S/PV.4734Resumption1 Security Council

The President (spoke in Spanish): I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Afghanistan, in which he requests 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 that representative 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. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Farhadi (Afghanistan) took the seat reserved for him at the side of the Council Chamber. The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker on my list is the representative of India. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Nambiar (India): Please allow me, Mr. President, to congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. We have no doubt that your presidency would allow a careful and responsible consideration of the important issues on the agenda of the Council. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Ambassador Mamady Traore of Guinea for his adroit stewardship of the Council during a crucial period in the Council's history. Let me start by congratulating you on your decision to include an open debate on the critical subject of threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts on the Council's work schedule. My country, like most others, continues to believe that the main threats to international peace and security today emanate from the uncontrolled ravages of terrorism. It is sufficient to refer to the Council's presidential statements issued in recent months in response to terrorist incidents in Bali, Moscow, Mombassa and Bogota to be able to reinforce this point. The instruments crafted by the Security Council in the form of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the Taliban/Al Qaeda committee are critical in so far as they represent some of the most serious multilaterally defined and accepted efforts to collectively tackle a growing menace that respects no national boundaries, region or religion. I wish to take the opportunity here to join other delegations in congratulating Ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock for his wholly dedicated and selfless involvement in the task of taking the Counter- Terrorism Committee from a fledgling idea to a recognized landmark in the international fight against terrorism. The Security Council, the United Nations and the membership it represents owe a great deal to the structures and solid institutional foundations that Sir Jeremy has laid down in the form of the CTC. We are confident that Ambassador Arias, with his proven competence, will take the Committee to ever greater heights of achievement and effectiveness that the second and subsequent stages of the CTC's functioning call for. My delegation has consistently and unequivocally supported a strong international stance against terrorism. My country believes that terrorism is a common foe to all peoples, beliefs and religions, as also of democracy, pluralistic societies and peace. But this view is not confined to India alone. The countries that participated in the Second Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies, held in Seoul in November 2002, agreed that "terrorism constitutes a threat to international peace and security as well as to humanity in general and indeed the very foundation on which democratic societies are built". They also underscored that "terrorism cannot be justified by any cause or under any circumstances ...". Similar language underpins Security Council resolution 1456 (2003) adopted earlier this year. India's experience of being at the receiving end of externally-sponsored terrorism has demonstrated to us the unalloyed terrorists' goal of disrupting normal peaceful functioning of societies as a cynical tactic for the achievement of their political objectives. They, therefore, choose to launch their attacks upon places of worship, parliamentary institutions and public transportation, and to target voters and candidates engaged in democratic electoral processes, as well as isolated and vulnerable minority communities, women and children. In the past two decades, India has lost 60,000 of its citizens to cross-border terrorism in the Punjab, in Jammu and Kashmir and in other parts of the country. Only a few days ago, 24 members of a village in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir - 11 men, ll women and 2 infants - were ordered out of their homes and massacred by terrorists in full view of the entire village. Their sole qualification for being targeted for this extraordinary fate was that they were Kashmiri pandits professing the ancient faith of their land. The objective of the exercise was a selective "cleansing" through mass murder, which has been the objective of these terrorist groups and their sponsors all along: to attack the basis of a secular state; to attack the fabric of a society that has lived peacefully together for centuries in intercommunal harmony. Laced with the potent stimulant of fundamentalism and religious extremism, this is the hallmark of the terror being unleashed on India. What other rationale can explain the attempt to replace the prevalent peaceful Sufi religious beliefs traditionally practised in many parts of Jammu and Kashmir with the fanatical and uncompromising dictates of a purported orthodoxy that requires an enforced adherence to repressive social restrictions, and vile impositions against women and society? This incident has been noticed and, indeed, condemned around the world. What has gone unnoticed, however, is the tremendous restraint and composure displayed by the Government of India, and, indeed, by the various communities in India, in not being provoked into reacting disproportionately to this event, as can happen all to often in situations like this one, which inflame religious and communal passions around the country. By behaving maturely, our common people have responded wisely to this latest terrorist outrage. I would like to assure you, Mr. President, that, much as we condemn the evil of terrorism, we are conscious, in this context, as much of Nietzsche as indeed of the Buddha and of Mahatma Gandhi. We are confident that our democracy offers systemic safeguards that will prevent us from becoming mirror images of the "monster" we oppose. Unfortunately, despite assurances provided at the highest levels, the one country that has today emerged as the epicentre of terrorism and is responsible for this situation remains unprepared to live up to its public pronouncements and commitments made to the international community and to the Counter-Terrorism Committee. My Government has consistently pointed out that the purpose of establishing credible multilateral instruments to counter terrorism is not only to equip States to fight terrorism effectively, but also to identify those States that contravene the provisions of Security Council resolutions in their sponsorship, support and encouragement of terrorism. India finds it difficult to accept a situation in which a country professes to be part of the global coalition against terrorism on the one hand, while continuing to aid, abet and sponsor terrorism on the other. The global fight against terrorism, spurred on in large part by the horrors of the attacks of 11 September, no longer leaves any space for ambiguity in a State's record on terrorism. The time for double standards is oven India has held the View that the Counter- Terrorism Committee needs to move beyond the stage of reporting on to the stage of identifying violations of, if not enforcing, resolutions 1373 (2001), 1456 (2003) and other relevant Security Council resolutions. Subparagraphs 2(b), (d) and (e) and 3(a) of resolution 1373 (2001) make specific references to cross-border or transnational terrorism. These provisions of resolution 1373 (2001) oblige Member States to take action to prevent the facilitation of terrorism against other States. We have noted that facile and often mendacious assertions of the fulfilment of obligations under resolution 1373 (2001) form an integral part of the report of at least one respondent that has done nothing to fulfil its commitments, both stated and statutory. This has not gone unnoticed by the international community. India attaches the highest priority to the functioning of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. It is in this spirit that we wish to make a few comments and to pose a few questions, the responses to which, we hope, will contribute towards the Committee's functioning. Our questions are the following. First, while there is universal appreciation of the work of the CTC in seeking to have the proper legislative framework in place to implement resolution 1373 (2001), has the CTC considered the question of how to deal with a situation in which a Member State is not enforcing effective compliance by concrete actions, even while professing to do so in its responses to the Committee? Secondly, while proceeding to Stage B of its implementation of 1373 (2001), how would the CTC ensure that it would receive relevant information and assistance from Member States, while at the same time avoiding an intrusiveness that could impinge on the secrecy of information and procedures followed in counter-terrorism measures by the States concerned? Thirdly, while following international standards, such as those of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), can the CTC take into account the need for internationally negotiated and agreed arrangements acceptable to all Member States? Fourth, while the CTC's meeting with international and regional organizations was a successful venture in terms of securing the participation of the invitees involved, could the CTC, in future, consider a more representative regional balance? At the same time, must the Committee not also note that not all regional organizations have the mandate of the countries they represent to engage in any discussions on the subject of terrorism? Fifth, while it is understood that the CTC does not need to move at the speed of the slowest Member, it needs to consider whether it is desirable to move at the speed of the fastest. Should not the Committee be seeking to avoid a situation in which the overwhelming majority of States having fulfilled their obligations under Stage A belong predominantly to the developed regions of the world, while those striving to comply with the requirements are those that represent the developing world? Sixth, while the CTC's matrix of assistance provides a useful assessment of assistance on offer, perhaps the Committee should be examining whether the bilateral assistance offered by one or two countries is truly representative of the entire gamut of assistance in this area offered at a bilateral level? India has made considerable efforts to work with the international community in its fight against terrorism. India is a party to all 12 international conventions on terrorism. The Government of India has decided very recently to ratify the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. India's proposal for the early conclusion of a comprehensive convention against international terrorism has been under active consideration of the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly. The recent Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Commonwealth Law Ministers' Meeting reiterated the need for the early conclusion of the Convention and called upon all States to cooperate in resolving the outstanding issues. We are confident that the mutual interest of Member States will enable the Convention to be approved as a useful and effective multilateral instrument in the near future. Let me once again reiterate our warmest appreciation for the work of Sir Jeremy in the Counter- Terrorism Committee. We wish him every success and have no doubt that he will apply his boundless energy, valuable experience and the rare qualities of an outstanding diplomat to whichever pursuit he chooses to engage in after July this year. We wish also warmly to welcome Ambassador Arias to the chairmanship of this prestigious and critical Committee and wish him the very best in his endeavour. I assure him that my delegation will be prepared to offer him whatever assistance he may require of us in the effective fulfilment of his high function.