperation is vital. The chairmanship of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, now assumed by Spain, is a great responsibility to which my country is fully sensitive. As all here are aware, we have suffered from terrible acts of terrorism for several decades and we have first-hand experience, unfortunately, of the horrific effects of that scourge. We are therefore firmly committed to addressing it resolutely, in which task the Committee is an essential tool. We have received a significant legacy of work well done, in which the tirelessness and professional skills of the experts assigned to the Committee and the Secretariat’s services to the Council have also been essential. In that regard, I extend them our gratitude and assure them of our intention to continue to collaborate closely with them. As Ambassador Greenstock has rightly stated, the Committee is entering a new phase in its work, qualitatively quite distinct from earlier phases. Up until now, we have focused on identifying the existence of national legislation; from now on, we will focus on the implementation and effectiveness of that legislation. The Committee has been working on the basis of three criteria that should continue to guide its path: the principles of cooperation, transparency and equal treatment. Cooperation between the Committee and international organizations and States will be increasingly important. This is of particular significance, and the Spanish chairmanship recognizes it as such. Evidence of this, as Sir Jeremy Greenstock stated, is the forthcoming meeting of representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the World Customs Organization. We should not overlook the important role of the CTC as a catalyst and as an intermediary between those States that require assistance and those able to provide it. The CTC’s transparency has enabled the Committee to be perceived as an important tool in the fight against terrorism. In that regard, it is essential to develop, enhance and continually update the CTC web site in order to provide easy, fast and productive access to all States and international organizations. Finally, equality of treatment must continue, enabling the CTC to be a genuinely universal tool that works with and assists all States, making possible their mutual enrichment by means of, inter alia, an exchange of experience leading to the improvement and development of the mechanisms of the fight against terrorism. I conclude by appealing to the Security Council and to all Member States to continue working together, in accordance with the Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security in the face of the global threat posed by terrorism. And of course, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the members of the Council for the confidence in me that they have shown by electing me to head a task so important, so pressing, so crucial and so global in scope. I express my hope that I will be equal to the task.

At the outset, I would like to congratulate Mexico on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of April. The Chinese delegation will fully support the presidency in its work. We are fully confident that under your leadership, Mr. President, the Security Council will deal successfully with the challenges it faces. The Chinese delegation is also grateful to Ambassador Traoré and the other members of the delegation of Guinea, who did outstanding work in historic and very difficult circumstances. I also thank you, Sir, for presiding over this public meeting. As well, my thanks go to Sir Jeremy Greenstock, Chairman of the Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), for his statement on the Committee’s work. In the 18 months since its establishment, the CTC has worked to promote States’ implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). At present, States either have adopted legislation on counter-terrorism and established mechanisms against terrorism or are in the process of doing so. All agree that remarkable progress has been made. On 6 March, the CTC successfully held a special meeting with international, regional and subregional organizations. Participants in the meeting exchanged views on how to further strengthen international cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism. It was a useful attempt towards establishing an international network against terrorism. We support the seventh 90-day work programme that the CTC has adopted (S/2003/387, annex). I would like to take this opportunity to make two points on the next stage of the Committee’s work. First, work on providing assistance on counter-terrorism should be further strengthened. Effective practical measures should be taken to help developing countries to build their counter-terrorism capacity so that they can better implement resolution 1373 (2001). In that regard, the CTC should urge developed countries to increase counter-terrorism assistance to developing countries. Secondly, as mandated by resolution 1373 (2001), the CTC should continue to monitor the implementation of that resolution by States. We associate ourselves with Sir Jeremy Greenstock’s statement that the CTC will have to move ahead with both sensitivity and firmness in the field of monitoring and implementation. The CTC can actively make proposals on how countries can further implement resolution 1373 (2001). Those proposals should be effective, and practical and a tailored approach should be taken. The plan of action to follow up the special meeting of the CTC refers to the Committee’s intention to seek ways and means to alleviate the burden of reporting on countries. That is a common concern of all countries. We hope that the CTC and its experts will study that issue. I would like to highlight the tireless efforts that Sir Jeremy Greenstock, as the first Chairman of the CTC, has made to carry out and promote international counter-terrorism. Under his leadership, the CTC has achieved significant results and has been praised by Member States. The Chinese delegation also highly appreciates the contributions made by the Vice- Chairmen and the support teams of the Chairman and the Vice-Chairmen. Ambassador Arias will take over the chairmanship of the CTC. The Chinese delegation will fully support him in his work and is convinced that under the leadership of Ambassador Arias, the CTC will make further progress on the basis of lessons learned from its past work.

