Security
Council steps up global cooperation against terrorism
[March
7, 2003 - 10.45 GMT]
Representatives
of some sixty international, regional and sub-regional organisations
yesterday agreed to share more information and avoid duplicate efforts in a
bid to strengthen global cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
A
communiqué issued at the end of the one-day meeting of the United Nations
Counter-terrorism Committee (CTC) at UN Headquarters in New York said
participants agreed that “all invited organisations had a specific role to
play in enhancing the effectiveness of global action against terrorism”
and that they recognised the “high value” of cooperation at the global
level.
Organisations
invited to the meeting include the Association
of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN), the
League of Arab States, the
European Union (EU), the Organisation of
American States (OAS), the Organisation
of the Islamic Conference, the North
Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and Interpol.
According
to the communiqué, meeting participants also agreed to communicate to each
other “best practices, codes and standards,” relevant to the
implementation of resolution
1373.
Regional
organisations would also develop and maintain mechanisms to help their
members to meet their international obligations in counter-terrorism, while
all organisations would remain aware of the link between their activities
and human rights concerns.
“Although
recent terrorist acts have been massive in their scale, future attacks could
make them pale in comparison, particularly if terrorists were to acquire
lethal chemical, biological or nuclear weapons,” UN Secretary General Kofi
Annan said.
He
called on the world to unite to prevent weapons of mass destruction from
falling into the hands of terrorists.
The
Secretary General also warned against sacrificing human rights in the fight
against terrorism. “Our response to terrorism, as well as our efforts to
thwart it and prevent it should uphold human rights that terrorists would
aim to destroy,” he said.
The
CTC is entrusted with monitoring all areas covered by the council’s
counter-terrorism resolution 1373 adopted in the wake of the 11 September
attacks.
PRINT
THIS STORY
 Contact Information: Send mail to gosl@presidentsl.org with questions or comments about this web site.
Last Updated
Date: March 7, 2003 - 10.45
GMT. |