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker is the representative of Peru. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. De Rivero (Peru) (spoke in Spanish): Mr. President, allow me to congratulate you and say how pleased we are to see the Security Council being presided over by a person of your skills and talents. I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the work accomplished by Guinea, as President of the Council, during difficult and frustrating times for the international community. In my capacity as Coordinator of the Rio Group, I am making this statement on behalf of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, all member States of the principal mechanism of political understanding in Latin America. On 20 February, we took the floor in this Council to reiterate our strongest rejection of terrorism, no matter who commits it, whatever the motives. This firm conviction is at the heart of the decisive support of the Rio Group for the actions that have been undertaken by the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), established by resolution 1373 (2001). All members of the Group have completed the submission of their first and second reports to the CTC, and Group members have either sent or are drawing up their third explanatory reports, as requested by the Committee. We welcome the States that have done likewise, and we hope that, in the near future, all States will have complied with their obligations and presented their respective national reports. The immense work to harmonize and implement measures against terrorism in such a short period of time, and the implementation of concrete mechanisms of international cooperation against this scourge, could not have achieved a breakthrough without the firm commitment and efforts of United Nations Member States. We hope that this commitment will be maintained and strengthened. In our statement in February, our Group said it was appropriate, as pointed out in resolutions 1377 (2001), 1456 (2003) and other relevant resolutions, to state that the fight against terrorism can also be supported by the firm cooperation of regional and subregional organizations and relevant agencies of the United Nations system. For this reason, the Rio Group welcomes the meeting held between the CTC and international, regional and subregional organizations on 6 March 2003. We believe that this event contributed to the improvement of the flow of information on experiences, standards and practices, as well as for the coordination of current activities. Among other organizations that participated in the March event was the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE). This Committee was created in 1999 as a result of the inter-American conferences on terrorism that took place in Lima in 1996 and in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 1998. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador, in her capacity as President of the CICTE, pointed to a number of actions taken at the inter-American level in the fight against terrorism. Notable among these were the recent adoption of the Inter-American Convention Against Terrorism and the Declaration of San Salvador on strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism, approved in June 2002 and January 2003, respectively. Furthermore, the CICTE plays a role in disseminating international standards and carries out activities of cooperation to prevent, combat and eliminate terrorist acts and activities. Here it is important to highlight the proposal made by the Organization of American States (OAS) for a follow-up meeting to the 6 March session, to be held at OAS headquarters. This regional counter-terrorism dimension, already pointed out in the March meeting, is also valid when it comes to adopting a comprehensive approach to terrorism. As we pointed out at the Security Council's meeting this past February, terrorism does not limit itself to criminal activities of one particular organization or region. The Security Council, which has reaffirmed that terrorist acts are unjustifiable, whatever the motivation or whoever the perpetrators may he, must take this fact into consideration in its efforts to identify and punish those responsible for terrorist acts and to prevent the commission of such acts. The Rio Group welcomes the presentation of the seventh 90-day work programme of the CTC. The programme contains a set of innovative activities that are worth pointing out, such as the development of a global information network against terrorism, the updating of the Committee's web site and the convening of a meeting with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the World Customs Organization and Interpol, among other specialized agencies whose activities relate to the control of the use of nuclear, chemical, biological and other dangerous materials. The Rio Group also welcomes the recent holding of a meeting in Geneva among representatives of the group of experts of the CTC and the Human Rights Committee. We hope for the continuation of meetings between the CTC and other organs that promote human rights, because the struggle against terrorism must be firm and unflagging, utilizing all the means set out in the United Nations Charter, treaties and international norms, including those set forth in the legal structure of the OAS. The international community must act with resolve and with respect for the rule of law and international law, and in particular human rights and humanitarian law. The Rio Group reaffirms its support for the declaration contained in resolution 1456 (2003) adopted at the meeting of Security Council Ministers of Foreign Affairs on 20 January. It takes the View that there is a need to continue to bolster the legal framework to combat terrorism. We hope that it will soon be possible to overcome the differences of view on a comprehensive convention to combat terrorism, so that it can soon become a reality. We also hope that the same will apply to the draft convention to combat acts of nuclear terrorism and in the review of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. I reaffirm the Rio Group's commitment to United Nations efforts to combat terrorism, and wish to express our gratitude to Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock for his outstanding leadership of the CTC, which has enabled the Committee to achieve significant progress in this first stage. We should also particularly mention the experts who worked with the Committee providing technical advice. Similarly, we wish to say how pleased we are that our friend Ambassador Inocencio Arias is about to take over the leadership of the CTC. We are certain that under his stewardship, the Committee will continue its important tasks and receive a fresh impetus. The members of the Rio Group wish to reaffirm once again our determined resolve to do our utmost to contribute to the efforts of this Organization to defeat terrorism for the sake of stability and peace.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker on my list is the representative of Brazil. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Sardenberg (Brazil) (spoke in Spanish): On behalf of the Government of Brazil and also in my own name, I wish to say how pleased we are at seeing you, Sir, presiding over the Council at such a critical moment for this Organization and for multilateralism in general. I am certain that the interests of all of who aspire to a fairer world in which the institutions of international law can prevail will be in good hands in the course of your Presidency. I wish also to associate myself with the statement just made by the Permanent Representative of Peru on behalf of the Rio Group, which I shall strive not to repeat in the short statement that I shall be making in my national capacity. I would be remiss if I failed to convey to Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock our sincere appreciation for the determined and skilful way in which he has conducted the work of the Counter- Terrorism Committee since its establishment following the tragic terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. His efforts to promote transparency in the work of the Committee have been an important factor in the unprecedented impact that the work of the Committee has had among the membership of the Organization. To conclude my words of gratitude, I would also like to express my thanks for the praiseworthy work of the team of independent experts and the Secretariat. The creation of the Committee at that moment in time attested to the Council's prompt capacity for reaction. The widespread cooperation of Members of the Organization shows not only the crucial importance that the international community attaches to combating terrorism, but also the capacity of the Security Council, when it works in unity to pursue a common purpose, to find the right response to every situation. Terrorism is one of the greatest threats to international peace and security, human rights, fundamental freedoms and democratic institutions, and it also has a grave effect on the economic and social development of States. The people and the Government of Brazil oppose terrorist acts in all their forms and manifestations. By a constitutional provision, repudiation of terrorism is one of the principles by which Brazil carries out its international activities. Combating international terrorism must be undertaken by all means compatible with the Charter and the instruments of international law. In the context of this struggle, Brazil has ratified nine of the 12 global agreements negotiated within the scope of the United Nations, specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which have all now been enacted into domestic law. The National Congress is considering the ratification of the three remaining conventions, the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation and the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms located on the Continental Shelf, which were negotiated within the framework of the International Maritime Organization, and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. The fight against terrorism cannot be waged to the detriment of due legal process, human rights and civil liberties. Any sacrifice of fundamental freedoms that allows scope for arbitrary or discriminatory acts marks a step backwards, and caters precisely to the interests of the very groups that sponsor terrorist activities. The protection of human rights should guide the execution of our counter-terrorism security policies. Similarly, the Government of Brazil believes that above and beyond suppression and eradication, priority should also be given to preventing terrorist acts by combating the deep-rooted causes, many of which may be social and economic in origin. Accordingly, there is a need for increased cooperation among judicial bodies and financial and police intelligence agencies, in order to repress possible association between terrorist groups and other criminal organizations. There is also a need for promotion of the values of democracy and tolerance and of cooperation for the purposes of economic and social development. As a universal threat, terrorism has compelled us all to take measures to combat it on the national, regional and multilateral levels. The multiple facets of the problem of terrorism and the multidimensional scope of the campaign against it call for a high degree of coordination. An initiative of such magnitude can only be successful if it is carried out with the transparency and universality that only the United Nations can provide. Through the holding of its meeting with international, regional and subregional organizations in March, the Committee has taken the first steps towards that coordination. As is noted in the work programme for this quarter, it intends to further pursue this course. The scourge of terrorism, tragically, is a reality that we will have to face in the long term. Thus, it is of crucial importance for the Council to maintain its unity of purpose in this regard.