I would like to start by congratulating you, Sir. I am very pleased at your assumption of the presidency for the month of April. Allow me to reiterate our thanks to Ambassador Traoré for the brilliant way that he guided the work of the Council during the month of March; our thanks go also to the entire delegation of Guinea. By adopting resolution 1373 (2001), the international community took a far-reaching step forward in the global fight against terrorism. Through the establishment of a set of mandatory provisions and the creation of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) to monitor implementation of the resolution by all States, the Security Council took the effective lead in this fundamental combat against one of the main threats to international peace and security that the world faces today. It is on the work produced by the Counter- Terrorism Committee that we concentrate our attention today. In that respect, we would like to express our appreciation to Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, who, with unique energy and determination, has conducted the work of the Committee since its inception. Now that his mandate draws to a close, we fully endorse his declared intention, expressed during the Security Council meeting on 20 January, when he referred to the Committee as one with a sense of purpose, direction and momentum. He now entrusts the Committee to the new Chairman, Ambassador Arias. We wish Ambassador Greenstock all the best. To Ambassador Arias, we wish the best of luck in conducting the Committee, and we take the opportunity to ensure him of our full cooperation. As Vice- Chairman of the Committee, and after having gone through an initial period of adjustment, we are now more knowledgeable of the Committee’s methods and procedures, which will allow us to perform better. The fight against terrorism requires sustained, long-term and global action, with the United Nations playing a central role in combining its own leadership with national efforts. It has been fully understood by the international community that States are primarily responsible for adopting measures aimed at combating the financing of terrorism and preventing all active and passive support for terrorism, in compliance with the relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly 1373 (2001), which imposes binding measures on all States. The Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) was created as an instrument of the Security Council to promote the implementation, by Member States, of all aspects of the resolution. After one and a half years of work, the Committee finds itself at a critical juncture. First, with the sound teamwork built around the outstanding chairmanship of Ambassador Greenstock and, secondly, having secured the cooperation of the entire membership of the United Nations, the CTC now has a clear picture based on the self-assessment made by Governments in their reports of existing legislation and gaps that need to be filled. The practical consequences of that approach are translated into the revision and the creation, by a large number of States, of legislation that is in keeping with resolution 1373 (2001). There is a collective effort worldwide that has become more real, and particularly more tangible. For a large number of countries, among them my own, it is not an easy task to comply fully with the provisions of resolution 1373 (2001). That is not due to a lack of commitment or failure of recognition of the importance of the fight against terrorism. Rather, it is essentially due to the lack of both national and regional capacity to meet the requirements of the resolution. Many developing countries have enacted anti-terrorism legislation, but their scarce financial, technical and human resources impede full implementation of the legislative framework. Moreover, those countries lack the capacity for dealing adequately with border control and security, the movement of criminals, the smuggling of illicit drugs, illegal firearms, fissile materials and possible terrorist links. We recognize the necessity that my country and the countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) approach international standards in order to meet the great challenges and risks that lie ahead. But to achieve that goal, we need sustained long-term assistance, focused on national and regional capacity-building in areas relevant to resolution 1373 (2001). The recent special meeting held in Gabarone, Botswana, with SADC members, is a good example of such “joint effort”, and we welcome it. Only with concerted effort and international assistance will we be able to meet the reporting requirements of the CTC and strengthen our capacities in the fight against terrorism. I would like to recall here that the root causes of terrorism lie in injustice, poverty and social and political exclusion. Therefore, a concerted international effort and international assistance are needed to help many countries upgrade conditions and create legal institutions to fight terrorism. There is an urgent need for the international community to enhance dialogue and understanding among civilizations by addressing unresolved regional conflicts and the questions of poverty, social and economic development and the creation of political institutions that promote justice and the common good. In our view, that is the core issue, and if the international community is really determined to score decisive victories in the fight against terrorism, it must pursue a two-pronged strategy in dealing with terrorism and its root causes. In that sense, we praise the practical contribution of the CTC to strengthen anti-terrorist capabilities at national, regional and global levels. We conclude by reiterating our thanks to Sir Jeremy for his valuable contribution to the work of the Committee and for the working methods he has been able to instil in this body. The CTC has become one of the most active Committees of the Security Council today. I would like to assure Ambassador Arias of our full cooperation in the future.

First, I wish to associate myself with previous speakers in conveying to Ambassador Traoré our congratulations on the dedication, skill and tact with which he and his team conduced the Council’s work during the difficult month of March. Secondly, I wish to convey to you, Mr. President, my delegation’s sincere congratulations on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month. You can count on my delegation’s full cooperation. Finally, I wish to say how deeply grateful we are to you for having organized this open meeting on the activities of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), one of its characteristics precisely being transparency. Today’s discussion allows us to take stock of what the CTC has done since its creation. What we observe now and our overview of the work done attests once again to our solidarity and desire to cooperate at the world level against this transnational plague. It also gives us the necessary means to together take a look at the future. No State and no society can deny that terrorism is one of the threats to world peace and security. Terrorism wants to impose itself and its logic on us. To accept this logic would mean abdicating our responsibilities and renouncing all of our basic human values. But it is our refusal to do so that is the very basis of the global coalition to combat terrorism. The clearest example of this refusal is resolution 1373 (2001) of 28 September 2001, in which the Security Council established the CTC and entrusted to it implementation of the resolution. In the face of this menace, our common security will be best assured only if we fight together, in a well- considered, resolute manner. We are convinced that the United Nations is the appropriate legal and institutional framework for the development of the anti-terrorist campaign; the CTC is a clear reflection of this. My delegation has repeatedly stressed that terrorists of all stripes are trying to take advantage of the technological and logistical disparities between our respective States and of gaps in international legislation. Efforts in this area are necessary and urgent, because the current legal machinery, although pluridimensional, nonetheless remains sectoral and therefore incomplete. The delegation of Cameroon would like to express its regret at the fact that that the Ad Hoc Committee of the General Assembly established by resolution 51/210 of 17 December 1996 was unable, at its seventh session, held here last week, to resolve pending matters concerning the elaboration of a draft comprehensive convention against terrorism and of a draft international convention on the suppression of nuclear terrorism. The point can never be overemphasized that the pernicious and widespread threat posed by terrorism makes it incumbent upon us to strengthen our spirit of solidarity and to promote international cooperation, in order to ensure that information is disseminated more widely and to enable us to draw on the experience of various structures whose activities deal with counter- terrorism. That is what the CTC has been skilfully endeavouring to do since its establishment, with the assistance of a panel of experts that is particularly competent and professional. Thanks to the work of the CTC, States have become increasingly aware of what terrorism means and of the need to strengthen their capacity to counter this scourge. This has also made it possible to establish a useful dialogue among international, regional and subregional organizations. In this respect, we welcome the results achieved by these organizations at the 6 March meeting held here at United Nations Headquarters. Cameroon welcomes the broadly positive outcome of the work of the CTC. This outcome is due to the resolve, determination and creativity of an entire team, masterfully led by Sir Jeremy Greenstock. The President of the Security Council has just stressed, with particular eloquence, Sir Jeremy’s leadership and great diplomatic skill, as well as his profound conviction as to the role of the United Nations in countering terrorism. My delegation would echo those sentiments, and we wish to pay him well-deserved tribute. In the statement he made earlier, Sir Jeremy did not merely give us an overall assessment. True to his high standards, at each stage, and whenever necessary, he made extremely constructive comments and suggestions on ways to improve the work of the Committee established by resolution 1373 (2001). In its 18 months of existence, the Committee has received an impressive number of reports — more than 343. As the Ambassador of France stressed, this is unheard of in the United Nations. This is proof of the outstanding cooperation between the Committee and the States Members of our world Organization. We urge those States that have not yet submitted their reports to do so as soon as possible, because, while we recognize the need for each State to work at its own pace in drafting its reports, it is important that all should abide by the set timetable. As Ambassador Inocencio Arias of Spain prepares to take over from Sir Jeremy, I wish to assure him of the full cooperation of my delegation in his complex and highly politically sensitive task. We are already thinking about follow-up of the principal guidelines set out in resolution 1456 (2003), adopted by our foreign ministers last January; the recommendations that emerged from the special meeting of our Committee with international, regional and subregional organizations; and the necessary dialogue with other United Nations committees whose activities intersect with the work of the CTC. With regard to the new programme for the next 90 days, when we move to the concrete phase of the Committee’s work, we need the full support of everyone here. The plan’s objectives are ambitious and its approach pragmatic. We commend the fact that the programme has taken on board one of our major concerns: the question of assistance. Cameroon has always maintained that greater emphasis and more resources should be devoted to assistance if we want to achieve our goals. I wish to reiterate the appeal made here on 20 January 2003 by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cameroon that the various donors and technical contributors increase significantly increase and in a simplified form their assistance to countries that need that it. Under resolution 1373 (2001), adopted under Chapter VII, all States have obligations that they must meet. Cameroon, for its part, fully supports the measures taken by the United Nations to eliminate international terrorism, as contained in resolution 1373 (2001). The two reports submitted by my Government make clear our determination to discharge our obligations under that resolution. For our struggle to lead to victory, it must encompass the fight against poverty, famine and injustice. It is clear also that the best long-term strategy to isolate and eliminate terrorism lies in the promotion of democracy and social justice through the right to development. Terrorism, under whatever pretext, is unacceptable. Nothing can justify barbaric acts that inflict untold suffering on people; they are an assault on human dignity. At the Millennium Summit, we committed ourselves to freeing peoples from fear of all kinds. Let us keep to that course.