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker on my list is the representative of the Republic of Korea. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Sun (Republic of Korea): At the outset, my delegation expresses its warm congratulations to you, Sir, on your assumption of this month's presidency of the Security Council, and we welcome the convening of this open debate on counter-terrorism. Today's meeting has special significance, as it marks the completion of Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock's outstanding chairmanship of the Counter- Terrorism Committee (CTC). Undoubtedly, he has played a central role in the fight against terrorism by initiating, facilitating and enhancing our common endeavours in a most effective and transparent manner. On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Korea, I should like to express our deepest gratitude to him for his dedication and service over the past years. I join others in wishing him every success in the years to come. My delegation's appreciation goes also to the CTC team in the United Kingdom Mission as well as to the independent experts and to the Secretariat staff for their valuable efforts. More than a year and a half has passed since the Security Council adopted resolution 1373 (2001), following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. Since then, we have had to face painful reminders of the dangers posed by terrorism, such as the attacks in Bali, Moscow and Mombasa. However, with the unabated will and commitment of the international community under the guidance of the Security Council, we are now less vulnerable and more capable than we were in September 2001 with regard to coping with terrorist challenges. Recently, political momentum and practical ways to combat terrorism were further strengthened in the 20 January ministerial meeting of the Security Council and in the 6 March special meeting of the CTC with regional, subregional and international organizations. We believe that resolution 1456 (2003), adopted at the ministerial meeting, was yet another milestone in the strengthening of resolution 1373 (2001). We also value the achievements of the special meeting of the CTC - the first such occasion - in directing diverse activities aimed at coordinated and unified actions. In addition, given the close inter-linkages between the work of the CTC and that of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1267 (1999), my delegation welcomes the Council's reaffirmation of the need for improved coordination and increased exchange of information between the two bodies, as set forth in resolution 1455 (2003). Let me now turn to the CTC's new quarterly work programme, covering the months of April through June this year. While welcoming and fully supporting what is envisaged in the programme, my delegation has a few comments to make. First, we believe that it was most timely and appropriate for the CTC to have chosen the improvement of information flow as a priority in the coming months. With the fifth highest ratio of online population in the world, the Republic of Korea fully recognizes the importance of developing a global information network in the field of counter-terrorism. The current CTC web site is obviously the best source of information available to us. However, given the further need for sharing of best practices, codes and standards between countries and among relevant regional, subregional and international organizations, we believe it is urgent that the CTC enhance its web site as a first-resort, user-friendly and comprehensive focal point for international counter-terrorism efforts. Secondly, my delegation welcomes the remarkable progress made in the CTC's review of national reports submitted by Member States on their implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). The dedication of independent experts deserves much credit in that regard. Having already submitted its first and second reports in line with the CTC's time limits, the Republic of Korea will shortly be submitting its third report in response to the Committee's request. Thirdly, as far as the CTC's cooperation with regional, subregional and international organizations is concerned, we believe that the outcome document, the Chairman's remarks and the follow-up Action Plan of the special meeting have clearly articulated the measures and actions needed to enhance the counter- terrorism capacity of relevant organizations. For its part, the Republic of Korea has been actively contributing to regional, subregional and international efforts to fight terrorism. To mention a few examples, we remain an energetic participant in actions of the Association of South-East Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF) with regard to terrorism, including in the most recent ARF-sponsored meeting on counter-terrorism and transnational crime, held in March 2003 in Malaysia. In addition, the Republic of Korea, together with Australia, is playing a leading role in the Asia-Pacific region's efforts to fight money- laundering and terrorist financing. Furthermore, the Korean Financial Intelligence Unit, as a member of the Egmont Group, is taking a proactive part in the global fight against money-laundering and other financial crimes. Fourthly, my delegation shares the sense of urgency with regard to the need for the provision of assistance and supports the CTC's facilitating role in that field. We are considering various ways and means to share our counter-terrorism experiences with other countries in a more effective and beneficial manner. Let me conclude my remarks by reaffirming the Republic of Korea's firm commitment to fighting terrorism and by expressing our full confidence in the incoming Spanish chairmanship of the CTC, under Ambassador Inocencio Arias, whose wisdom and leadership are well known in our diplomatic community.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker is the representative of Cambodia. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Sun (Cambodia): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the members of the Association of South- East Asian Nations (ASEAN) - namely, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. At the outset, we should like to pay tribute to Sir Jeremy Greenstock and his team for their excellent efforts in guiding the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) since its establishment in 2001. We commend their commitment to ensuring the effective implementation of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). Despite their many heavy responsibilities, they have remained focused on carrying out the work programme of the CTC aimed at fulfilling its mandate. We appreciate the many initiatives that the CTC has undertaken to engage various international, regional and subregional organizations in the global effort to combat terrorism. In this regard, ASEAN welcomed the convening of the special CTC meeting on 6 March 2003. ASEAN's participation in the meeting complemented its own efforts at the regional level. It also provided an opportunity to further enhance regional and international counter-terrorism networks, and to exchange information, as well as best practices. ASEAN welcomes the CTC's seventh work programme, which will further advance its work. We are encouraged by the CTC's plan to organize a meeting with technical agencies and organizations relating to the control of the use of or access to nuclear, chemical, biological and other deadly materials so as to evaluate ways to enhance the effectiveness of global action against terrorism in this area. ASEAN commends the CTC for its efforts in providing valuable information on best practices, model laws and assistance programmes through the Directory of Counter-Terrorism Information and Sources of Assistance. ASEAN takes note of the creation of a regional action section on the CTC's web site. That will be an effective tool for sharing information among various organizations. ASEAN's commitment to counter-terrorism has been reflected at the highest level. Our leaders adopted a Declaration on Terrorism during the Eighth ASEAN Summit, held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from 4 to 5 November 2002. The Declaration expressed, inter alia, the determination of ASEAN to build on previously agreed measures, and to intensify efforts to prevent, counter and suppress terrorist activities in the region. Most recently, at the working level, an ASEAN Regional Forum intersessional meeting on counter- terrorism and transnational crime was successfully held in Karambunai, Malaysia, from 21 to 22 March 2003. In line with our Work Programme to implement the ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Crime, ASEAN has also carried out various training programmes and projects in countering terrorism this year. In addition, ASEAN focal points on counter- terrorism have also been established. These include courses on psychological operations for law enforcement authorities and on intelligence procuring. We are also planning to organize courses on bomb and explosive detection, post-blast investigation, airport security and passport and document security and inspection. ASEAN believes that the international fight against terrorism will become counter-productive unless its focus and momentum is consistently maintained. For its part, ASEAN will continue its tradition of close cooperation with the CTC in its efforts to sustain the process. In this connection, we would like to welcome the incoming Chairman, Mr. Inocencio Arias of Spain. We have full confidence in his leadership and trust that he will steer the Committee towards new achievements and successes.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Australia. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Dauth (Australia): Australia welcomes this opportunity once again to address the Security Council on a matter of vital interest to United Nations Members - the issue of terrorism and how the United Nations and the international community should deal with it. Sadly, we do so against the background of yet more terrorist bombings in our own region, this time in the Philippine city of Davao, which have taken the lives of many innocent civilians. The Australian Government condemns those bombings in the strongest terms and conveys its sympathy to the families and victims of those horrific attacks. I would like to say at the outset that Australia fully endorses the statement to be made by Fiji on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum, of which we are, of course, a member. Much has been said today, by many representatives, with which we can associate ourselves, and we join Forum countries and others in voicing our sincere thanks to Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock for his outstanding work in leading the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) through a very difficult period. The energy and direction that he has brought to the work of the Committee has ensured that it has played a highly effective role in the global effort to fight terrorism. Australia and the other members of the international community concerned with combating this scourge are deeply in his debt. It is vital that the international community adopt a comprehensive, coherent and cooperative approach to fighting terrorism. Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) provides both the obligation and the framework for such an approach. The CTC in turn has played an important role in the realization of that obligation. In particular, the CTC has ensured that the flow of information between States and organizations highlights methods of best practice, fosters cooperation and facilitates the provision of international assistance that is critical to achieving our goal of reducing the threat posed by international terrorist networks. The adoption of the ministerial declaration annexed to resolution 1456 (2003) underlined the importance of the CTC and those aspects of its role. We commend the CTC's recent focus on strengthening the role of regional and international organizations in counter-terrorism activities, reflected in the special meeting held here in New York on 6 March. The counter-terrorism work of regional and subregional organizations is central to building the capacity needed to fight terrorism. In the same way that the CTC is a hub for action by United Nations Member States, regional organizations have an important role in disseminating information, providing and facilitating assistance and developing effective regional counter- terrorism strategies. We encourage all United Nations Members to fully support the counter-terrorism work of the regional organizations they belong to and to actively look for ways to improve the effectiveness of that work. By doing so, Members will not only enhance the safety of their own regional neighbourhoods but also strengthen the broader international counter- terrorism network. The task of monitoring the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) is likely to continue for some time. In this context, we would like to acknowledge the Committee's valuable role in helping to coordinate the availability and provision of broader counter-terrorism capacity-building assistance for those countries in need. It is vital that every Member State that needs help developing counter-terrorism legislation and law enforcement capacity, for example, is able to get access to the assistance it requires. Australia urges United Nations Member States to strongly support the CTC's work in that area. Since the attacks of 11 September 2001, the international community has made considerable progress in fighting terrorism. The CTC, guided so ably by Ambassador Greenstock, has contributed substantially to that outcome. Unfortunately, international terrorism is still with us, so the work of the CTC must go on. Australia very warmly welcomes Ambassador Arias of Spain as the new CTC Chair and looks forward to working closely with him and the other members of the Committee in confronting the challenge posed by international terrorism in the period ahead.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Greece. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Vassilakis (Greece): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU). The acceding countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia; the associated countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey; and the countries of the European Free Trade Association, members of the European Economic Area - Iceland and Norway - declare that they align themselves with this statement. The European Union unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, irrespective of their motivation, form and manifestation. The European Union believes that the fight against terrorism requires a global response and national preparedness in order to prevent and suppress terrorist acts. We believe, however, that efforts to combat this scourge must respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, humanitarian law, as well as the rule of law. The European Union and its member States recognize the central role of the United Nations in the fight against terrorism and have been strongly supporting the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). The European Union wishes to reiterate its appreciation to the Counter-Terrorism Committee for its continued hard work and dedication in achieving universal and full implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and enhancing the counter-terrorist capacities of Member States. We also would like to pay tribute to the Chairman of the CTC, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, for the excellent work he has done. Under his guidance and advice, the Committee has found its way to successfully deal with the many challenges it faced and to chart a sure course for the future. At the same time, we extend to his successor, Ambassador Arias of Spain, our best wishes for an accomplished turn at the helm of the Committee. The European Union and its member States have displayed a sincere interest in all endeavours undertaken by the Counter-Terrorism Committee in pursuing the fulfilment of its mandate. We would particularly like to underline the Security Council ministerial meeting on combating terrorism of 20 January 2003, and resolution 1456 (2003) calling on all States to take urgent action to prevent and suppress all active and passive support for terrorism. That resolution also underlines the importance of technical and other assistance to States in order to improve their capacity to prevent and fight terrorism. In this respect, it calls on all States to assist each other and invites the CTC to step up its efforts to facilitate the provision of such assistance by developing targets and priorities for global action. Resolution 1456 (2003) stresses the need for closer cooperation between the CTC and regional and subregional organizations in the fight against terrorism. The European Union welcomed the convening of the special meeting of the CTC with international, regional and subregional organizations on 6 March this year. At that meeting, the EU submitted a third report, contained in document S/AC.40/2003/SM.1/2, detailing the wide range of legislative and political measures taken in the areas covered by resolution 1373 (2001). The report also indicated that signature and ratification of the 12 United Nations counter-terrorism conventions is a matter of high priority for the EU member States, which are committed to ratification through the adoption of Council Common Position 2001/930/CFSP of 27 December 2001. The fight against the financing of terrorism continues to be a priority for the European Union. A number of recommendations have been adopted in order to enhance the efforts of the European Union in this field. In particular, the European Union has strengthened its internal procedures so as to prevent terrorist groups from obtaining or deviating funds that are directed towards charitable purposes. Furthermore, the EU attaches great importance to international and regional cooperation in the fight against terrorism. It has signed bilateral agreements and developed cooperation mechanisms with third countries. Anti-terrorism clauses are being included in many EU agreements with third countries. The EU actively supports and participates in the counter- terrorism activities carried out in the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and various United Nations bodies, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. In addition, the EU has taken various steps to provide technical assistance to third countries in their efforts to implement resolution 1373 (2001). New projects have been developed, specifically designed to help selected countries to fulfil their obligations under the resolution. Moreover, the European Union has adopted measures in the field of police and judicial cooperation in order to combat terrorism. The Framework Decision on combating terrorism will provide member States with a common definition of terrorist acts and terrorist groups. Likewise, the European Arrest Warrant provides for simplified surrender procedures between judicial authorities of member States, based upon the principle of mutual recognition ofjudicial decisions. The European Union believes that possible links between terrorism and organized crime and drug trafficking merit close attention. An EU Council Decision has been adopted recently to counter these problems by placing specific emphasis on simultaneous investigation. A joint Commission-EU Council civil protection programme has been established to improve cooperation in the European Union for preventing and limiting the consequences of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear terrorist threats. The European Union also recognizes the role of the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the Centre for International Crime Prevention in strengthening the capabilities of the United Nations in the prevention of terrorism and in offering advice on the implementation of both the pertinent Security Council resolutions and the United Nations legal instruments against terrorism. In addition, in order to reduce the risk posed should certain terrorist groups gain access to weapons of mass destruction, radioactive materials and means of delivery, the European Union has taken concrete measures in the field of strengthening the relevant multilateral instruments on disarmament, arms control and proliferation; improving export controls; strengthening disarmament cooperation; and enhancing political dialogue with third states. Finally, the European Union is fully committed to actively and closely cooperating with the United Nations towards the common goal of combating terrorism.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of the Philippines. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Manalo (Philippines): At the outset, my delegation expresses its great pleasure at seeing you, Sir, in the Chair. We share the confidence expressed by previous speakers in your able leadership. At the same time, we commend the Guinea presidency for its able leadership last month. My delegation associates itself fully with the statement just made by the Permanent Representative of Cambodia on behalf of the Association of South- East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and joins others in thanking Ambassador Greenstock for his briefing on the seventh work programme of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). It has been 18 months since the Security Council initiated a global coalition against terrorism. Member States have been actively engaged in strengthening their efforts to fight terrorism at the national, regional and international levels. Resolution 1373 (2001) served to guide this undertaking, and the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) which it established, under the chairmanship of Ambassador Greenstock, provided the linchpin for the Member States' evaluation of their existing capacities in countering terrorism. Today's meeting is a fitting occasion to take stock of where we are and where we wish to proceed. While the very positive response in the signing and ratification of legal instruments to suppress terrorism is notable, much remains to be done. Despite the increased priority given by the international community to combating terrorism, many initiatives have to manifest themselves more fully. Terrorist attacks continue in a number of countries, including in the Philippines just this week. Hence, echoing the view put forth by the Secretary-General in January, during the ministerial meeting on Counter-Terrorism, sustained long-term action is imperative. In that connection, the CTC's regular briefings on the progress of the implementation of resolution 1456 (2003) have been valuable, and we encourage the Committee to maintain that practice. We hope that transparency will be preserved in the future work of the CTC. The special CTC meeting on international, regional and subregional organizations, held last month, was useful in that regard. We look forward to follow-up actions to pursue the recommendations of that meeting. At this juncture, I should like to express my delegation's appreciation for the swift issuance of the list of contacts called for by the special regional meeting. The progress of the focus of the CTC's programme of work from individual States to regional and international cooperation marks the beginning of a new phase in its work. My delegation hopes that this will set the stage for more concrete and doable cooperative activities in the future. The CTC's programme of matching donors and recipients of technical assistance, under the guidance of Mr. Curtis Ward, deserves our appreciation. Needless to say, that programme should be vigorously pursued by Member States, as well as by regional and international groups. There have been some notable recent developments in my country in the combat against terrorism, particularly with respect to the suppression of the financing of terrorism. Recently, the Philippine Government enacted financial controls that bring the Philippines into compliance with international anti- money-laundering and terrorist-financing standards. The programmes of assistance to evaluate financial systems and to develop counter-terrorism finance training programmes, extended by donor countries such as the United States and the European Union, are appreciated. Also, the Philippines has now ratified ll of the 12 international conventions on combating terrorism. Turning to our region's response to resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1456 (2003), my delegation wishes to underline that it has been engaged in various initiatives and political declarations of the Association of South- East Asian Nations in support of those two landmark resolutions. Finally, as Chairman Greenstock hands the chairmanship of the CTC over to Ambassador Arias of Spain, my delegation wishes to express our appreciation to Ambassador Greenstock for his outstanding work in translating resolution 1373 (2001) into action, and we wish to express our full confidence in Ambassador Arias with respect to undertaking the challenging task of building upon resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1456 (2003). My delegation assures Ambassador Arias of our continuing cooperation and support. Last but certainly not least, we pay tribute to the CTC team of experts and the Secretariat for their fine work and cooperation.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Japan. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Motomura (Japan): Mr. President, I thank you for convening this meeting. At the outset, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the outgoing chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, and his staff, for their excellent work since the Committee's inception. The international community owes him a debt of gratitude for his dedicated leadership in the fight against terrorism since the attacks of 11 September 2001. At the same time, I am pleased to congratulate the new Chairman, Ambassador Arias, and to express my confidence that, under his guidance, the CTC will continue to work effectively in combating terrorism. Japan continues to stress the importance of the following three elements in the fight against terrorism. First, we must deny potential terrorists the means of engaging in terrorist activities. That is to say, we must take strict measures to cut off sources of funding and to stem the flow of weapons to terrorists. In particular, in the light of their huge destructive potential, strict non-proliferation measures are crucial to prevent weapons of mass destruction from falling into the hands of terrorists. We call upon the CTC, in cooperation with relevant international organizations, to give due attention to this area. Strengthening coordination between the CTC and the Security Council committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) is also important. The latter committee, under the leadership of its Chairman, Ambassador Juan Gabriel Valdes of Chile, has achieved considerable progress in this regard. I would also like to point out, however, that the information included in the consolidated list of the 1267 Committee needs to be further enriched, so as to enable Member States to better identify suspicious assets and accounts. Secondly, we must deny safe haven to terrorists. Preventing and combating terrorism require that the international community act in concert and implement measures in a unified manner. The counter-terrorism conventions and protocols are playing an essential role towards that end. We appreciate the efforts of the CTC to encourage Member States to accede to those conventions and protocols and would like to urge that the expertise of the relevant international organizations also be mobilized to facilitate that goal. The special meeting of the CTC held last month provided an excellent opportunity to share information regarding the standards, codes and best practices of relevant international organizations. As a contracting party to all 12 counter-terrorism conventions, Japan is prepared to provide information and assistance in solving problems, including legal issues, based on its own experience with respect to the conclusion of those conventions. Thirdly, we must strive to overcome vulnerability to terrorist activities. Naturally, terrorists go after soft targets, which means that it is becoming all the more important to improve domestic security measures. The CTC must remain focused on capacity-building efforts by countries, and the donor community should strengthen its support for the activities of the CTC. I have to stress that international terrorism is by no means a product born of a clash between civilizations; it is always a barbarous assault on the civilized world, born out of cynicism, nihilism and anarchism. Terrorism threatens world stability and the lives of people everywhere. Those who feel sympathetic towards extremist terrorist groups should realize that terrorism is antithetical to the values we all share. In disseminating this truth, I believe we can contribute to overcoming vulnerability to terrorism.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Norway. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Kolby (Norway): Norway aligns itself with the statement by the European Union. However, I would like to make some additional comments. First, I would like to join in thanking Ambassador Greenstock and his team for chairing the Counter- Terrorism Committee in an excellent manner since its creation in October 2001 and to congratulate him on the remarkable progress achieved under his leadership. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Ambassador Arias of Spain as the new Chairman, and to assure him of our full support in the work that lies ahead. The Committee's emphasis on cooperation, dialogue, partnership and transparency seems to have paid dividends. The strategy of cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations on promulgating best practices, seeking synergies of approach and the provision of assistance to Member States requiring technical support seems to have been very successful. Norway welcomed the convening of the special meeting of the Committee on 6 March, which brought together representatives of international, regional and subregional organizations with the aim of ensuring effective and systematic cooperation in the fight against terrorism. We are pleased to see that the contact has been formalized through the Committee's follow- up action plan. The action plan touches upon crucial themes such as information flow, international best practices, codes and standards and the role of regional and subregional organizations, as well as facilitating the provision of assistance. We are mindful of the technical difficulties some Member States may have in implementing the legal and financial measures envisaged in resolution 1373 (2001). Implementation through national legislation that covers all aspects and the establishment of appropriate executive instruments is no small task. This situation raises concerns that must be resolved through positive and coordinated action. We are, therefore, pleased to see that the action plan contains measures for facilitating the provision of assistance. Norway has provided technical assistance at the regional as well as the bilateral level. We have supported the African Union's work towards the effective and comprehensive implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) by its member States and have provided support for a project aimed at strengthening the capacity of countries in the region of the Southern African Development Community in order to follow up the specific measures of the resolution. Similarly, Norway has contributed bilateral technical assistance in the implementation of the obligations under resolution 1373 (2001) and related international obligations, as well as in the drafting and formatting of the national reports required by resolution 1373 (2001). The process has provided Norway with valuable knowledge and experience, which we are prepared to share with the Committee and its members.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Colombia. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Giraldo (Colombia) (spoke in Spanish): Allow me at the outset to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of April and to wish you every success in your work. I also wish to thank and commend the representative of Guinea for the effective way in which he conducted the Council's work last month. Colombia fully endorses the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Peru on behalf of the Rio Group. However, the Government of Colombia has decided to speak in this open debate of the Security Council because of the importance of this issue to our country, which is waging an unrelenting struggle against terrorism and which seeks international solidarity in this endeavour. I want to begin by thanking the Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, for his briefing and for his intensive work. At the meeting on 20 February 2003, Colombia highlighted the two inseparable aspects - internal and external - that exist in our conflict today. With regard to the internal aspect, we stated that we recognized our obligations. Colombia has undertaken the struggle against terrorism within a democratic framework, in accordance with its Constitution and laws, the international treaties on human rights and international humanitarian law. Our democratic security policy seeks to protect all Colombians: civilians, union members, human rights defenders, businesspeople and workers. Democracy in security means security for all. But there is also an external aspect that is key in the fight against terrorism. It has been shown that the international financial networks used by terrorists are similar to those used by the illicit drug and arms traffickers. On 20 January 2003, the Security Council, meeting at the ministerial level, issued a declaration, annexed to resolution 1456 (2003), which rightly reaffirmed that, "terrorists must also be prevented from making use of other criminal activities such as transnational organized crime, illicit drugs and drug trafficking, money-laundering and illicit arms trafficking". For that reason, we wish to thank the Government of Canada for having included on its list of terrorist organizations the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the United Self-defence Groups of Colombia (AUC), illegal armed groups that direct their activities against the rule of law and civilians in my country. This constitutes ethical, political and legal support that indicates a procedure which we hope will be taken into account by all countries wishing to assist us in our fight against terror. Recognizing that reality is fundamentally important for Colombia, where terrorism is supported by such international criminal activities, which are fundamentally related to the global problem of illicit drugs. Our experience has taught us that the international community's struggle against the global drug problem, in which the principle of shared responsibility has been accepted, is a key factor in the fight against terrorism. Similarly, success in combating terrorism will depend on the extent to which we also make the principle of shared responsibility effective in this area. Combating terrorism is the responsibility of us all. In this fight, every State must undertake a task in keeping with its circumstances and in accordance with its capacity to carry it out. On the issue of shared responsibility, Colombia calls on the international community to wage a full fight against the criminal activities that feed terrorism in our country. As President Uribe of Colombia has said, "We have the moral authority to ask for international cooperation because we are committed to respecting human rights, because our democracy is one that is governed by the rule of law and not by the whim of rulers. We have the moral authority to ask for international cooperation against terrorism because we have never rejected dialogue or humanitarian agreements. The international community is aware of our unswerving decision to defeat violence and of our infinite readiness for reconciliation in sincere peace". In reaffirming our support for the work that is being done by the Security Council and its Counter- Terrorism Committee in combating this universal scourge, I wish to restate our gratitude to Ambassador Greenstock for the important work he has done and to state our certainty that the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain, Inocencio Arias, will continue, with fresh impetus, to pursue the important tasks of the Committee and the Security Council. Both of these bodies have the tremendous responsibility of meeting our peoples' expectations concerning their historic role in combating terrorism in all regions of the world. In conclusion, Colombia reiterates its call for cooperation on the part of the international community, not in terms of funds but in terms of legal and police activities, such as those called for in resolution 1373 (2001), in order successfully to combat terrorism. The nature of acts of terrorism should not be determined solely by the location in which they are committed or by their global or national scope, but also by the origin of the phenomena that trigger them and the monies that finance them. In this area of international cooperation, the United Nations has the capacity, experience and moral authority to assist the regions of the world afflicted by the scourge of terrorism.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Fiji. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Savva (Fiji): It is my honour to address the Security Council on behalf of the members of the Pacific Islands Forum group that are Members of the United Nations, namely Australia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and my own country, Fiji. This meeting provides a useful opportunity to reflect on the work done by the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) to combat terrorism and associated transnational crime since it was established by the now-landmark Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) nearly a year and half ago. That resolution brought a new element to the existing multilateral counter- terrorism framework and reflected a recognition of terrorism as a global problem which, if it is to be eliminated, requires cooperative action at the national, regional and international levels. The subsequent ministerial declaration adopted by the Security Council in its resolution 1456 (2003) further underscored the need for counter-terrorism actions to reflect international best practices, including the need to protect human rights. There is no doubt that the Counter-Terrorism Committee has played an important role in guiding and assisting Member States in their implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). In this task, the CTC has assisted in prompting and focusing Government action. It has served States in identifying and defining the required standards for action. Furthermore, the CTC's efforts in placing States in contact with available sources of assistance have greatly contributed to the critical task of enhancing capacity to take such action. In that regard, we are grateful to the team of experts assisting the CTC for facilitating the provision of assistance as required. The clear identification of assistance needs is a critical first step towards the development of individual and regional capacity. We also strongly support the CTC's recent initiative to meet with relevant regional and international organizations, and its subsequent action plan to take forward the dialogue necessary to coordinate counter-terrorism action. Effective regional cooperation and coordination are vital to members of our group to complement our national efforts and capacities to implement resolution 1373 (2001). At this point, the Pacific Islands Forum group would like to record its gratitude and appreciation for the leadership demonstrated by the inaugural Chairman of the CTC, Sir Jeremy Greenstock. Sir Jeremy's vision breathed life into the mandate of resolution 1373 (2001). He gained the confidence States Members of the United Nations very early on in his chairmanship, during the most tumultuous months for the Organization. His efforts to ensure that the CTC at all times worked in an open and transparent manner were critical to the Committee's success to date, and were greatly appreciated by the member States of the Pacific Islands Forum Group. We were very much warmed by Sir Jeremy's leadership, which encouraged members of our group to rise to the challenges that resolution 1373 (2001) presented. As the CTC now moves into a new phase, under the chairmanship of Ambassador Arias, the Permanent Representative of Spain, we are mindful that its ongoing work will continue to flow from its role as a monitoring body. Its task in monitoring implementation of the specific obligations of resolution 1373 (2001) places it in a unique position to act as a focal point for States in relation to international counter-terrorism activities. We look forward to continuing to work with the Counter-Terrorism Committee and its new Chairman.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The next speaker on my list is the representative of Afghanistan. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Farhad (Afghanistan): Mr. President, at the outset, allow me to congratulate Mexico on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council during this month of April. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you, Sir, for having convened this timely open discussion of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) in order to consider the work of this Committee during its next period of work. In addition, I would like also to seize this opportunity to commend highly the vigorous and sustained efforts of Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock as Chairman of the CTC over the past 18 months. My delegation remains confident that the arduous mission of Ambassador Greenstock, as Chairman of the CTC, and his team will be successfully continued by Ambassador Arias of Spain, a well-known diplomat of outstanding ability. It is quite clear that Afghanistan has been one of the main victims of terrorism. For nearly five years, during the reign of the Taliban, the people of Afghanistan suffered tremendously from the menace imposed by that regime and the Al Qaeda terrorist network. However, the international military campaign, along with the courageous support of the Afghan people, resulted in the eradication of that regime and its Al Qaeda ally. Nevertheless, we should remain mindful of the fact that remnants of the Taliban remain active along the eastern and southern border of Afghanistan. Therefore, it is vital for the international community to sustain its vigorous focus and support of the Transitional Government in the combat against terrorist activities. The Transitional Government of Afghanistan remains strongly committed to the full implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1456 (2003), which was adopted at the ministerial meeting on 20 January 2003. Afghanistan has submitted its national reports to the CTC in line with the timetable provided. To this effect, allow me to inform the Council that the Transitional Government of Afghanistan is currently engaged in establishing a Counter-Terrorism Department within the Ministry of the Interior to prevent and deal with acts of terrorism throughout the country. We are confident that this Department will fulfil its mandate. In addition to outlining the progress we have made, we would like also to inform the Council that Afghanistan is in the process of restructuring its legal and security apparatus. Therefore, we would like to renew our request that the CTC dispatch an assessment team to Afghanistan in order to assist in the adoption of the legislative acts and administrative measures necessary to meet all requirements of resolution 1373 (2001). We acknowledge the fact that the fight against international terrorism should enjoy the broad support and cooperation of all Member States and regional and subregional organizations. In this context, my delegation welcomes the special meeting of the CTC held on 6 March 2003, which brought together representatives of international, regional and subregional organizations in order to enhance the effectiveness of global action against terrorism. All participants shared important information regarding their initiatives and measures taken to combat terrorism. We are convinced that Member States can adopt the best practices, codes and standards provided by representatives at that 6 March special meeting. I would like to reiterate my Government's commitment to continuing its struggle against terrorism in Afghanistan and to work with other Member States and international, regional and subregional organizations for the full implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1456 (2003). Free Afghanistan was fighting against the terrorism of the Taliban and of Al Qaeda five years before 11 September 2001. Let me remind the Council that it was two days earlier, on 9 September 2001, when the heroic Afghan resistance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud was killed by two Al Qaeda suicide terrorists. Today the Afghans are ready to fight any re-emergence of the Taliban. Now, the international community has to be on our side.