Over the year and half of its work, the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) has played a leading role in the system that has been created under the auspices of the United Nations to counter new threats and challenges. Its lead role in building up a global anti-terrorist capacity and its authority in strengthening international cooperation in this area are well recognized and respected by all States. We associate ourselves with the words of gratitude addressed to Ambassador Greenstock for the detailed information about the results achieved by that body, and we note the dynamism and the high quality of its work. I am pleased to associate myself with the words of praise for the personal contribution made by Ambassador Greenstock to that work. I do not think that anyone could doubt that its success, to a large extent, is due to the talent and the personal dynamism of Ambassador Greenstock. We are sure that the best characteristics of the CTC — its effectiveness, its non- confrontational approach and its transparency — will be maintained and built upon under Ambassador Arias’ leadership. I would also like to take this opportunity today once again to express gratitude to the whole CTC team, colleagues, Permanent Representatives of Security Council members, the United Nations Secretariat and, in particular, to the CTC experts. We support the CTC’s recently adopted programme of work for the upcoming 90-day period. The benchmarks contained therein will make it possible to maintain high output standards and to have a clear picture of the gaps that exist in anti-terrorist activity, to continue to seek to eliminate those gaps and to create a universal information network, as well as to concentrate on priorities for providing assistance to individual countries. In the CTC’s new work stage, which will be devoted not merely to assessing the legislative basis and infrastructure of counter-terrorism but also to monitoring effective implementation, a balanced and very well-considered approach will be particularly important. Our common goal is to establish effective international, regional and national mechanisms that are compatible and that make it impossible for terrorists to evade punishment or to take advantage of the weakness of certain individual elements of the global anti-terrorist endeavour. This approach implies strict compliance with all of the requirements of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). We support the urgent appeal to those States that have not yet submitted their initial reports to the CTC or are seriously late in submitting their second reports to establish immediate ongoing cooperation with the Committee. The CTC has adopted a strategically correct decision in placing particular stress in its future work on cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations. The special meeting of the CTC held on 6 March 2003 was highly commendable. The meeting gave a positive impetus to the Committee’s interface with regional structures, among which, we note with pleasure, the Anti-Terrorist Centre of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the regional anti-terrorist structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. We think that these contacts should be regular. The effective activities of the CTC embody the resolve of the Security Council to actively stand up to the threat to international peace and security that is emerging from terrorism. The Russian Federation, which is one of the Vice-Chairmen of the CTC, will continue actively to cooperate with all United Nations Member States to achieve real success in our anti- terrorism campaign.

We wish to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your assumption to the presidency of the Security Council for the current month, and we wish you success. We pledge our full cooperation, and we thank you for convening this meeting. We express our appreciation for the efforts made by your predecessor, the Ambassador of Guinea, for his successful stewardship of the Council last month. Today we are meeting, one and a half years after the establishment of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). In the course of that period, the CTC worked intensely and achieved substantive success in alerting United Nations Member States and in enhancing their capacity to bring their national legislations into line with the provisions and requirements of resolution 1373 (2001) and to combat international terrorism. Evidence of this success is demonstrated in the interaction between Member States and the CTC, and in the number of reports the CTC has received, now in excess of 340, for the first and second stages, in addition to a good number of reports submitted for the third stage. The CTC has been able to create an open and transparent dialogue with States and has managed to provide assistance to those States who have sought such assistance in order to enhance their capacity in combating terrorism. My delegation would like to take this opportunity to express its deep appreciation to the Committee’s Chairman, Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, his Vice-Chairmen, other members of the CTC and the experts, who exerted immense efforts to examine and discuss States’ reports. We would also like to thank the Secretariat for its effective contribution to the success of the CTC’s work. Today we would like to pay special tribute to the contributions of Ambassador Greenstock, who chaired the CTC over the past 18 months. He showed great diplomatic skill, ability and robust work. Sir Jeremy paid attention to the most minute details, culminating with the current status of the Committee. Credit is due to him for acquainting the international community with the machinery and work of the Committee and for creating interactive cooperation between the CTC and international, regional and subregional organizations, as demonstrated at the successful Special Meeting convened by the CTC last month. As we bid a fond farewell to Ambassador Greenstock in his term as Chairman of the CTC, having successfully fulfilled his mandate, we welcome Ambassador Inocencio Arias, the Permanent Representative of Spain, as he assumes his new function as CTC Chairman. We trust that he will fulfil this mandate successfully. My delegation pledges its full cooperation with him, as we had done with Ambassador Greenstock. Also, we welcome the composition of the new membership of the Bureau, and we support the next suggested 90-day plan of work, which runs from 1 April 2003 to 30 June 2003. The Syrian delegation reaffirms its intention to spare no effort in order to carry out the plan of action so as to meet the aspirations of all United Nations members. Here we would like to place on record that the active role of the Syrian Arab Republic within the work of the CTC during the past period will continue in the forthcoming period. As all are aware, Syria has been fully cooperative with the CTC in submitting the required reports. Building a solid legislative foundation for combating terrorism is essential, especially at the international, regional, subregional and national levels. For progress to be achieved, international terrorism needs to be confronted and combated within the framework of international legality, the United Nations Charter and international law, while maintaining full respect for human rights, the civil and political rights of the individual, and without compromising these rights under the pretext of combating terrorism. In closing, we must reaffirm, in no uncertain terms and without any ambiguity, that we should not undermine those who are defending their occupied territories and desist from labelling them as terrorists. Resisting foreign occupation is a legitimate act, guaranteed under international norms and treaties. This act of resistance is quite different from despicable acts of terrorism, which we categorically condemn and view as absolutely criminal. We must once again emphasize that we should be cautious and refrain from making accusations against specific faiths or nationalities. Terrorism is not exclusive to any religion or nationality; it makes no distinction between East and West and is a global threat that must be combated everywhere it occurs. The Syrian Arab Republic calls for further effective international cooperation within the United Nations and in keeping with the principles and purposes of the Charter and established norms of international law and treaties. Such cooperation is needed to stem the tide of international terrorism, which is plaguing the world, in all its forms and manifestations.

Allow me, Sir, to say how delighted I am to see you presiding over the work of the Council for April. I have no doubt that you will discharge your difficult tasks with your customary brilliance. I would also like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Ambassador Mamady Traoré, and the Guinean delegation, for the wisdom with which he conducted the work of the Council last month. As previous speakers have said, it was one of the most difficult months in the recent history of the Security Council. As an associate country of the European Union, Bulgaria aligns itself with the statement that will be made shortly by the Permanent Representative of Greece, on behalf of the European Union. Eighteen months since the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) was established under resolution 1373 (2001), Bulgaria welcomes the fact that the Committee has become central to the universal campaign against this devastating scourge. This is a real success story. The beginnings have been very encouraging, and this needs to be stressed. I cannot overemphasize the personal role played throughout these 18 months by the Chairman of the Committee, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, to whom Bulgaria pays sincere tribute. Sir Jeremy and his team have lived up to the extraordinary reputation of the United Kingdom’s diplomacy. They have worked with unequalled professionalism and personal devotion. Sir Jeremy has demonstrated that the old profession of a diplomat is conducive to the commonweal and the best interests of the international community. I have no doubt that in the future the CTC will find the ways and means to draw on the experience of Member States and the clear thinking of Sir Jeremy. At the same time, I wish to welcome the assumption of the Chairmanship of the Counter- Terrorism Committee by Ambassador Inocencio Arias of Spain. He has all the necessary qualities to demonstrate real leadership on the Committee. I would like to take this opportunity to assure him of the full support of my delegation. The programme of work submitted by the CTC for the coming 90 days, we think, makes it possible to reaffirm what has been achieved, in particular with regard to the creation of a global network to combat terrorism. We are pleased to see that the Committee is giving priority to the declaration that was adopted following the 20 January 2003 meeting of the Committee. That declaration highlights strengthened contacts with international, regional and subregional organizations. There is no doubt that these organizations have an enormous capacity to help Member States to implement resolution 1373 (2001). Bulgaria’s experience, from its perspective at the subregional level, has proved this point. We are very satisfied with the results of the conference of South- East European countries held in June 2002 in Sofia. Bulgaria continues to build on this initial success. The flow of information at all levels — national, regional, subregional and international — and the control of these flows are a sine qua non for the success of counter-terrorism efforts. On 6 March 2003, during the extremely useful exchange of views between these organizations and the CTC, this problem was highlighted. It is very important that we use modern technology in countering terrorism. The Internet can be a powerful driving force behind the exchange of information. The very interesting web site of the Committee, with its increasing wealth of information, is a very good example of that. Bulgaria stresses the need to prevent access by terrorists to weapons of mass destruction. We welcome the intention of the Committee to contact the representatives of the relevant international organizations and specialized agencies and to coordinate these activities with the Committee. It is very important to strengthen the non-proliferation regime of weapons of mass destruction, both at the international and regional level. Bulgaria has emphasized many times the importance it attaches to the 12 international anti- terrorist conventions. As the Council is aware, Bulgaria is party to all 12 conventions and it reiterates its appeal to all States that have not yet done so to become parties to these instruments as soon as possible. As to the legal context of counter-terrorism, we once again regret that the Ad Hoc Committee of the General Assembly, which was to have drawn up a universal convention to combat terrorism, does not seem to have advanced in its work at the pace that we would have wished to see. My delegation would like to warmly thank the experts of the CTC for their outstanding work. We wish to draw the attention of the members and experts of the Counter-Terrorism Committee to the fact that there are already States that are entering a new stage — stage B — of implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). I believe we can be confident that the Committee’s experts will be able to deal with these developments and in due course will be able to assess the progress made by States that are entering stage B. But for the time being, what remains important is undoubtedly the assistance that must be provided to States that are still trying to fulfil the minimum required by resolution 1373 (2001). States that are in a position to lend assistance should do so without delay. Obviously, a significant number of States are experiencing major technical and material difficulties. In conclusion, I cannot fail to mention the fact that, on 22 February, a law against the financing of terrorism entered into force in Bulgaria. Experts from several Bulgarian ministries and governmental agencies are actively preparing Bulgaria’s third report to the Committee, in which we shall detail information about measures my country is taking to fight terrorism.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as representative of Mexico. This meeting of the Security Council is especially significant. It provides a twofold opportunity: first, to renew the international community’s political and legal commitment to the fight against terrorism, and secondly, to thank and to pay a well-deserved tribute to Ambassador Greenstock and his team, headed by Anna Clunes. In that context, we also wish to welcome to the chairmanship Ambassador Inocencio Arias of Spain and his team and to wish them every success. The Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) remains in good hands. I take this opportunity also to thank the experts of the Committee and the Secretariat team, in particular Ms. Sujata Mehta. My delegation associates itself the statement that will be made later by the representative of Peru on behalf of the Rio Group. The Counter-Terrorism Committee is an instrument created pursuant to an exceptional resolution of the Security Council — a resolution that represents a step forward in the building of international law. Indeed, the fight against terrorism must be implacable and merciless; that is the resolve expressed in the mandate that the Security Council entrusted to the Committee. The fight against terrorism is ultimately in the hands of States, and it is up to the Committee to provide guidelines and support so that they can effectively carry out their international obligations in that