The President (spoke in Spanish): I now give the floor to Sir Jeremy Greenstock to respond to comments and questions that have been raised in the debate.

Sir Jeremy: I am very grateful to members of the Council and to Members of the United Nations for their interventions today, and I have especially appreciated those delegations that have spoken for their regional groups. I think that the more we take forward the regional and subregional collective approach on this subject, the more progress we are going to make. Let me just take up a few points that came out of the debate. I will not take long, because many of the points are familiar to members. But I am sure that Ambassador Arias and his team will want to follow up with the Committee on some of these points. Pakistan, warmly supported by Chile, Mexico, Peru and others, referred to the need to follow up on the interplay between counter-terrorism and human rights and suggested a meeting with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other human rights bodies on that interplay. Certainly, the United Kingdom delegation would warmly welcome that. We are in close liaison with the Office of the High Commissioner and with human rights bodies, and quite soon we shall organize, as members know, a meeting with a visitor from the Human Rights Committee. But that can be taken further. The role of civil society is important, and I think that in taking this aspect of our work forward, we need to be conscious, with perhaps a touch of pride, that the Security Council is constantly making advances in the way in which it identifies the fulfilment of human rights obligations with the promotion of peace and security. I think that is a good thing. The representative of France suggested that the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) should identify, to a greater extent, the generic difficulties faced by Member States in meeting the obligations under in resolution 1373 (2001) and find answers to those difficulties. I think we have begun in some respects to do that, but I think I agree with the Ambassador that he is pointing to something which we have not yet done enough of, and perhaps it is something that can be taken up in the future. It goes together with the promotion of concrete results on the ground, and it keeps the nose of the Committee to the grindstone of results, rather than just bureaucratic activity. And I appreciate the spirit of that comment. In the same vein, the United States referred to the possibility of increasing the number of out site visits in the future, which I think is another point that we need to follow up. We just heard a request from the Ambassador of Afghanistan to have a team visit to help his Government carry through obligations that are quite difficult to implement on the ground. I myself think that this should be done by experts rather than by the delegations on the Committee, but site visits - visits on the ground - are something that perhaps we might consider over the next period. Likewise - and this is also related to concretizing our results - I think that in my period we did not do enough to tease out the fraternal relationship between the 1373 Committee and the 1267 Committee. I hope that the Hispanic brotherhood will do better than I have done. But we do not do lists; the 1267 Committee does. But there is more than that to the correlation between the two, and I think there again there are results on the ground to be teased out of that relationship. I would like quickly to touch on the six questions raised by the representative of India, because there is interesting information and substance in that and perhaps, also, a touch of needle. Let me give some answers to the questions he raised. First, how do we deal with a situation where a Member State is not enforcing effective compliance? Well, we are going to get into that in the next period. It is the firmness bit of the sensitivity and firmness that I mentioned earlier. We are going to have to demand performance up to the standards of resolution 1373 (2001). Secondly, it will also help - there is no getting away from this, although so far we have not addressed it in the Committee since it is not our job - to have a definition of terrorism from the General Assembly. I believe we should be making more progress on that than we are. Thirdly, doing what the representative of India has asked for means that we have to address all regional problems that touch on terrorism - some of them not so far from his own country - and the regional mechanisms for addressing them also have to be effective. All these three things, I think, have to be taken forward. Can we avoid intrusiveness into Member States' affairs? Yes, because we set up, way back in our business, arrangements for confidentiality, and the CTC can still follow those rules if Member States want to take difficult questions to the area of the experts only and not share them with other Member States. The arrangements are there. Is there a need for us to concentrate more on internationally negotiated and agreed arrangements? Well, we are based on resolution 1373 (2001); that is our internationally agreed basis. If we use other standards, such as those of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATT), it is only because they are entirely compatible and consistent with resolution 1373 (2001). Should we have a more representative, regional balance? Well, that is up to the regions. We are open to all the regions and to any subregional group that Member States would like to form. You have got to come halfway to meet us; we are not going to create new regional arrangements just for our own business. They come out of Member States' obligations and the easier implementation of international obligations through collective activity. Should we not move at the pace of the slowest or of the fastest? Well, we do not. This is the tailored approached. I think that I made that very clear in my remarks this morning. It is the policy of the Committee to ask every Member State to move no faster and no slower than their best pace under their own capability. Finally, concerning information on assistance, we recognize that we need to improve our web site. We would like to have more information from donor States. I am sure that the next period will see advances in that area. But they were all constructive criticisms. I hope that we can persuade Member States that in all those areas we are doing the right things, even if we have to do them faster. I would like to make a final, general remark, inspired perhaps by the Ambassador of Japan, who spoke to us this afternoon. Terrorism does not come out of differences between peoples or between Governments, or arguments between different parts of the United Nations and the inter-governmental system. It comes out of barbarism and a lack of respect for the most fundamental human values. In combating terrorism, I think that in the Security Council and in the Committee, we are standing up for the core objectives of the United Nations. That is why the Committee itself has had such an overwhelming response of support from the United Nations membership at large. I, myself, over my 18 months here, am extremely grateful for that support. The more we do, the more we see we need to do. In that respect, I think Ambassador Arias has got a huge task in front of him. But he will meet it. I wish him luck with it. He will have the full support of the United Kingdom delegation. Thank you, Mr. President. Over and out.

The President (spoke in Spanish): My warm thanks to Sir Jeremy Greenstock for these points of clarification.