regard. Terrorism is an act of barbarism. Therefore, fighting terrorism must be an act of civilization, carried out with scrupulous respect for human rights. We are fighting terrorism not only in order to live in safety, but also — and above all — in order to preserve and broaden our freedoms, to affirm the dignity of human life and to ensure the rule of law. Terrorism is essentially an enemy of freedom; thus the fight against this phenomenon must not be a pretext for cancelling rights and freedoms. In the fight against terrorism, international law must be our best weapon: that is Mexico’s conviction. The legitimacy of all our efforts would be significantly diminished if we were to depart from the fundamental principles and purposes that govern the Organization. For that reason, my delegation — in the context of the General Assembly and recently in the Commission on Human Rights — has promoted draft resolutions that emphasize the need to protect human rights in the fight against terrorism. In addition, we enthusiastically welcome the recent exchange between Ambassador Curtis Ward and the Human Rights Committee in Geneva, and we hope that cooperation in that sphere between that Committee and the CTC will intensify. My delegation believes that we must bear in mind the growing importance of this issue in the light of the report submitted by the Secretary-General in the context of the fifty-ninth session of the Commission on Human Rights, in conformity with General Assembly resolution 57/219. With respect to the progress made in the consideration of reports submitted to the Committee, my delegation believes that it has been possible to set priorities according to each State’s capacity to implement resolution 1373 (2001). In the subsequent stages, which will begin under Spain’s leadership, the Committee’s work must go beyond mere recognition of the existence of national legislation in that regard and must be aimed at considering the establishment and development of the necessary administrative machinery to effectively implement the resolution’s provisions. Capacity-building through the Committee’s assistance programme is one of the key elements that will enable us to move all States forward together towards our common objective. The CTC should explore all possible avenues so as to maximize its capacity to respond to requests for assistance on the part of Member States. All of the foregoing clearly reveals the Committee’s cooperative nature. The force of its mandate pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) lies in cooperation among States. In that connection, the certainty of a clear mandate that is free of ambiguous interpretations has been the factor that has enabled us, under Sir Jeremy Greenstock’s direction, to promote the consensus, cooperation, authority and legitimacy of the Committee itself. We welcome the forthcoming meetings of the Committee with representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the World Customs Organization and INTERPOL to consider the issue of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. Such meetings should serve as a preparatory step, before the Committee devotes greater time and effort to that vital aspect of resolution 1373 (2001). In this same context, the Committee should, in the near future, begin preparations to address the links between terrorism and transnational organized crime, pursuant to paragraph 4 of resolution 1373 (2001). Furthermore, the Committee has adopted the right course in promoting the idea that, on a voluntary basis, States might include reports presented to other organizations as part of the information they submit to the Committee itself. That would help to avoid the duplication of efforts and lighten the burden on States in terms of reporting requirements. Clearly the confidentiality required by States must be preserved. The special meeting of the CTC on 6 March with international, regional and subregional organizations represented a successful step forward. That meeting reaffirmed the will and the need to act in an effective and coordinated fashion. It is now incumbent on each organization, within the context of its mandate, to establish institutional mechanisms — if such mechanisms do not already exist — and to develop political and legal measures to back up all of those efforts. That is the difficult task that lies ahead. The decision of the Organization of American States shortly to convene a meeting to follow up the 6 March meeting is a clear indication of the commitment of the hemisphere in this regard. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Secretary-General for his report (S/2003/191), submitted pursuant to the provisions of resolution 1456 (2003). My Government has taken due note of its contents, and in this context we would like to highlight a few points to which my delegation has already referred. Combating terrorism requires a far-reaching response that goes to the root cause of such acts and addresses the underlying social, economic and human situation. Nothing can justify terrorism, but there are explanations for it. The best weapons to use against terrorism are sustainable development and those that tackle in a comprehensive manner the humanitarian problems generated by conflict in various parts of the world. In this endeavour, we should not overlook the fact that the promotion of human rights, tolerance and education are vital elements that must be taken into account in tackling terrorism. This is the new culture of understanding and the rule of law that the fight against terrorism demands. The United Nations certainly has a key role to play in realizing that vision. Only if we are united in our objectives and purposes and act in accordance with the law will we be able, in the long term, to secure our goal of effectively preventing terrorist acts. I would like to conclude by paying tribute to Ambassador Greenstock and by welcoming Ambassador Arias. I now resume my functions as President of the Security Council. The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Belarus. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

The delegation of Belarus would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. We are confident that, under your professional and wise guidance, the Council’s work during the month of April will be fruitful and constructive. I would also like to thank the Security Council for providing us with the opportunity to participate in the discussion of the report of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). Belarus attaches great importance to the Committee’s work in combating international terrorism on the basis of resolution 1373 (2001). I would like to thank Sir Jeremy Greenstock, who is completing his term of office as Chairman of the CTC, for his valuable contribution to the organization of the work of the Committee — a fairly new Council body, established following the tragic events of 11 September 2001 — and for facilitating its purposeful and significant work. Belarus welcomes the open manner in which Chairman of the CTC has guided its work, through dialogue with States Members of the United Nations and other participants in international counter-terrorism activity, with a view to ensuring