Mr. Mekdad (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): We met today for two purposes. The first is to honour Sir Jeremy Greenstock and express how much we respect the efforts he has made now that the Chairmanship of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) is passing to Ambassador Arias. The second was a quick overview of the CTC's achievements and tasks for the next stage to come. However, the Israeli representative, who made his statement just before the morning meeting adjourned, did not respect the occasion or the reason why we met. In the manner of a bankrupt merchant, he came back to his old, tattered account books to dig up a number of lies and to fulfil the role entrusted to him to deceive and mislead the Security Council and distract it from its true task of combating terrorism - terrorism that is perpetrated by his Government and army in the occupied territory. Yesterday's daily press briefing by the United Nations Department of Public Information to journalists attests to this. The briefing cited a press release issued by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which reads, in part, as follows: "In the early morning on 2 April, Israeli military forces broke into and occupied a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) girls' school in Tulkarem refugee camp in the West Bank, and proceeded to use the school as a detention centre for male residents of the camp between the ages of 15 and 40. The Agency strongly protests this flagrant violation of United Nations privileges and immunities and the continuing denial of UNRWA's access to the school and the camp as a whole, which has been declared a closed military zone."(PAL/]940). A full camp of innocent people is a closed military zone, and the school is used for detention and harassment. The press release goes on the state that UNRWA Commissioner-General Peter Hansen called the occupation of the Agency's school 'a violation of international legal norms' and called on the Israeli authorities 'to leave UNRWA's school and allow UNRWA access to its other facilities in the Tulkarem camp so that essential services can be restored to the refugees."' Is this not terrorism, by definition? Have other aggressors, except perhaps during the Second World War, committed similar acts? Now the representative of Israel points a finger of accusation at others. Once again, if this is not terrorism, what is it then? The representative of Israel has tried to portray the butcher as victim. However, he has not and will not succeed, because, as everyone knows, what takes place in the occupied Arab territories is a result of Israeli terrorism and Israel's continuing occupation and unprecedented oppression of the Palestinian people and its aspirations to dignity and self-determination. Even more astonishing, the representative of Israel points a finger of accusation and names and shames, so to speak, other parties. This is laughable indeed. It would seem that the representative of Israel to the United Nations is again ignorant, and to date, seems not to be aware that this particular Security Council has adopted dozens of resolutions that accuse and condemn Israel itself. The United Nations and the Security Council have named and shamed and condemned Israel in dozens of resolutions. However, Israel has resisted international legitimacy and continues to defy it. In brief, because of the formal nature of this occasion, I should merely like to say that last year alone, more than 2,600 innocent Palestinians were killed by the Israelis, including women, children and the elderly. The Palestinians have done nothing during the past three months, at least, while Israel for its part, during the same period, has killed 300 Palestinians in cold blood without justification. Yesterday alone Israel killed seven innocent Palestinian civilians. I ask the Council: who is the terrorist? I would repeat: Palestinians living in Syria are victims of Israeli terrorism. They have been displaced by force from their homes and villages and towns. We believe that the only solution is for those people to return to their homes, then there would be no terrorism. There would be no acts of violence, as some call them. We say that those Palestinians have the right to express their hopes and aspirations. They have the right to defend their dignity and protect their rights. It is not the duty of Syria or of any other party to oppress or silence the Palestinians, as Israel wishes. The Palestinians have the right to express themselves under human rights principles and international law. Israel is wrong once again if it believes that Syria can disregard the Palestinians' right to self-expression. In conclusion, I must return to the purpose of this meeting. I should like once again to congratulate Ambassador Greenstock on all his achievements. I am sorry that the representative of Israel attempted to torpedo the occasion; however, he has failed in that effort. I would emphasize that Syria will continue to fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The President (spoke in Spanish): The representative of Pakistan has requested the floor.

Mr. Akram (Pakistan): It was not my intention to intervene again in our discussion, but I believe that the regional problems to which Sir Jeremy Greenstock just referred have intruded and oblige me to respond to my colleague from India. My friend from India referred to what he called the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The United Nations recognizes Jammu and Kashmir as disputed territory. The maps of the United Nations clearly indicate the line of demarcation - the ceasefire line - between Indian-occupied Kashmir and Azad Kashmir, which is free Kashmir. The Security Council resolutions on Kashmir, calling for a United Nations- supervised plebiscite to enable the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their right to self- determination, remain to be implemented. At this moment in history, when we have seen a war waged for the purpose of securing the implementation of Security Council resolutions, the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the people of Pakistan ask the Security Council to adopt a standard that is uniform and does not discriminate against them, because they have awaited their freedom and self- determination for 50 years under Indian occupation. It is an occupation of several hundred thousand Indian troops occupying a country the size of Belgium. There is one Indian soldier for every four Kashmiri males. And my colleague from India can speak only about acts of terrorism. It is a pity that he referred to, as he said, 75,000 Indian citizens killed in Kashmir. Those were Kashmiris - more than 80,000 Kashmiris - killed by Indian occupation forces. That is well documented, and my delegation is prepared to circulate those documents for the information of Council members. In the context of terrorism, the representative of India referred to an incident that occurred a few days ago in Indian-occupied Kashmir in which 24 innocent people were massacred. Pakistan has vigorously condemned that terrorist incident. As usual, India has held one country - to quote my colleague from India - responsible for the situation. We submit that this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. In such situations, as I said this morning, it is always better to resort to impartial investigations and to impartial inquiry before making allegations against another State, because allegations of that nature can very often lead to the rise of tensions and to threats to international peace and security. We say that there must be an investigation, because in March 2000, just as President Clinton was visiting India, 35 Sikh villagers were massacred in Kashmir. The New Delhi Government blamed - guess who. But at the time, there was an inquiry conducted by two independent organizations, called Movement Against State Repression and the Punjab Human Rights Organization, and, after a thorough investigation, both of them concluded that it was Indian forces that had carried out the massacre. A separate investigation conducted by an international human rights organization came to the same conclusion. India seeks to portray the Kashmiri movement as a terrorist movement in order to delegitimize the struggle for freedom and self-determination. That is the central and core reality in Kashmir. Therefore, Pakistan has asked that this latest massacre should be investigated. We have suggested that the investigation could be carried out by non-governmental organizations such as Amnesty International. Today, since my colleague from India has raised this matter in the Security Council, I should like to ask him if he would be prepared to accept an independent United Nations inquiry into this incident. I hope he will respond positively. If India is convinced that external forces are responsible for such acts of terrorism, let it say yes. Pakistan is prepared for such an investigation. We know that our hands are clean, our conscience is clear and our cause - for the sake of the freedom of Kashmir - is just.

The President (spoke in Spanish): There are no further speakers left on my list. After consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: "The Security Council welcomes the briefing by the Chairman of the Counter- Terrorism Committee (CTC) on the work of the Committee. "The Security Council recalls the statement of its President of 8 October 2002 (S/PRST/2002/26), which recorded its intention to review the structure and activities of the CTC no later than 4 April 2003. The Council thanks Ambassador Greenstock (United Kingdom) for his chairmanship of the CTC during the first 18 months of its work, and confirms the appointment of Ambassador Arias (Spain) as the new Chairman. The Council confirms the continuation in office of Ambassador Gaspar Martins (Angola), Ambassador Aguilar Zinser (Mexico) and Ambassador Lavrov (Russian Federation) as Vice-Chairmen of the Committee. "The Council invites the CTC to pursue its agenda as set out in the work programme for the CTC's seventh 90-day period (S/2003/387). "The Council notes that three States have not yet submitted a report to the CTC, and that 51 Member States are late in submitting a further report, in contravention of the requirements set out by resolution 1373 (2001). It calls on them urgently to do so, in order to maintain the universality of response which resolution 1373 (2001) requires. "The Security Council invites the CTC to continue reporting on its activities at regular intervals and expresses its intention to review the structure and activities of the CTC no later than 4 October 2003." This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2003/3. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 5.45 pm.