the effective implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). We hope that that approach to the organization of the work of the CTC, as well as the provision of information about the results of its work, will continue under the new presidency of Ambassador Inocencio Arias. Belarus reaffirms its readiness to further strengthen its interaction with the CTC with a view to fulfilling the requirements of resolution 1373 (2001) and to developing international cooperation in combating terrorism on the basis of international law, the United Nations Charter and international treaties. Our Government commends the results attained, with the help of the CTC, in completing first stage of the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001): collecting information about legislative measures and other steps taken by States in implementation of the resolution, identifying possible gaps in the anti- terrorist infrastructure of States and determining when to provide consultative and technical assistance. Belarus submitted to the CTC, within the appropriate time frame, three reports regarding its implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). The work we have done in preparing our national reports has had a positive impact on the Belarus legal system, promoting the adoption of important standard-setting legislation, including a counter-terrorism law, and has led to our accession to a number of international treaties dealing with counter-terrorism. With regard to the future work of the CTC, we hope that, beyond legislative measures, priority attention will be given to activities to strengthen the law enforcement structures of States involved in international counter-terrorism and to tightening customs, immigration and border controls. We await concrete, practical steps in the Committee’s next 90- day programme of work with regard to the second stage of the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001), which includes forward-looking items on the CTC agenda. For Belarus and other countries with economies in transition, effective customs, immigration and border controls are of particular interest. Belarus has not to date been subject to terrorist acts — a fact that attests to the stable political situation in our country, the productive work done by our law enforcement bodies and the effective preventive action that we have taken. At the same time, Belarus regularly confronts the need to eradicate the illicit transit of drugs, the illegal movement and transportation of weapons and other transborder crimes connected with terrorism. These problems are under ongoing scrutiny by our leadership. In particular, the timely identification and suppression of terrorist threats were among the main purposes of the 2003 decision to protect the State frontier of Belarus by our border forces, which was confirmed by the President of Belarus on 31 March. An important event in the sixth 90-day period of the CTC was the special meeting held on 6 March between the Committee and international, regional and subregional organizations. The results of the meeting convinced us that countering international terrorism has become one of the key areas of the activities of many international organizations that should be recognized as active participants in the global anti- terrorist coalition. The provision at that meeting of information on international standards in the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and databases on the needs of States for technical assistance in countering international terrorism was very useful and provided good guidance for States in identifying practical measures for the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and sources of necessary assistance. We call on the CTC to continue the practice of organizing events with the participation of international, regional and subregional organizations, if possible with a broader time frame and with the participation of representatives of States in the discussions.

The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Israel. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Allow me at the outset to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for the month of April and to express our appreciation for the impressive stewardship of the Council by your predecessor. Israel and I personally would like to pay tribute to the outgoing Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), Sir Jeremy Greenstock of Great Britain, for his skilful and inspiring leadership. In the difficult months after the horrific attacks of 11 September 2001, the Counter-Terrorism Committee, under the leadership of Ambassador Greenstock, embarked on an important initiative to assist and monitor State implementation of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). His country’s leadership should be duly applauded for the vanguard role it has assumed in the global campaign against terrorism. We wish Ambassador Greenstock’s successor, the Ambassador of Spain, Inocencio Arias, every success in this crucial global effort and assure him of Israel’s full cooperation. To many countries around this table, terrorism is fortunately still a virtual or theoretical matter, but Israel speaks from bitter personal experience. We are the victims of a very real and bloody daily ritual; the victims of the most brutal, evil, cynical terror directed at our children and at our very future. At my last talk before the Security Council on 20 February, I spoke of this future. I expressed the hope that my grandson’s nursery school would no longer require the protection of armed guards against vicious and deliberate attacks. I expressed the hope that terrorism would cease. Unfortunately, the terrorism in Israel has continued. It is with a heavy and mournful heart that I recount these recent immoralities. Just last Sunday, a depraved suicide attack was perpetrated in the peaceful coastal city of Netanya against innocent civilians. Ramadan Shallah, Secretary-General of the terrorist organization Islamic Jihad, which operates freely from Damascus, Syria, aided by a member of this Council, proudly claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement issued from his Damascus office, Shallah vowed to carry out more attacks. On 5 March, in an attack described by United Nations Special Coordinator Terje Roed-Larsen just recently as an act of mass murder and an outrageous waste of life, a suicide bomb ripped apart a public bus in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. The bus was filled with young children and students en route to Haifa University. Seventeen were killed and 53 wounded, many of them civilians, by the powerful bomb, laden with metal shrapnel in order to maximize the extent of human injuries. In addition to these and other atrocious attacks, innumerable incidents of terror are thwarted on a daily basis by Israeli counter-terrorism efforts. Terrorism kills indiscriminately. Terrorism knows no border, nationality, race, age or religion. Terrorism poses a threat to all free peoples, and therefore there must be no distinction between good and bad terrorism, between the military and social wings of terrorist organizations. It is immoral to abuse the noble lexicon of freedom to justify the mass murder of innocents and to excuse these abhorrent acts for the advancement of a political agenda. Repeated resolutions and declarations of the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Secretary-General uphold the principle that any deliberate targeting of civilians for political ends is wrong, unjustifiable and immoral, regardless of cause or circumstance. As the world was horrifically reminded on 11 September, if the fires of terrorism rage anywhere, they pose a threat to peace and security everywhere. Terrorism is epidemic, and any attempt to douse one flame, one flare-up of this pervasive threat, while expressing sympathy or understanding for another will only undermine our efforts. Rather, we must strike at its core: at regimes that nourish the germ of terror through their support, inaction and complicity; at regimes with the ability to transfer biological, chemical and nuclear weapons to terrorists who have no compunctions regarding their use; and at regimes like those in Iran and Syria, a member of this body, that actively support terrorism to further their agenda, poking a finger into the eye of the CTC while raising another in support of its efforts. I encourage the CTC to exhibit the courage to name and shame those States that continue to support terrorism and compel every State to undertake a sincere and irrevocable commitment to eradicating terrorism from its own soil. I am encouraged that the call to name and shame has today been reinforced. I hope it will become the mantra of the CTC. In accordance with resolution 1373 (2001), the members of the international community must take active and aggressive measures to destroy the financial and organizational infrastructure of terrorism and to address the venomous incitement that is pervasive in the media and in the educational, religious and political institutions of certain States. The germ of terror is nourished by the inculcation of fundamentalist, intolerant and rejectionist ideologies. The glorification of murder as martyrdom is a gravely flawed moral sanction for acts of mass murder. No child, no baby, is born into this world wanting to be a suicide bomber. In our region, we are faced with countless crude and unmistakable examples of how incitement kills. Children’s textbooks should not serve as manuals for hate. Government-sanctioned incitement that nourishes and sustains the terrorist agenda violates the most basic human rights obligations of States. Our efforts to combat terrorism and to implement resolution 1373 (2001) must focus not only on the practical support provided to its perpetrators, but on the intolerant ideology that nurtures the phenomenon itself. Another emerging threat is posed by shoulder- launched surface-to-air missiles capable of destroying civilian aircraft at low altitudes. This threat was made clear just a few months ago in Mombasa, Kenya, when terrorists narrowly missed bringing down an Israeli civilian airplane. This potentially catastrophic attack, along with recent warnings of similar planned attacks in other cities, underscores the necessity for States to take urgent action to curb the proliferation of these weapons and the access of terrorist groups to them. We welcome the adoption of resolution 1450 (2002) condemning the attacks in Kenya and we urge the CTC to work towards the adoption of a universal standard to defend against these weapons. Man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) present the international counter-terrorism community with one of its deepest crises ever, requiring worldwide cooperation and coordination. The danger posed by MANPADS is particularly great because of their unique qualities: not only are they small, cheap and easy to operate, but they enjoy freedom of location, time, target and scale of operation. Terrorists know no limits, and none of us are immune to their threat. Professionals in the aviation security field are already working to combat the MANPADS threat and deserve the full backing of States. We believe that this support should include investing in defensive onboard technological systems, as well as tightening security control over airport perimeters. Israel believes it is critical that efforts to strengthen aviation security be complemented by stronger controls over MANPADS themselves. To ensure the success of efforts to prevent terrorist access to MANPADS, selling States should bear the responsibility of verifying end-user identity. In addition, purchasing States must shoulder primary responsibility for those systems’ security, storage, transfer, maintenance and monitoring. Furthermore, we would encourage the establishment of an international assistance programme to help countries combat the danger of MANPADS falling into terrorist hands. As a nation that has endured a terrible human loss to the perils of terrorism since its establishment, we support the noble efforts of the CTC and believe that intensive international cooperation is a critical weapon in the counter-terrorist arsenal. Israel stands ready and willing to continue to share its knowledge and expertise, learned from bitter experience, and to collaborate in joint efforts aimed at coordinating and strengthening our collective response. In doing so, we hope that the CTC will continue to take an increasingly proactive role in implementing a policy of zero tolerance for terrorism. In the wake of this global threat, we cannot confuse paperwork with progress. Clearly, enhancing the legislative and administrative tools available to States for fighting terrorism, and capacity-building in general, are crucial to our efforts. But the real test will always be the implementation of commitments on the ground. The filing of lengthy State reports cannot be allowed to serve as a cover for those States determined to persist in supporting and glorifying terrorism. Part of the CTC’s mandate under resolution 1373 (2001) should be to test Member States’ compliance not just on paper but in practice. Despite the daily threat of terrorism that plagues our region and the existence of regimes that adopt terrorism as a means to advance their political agenda, we remain resolved to overcome the devastating impact of suicide bomb attacks, which endanger both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples. Even in these dark times, we continue to believe that the day will come when we and our children will enjoy the fruits of peace. That dream leaves me hopeful. I hope that the upcoming changes in the Palestinian leadership will finally provide us with a real partner for a secure peace. Israel hopes that those changes will lead to concerted action to dismantle terrorist infrastructure, delegitimize terrorist groups and eliminate incitement. By fighting terrorism wherever it breeds, by a determined commitment to peace and to the end of violence and hateful incitement, we can look forward to peace and a better future for us all.

There are speakers inscribed on my list that have not yet had the opportunity to speak. In view of the lateness of the hour, and with the consent of the members of the Council, I shall now suspend the meeting. The Council will continue its consideration of the item on its agenda this afternoon at 3.30 p.m.