General Assembly Session 56 meeting 19

Mr. Musambachime (Zambia)

Zambia condemns, in the strongest terms, the barbaric and terrorist acts committed against the United States of America on 11 September 2001. I wish to take this opportunity to convey my Government's deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to the United States Government, its people and the families affected by these senseless and dastardly acts.

The President of Zambia, Frederick Chiluba, has already issued two statements condemning these heinous and unjustified attacks. In the first statement, made in his capacity as President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Chiluba stated,

"We unreservedly condemn these most deplorable, heinous and wanton attacks on defenceless people, which are an affront to all norms of civilized human behaviour and a direct threat to global peace and security. The perpetrators of these dastardly acts should be sought and swiftly brought to book to answer for their crimes".

In the second statement, issued in his capacity as Chairman of the Organization of African Unity, Mr. Chiluba said,

"We wish to state unreservedly that terrorist acts should have no place in today's civilized world and should, therefore, be strongly condemned by the entire international community".

Today, in this Assembly and from this podium, I reiterate the President's condemnation of all acts, methods and practices of terrorism by whomever, whenever and wherever they are perpetrated. The consequences of terrorism are indeed, the antithesis of social and economic development and, therefore, should be fought by all democratic and peace-loving nations.

I wish to assure the American Government of the full and unconditional support and cooperation of the Government of the Republic of Zambia in all efforts to pursue the perpetrators of these cowardly acts and to ensure that they are brought to justice.

By definition, terrorism means violent acts intended to create a state of fear and insecurity in the general public or a group of persons. My delegation has noted with great admiration the response of the American people to these acts of terror. The American people have not been intimidated. Instead, they have become more united and determined in their resolve to recover from this tragedy.

My delegation commends the gallant efforts of the Mayor of New York, our host city, Mr. Rudolph Guiliani, who addressed us on Monday, 1 October, and of Governor George Pataki, in coordinating the rescue work. Their strong leadership enabled the City to quickly organize and coordinate the resources required for rescue and recovery operations.

We pay tribute to the brave and courageous members of the Fire Department of New York, the New York Police Department, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and others who made the ultimate sacrifice while rescuing those trapped in the wreckage. We also commend the many volunteers who have saved so many lives and continue to give their time to the rescue and recovery efforts.

President George W. Bush, the American Government, the Congress and the entire nation deserve our praise for the tremendous support they have given to our host city. The heavy death toll and the level of destruction of property caused by the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, whose images we vividly saw on television with horror, disbelief and indignation, have demonstrated to us the seriousness of the threat of terrorism. They have also underlined the urgency with which the international community must respond to this problem, whose magnitude threatens international peace and security.

Indeed, as the Secretary-General said last week, when he presented his report on the work of the Organization, the attack was

"a blow, not against one city or one country, but against all of us ... an attack ... on our shared values. It struck at everything this Organization stands for: peace, freedom, tolerance, human rights and the very idea of a united human family." (A/56/PV.7)

The large number of fatalities, who included nationals from 80 countries, and the destruction of important infrastructure, as well as the disruption of the normal life of New Yorkers, the normal programme of the United Nations, international travel and world financial markets all go to show that terrorism is a global problem, which requires an urgent global response.

We should not forget that this tragedy comes after terrorist attacks on the embassies of the United States in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and on the USS Cole in Yemen. The diversity of these attacks in various parts of the world clearly indicates that terrorism should be of concern to all nations.

My delegation welcomes and supports the measures, including the diplomatic efforts, being undertaken by the United States Government to muster an international coalition in the wake of the attacks in New York and Washington D.C. The perpetrators of these barbaric and heinous attacks deserve our strongest condemnation.

The Zambian Government joins other Governments that have called for the immediate conclusion and implementation of a comprehensive international convention against terrorism. My Government is aware that much work has been done both by the United Nations and by regional organizations in this regard. However, there is a need to coordinate all this work in order to establish a formidable and effective force against terrorism.

It is important that the United Nations play a crucial and leading role in the global response to terrorism. The United Nations is the natural forum for building the necessary universal coalition to give international legitimacy to the struggle against terrorism.

In view of its complicated nature, the fight against terrorism will not be easy. It will be difficult and protracted. There is, therefore, an urgent need for the international community to adopt measures that are comprehensive, effective and sustainable, which will not only deal with the current violent acts of terror, but will also involve long-term measures to prevent their recurrence. Hence the need for the United Nations to play a leading role.

My delegation would, therefore, like to express its fullest support for Security Council resolutions 1368 (2001) and 1373 (2001), adopted on 12 September and 28 September respectively, and General Assembly resolution 56/1, adopted on 12 September, which call for urgent action to enhance international cooperation to prevent and eradicate acts of terrorism. It is important for the international community to rally behind these resolutions and to promote unity of purpose in order to facilitate, strengthen and enforce action against terrorism.

My delegation is convinced that with the full implementation of the measures contained in these resolutions, especially those in Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), we will win this war. This is a war the international community cannot afford to lose. It is now up to us, as individual Members of the United Nations, to do our part and help win the war.

For our part, my Government has undertaken to cooperate at the regional and international levels to prohibit and to prosecute all criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or individuals targeted for whatever reasons, in any circumstance, as unjustifiable, whatever considerations or factors may be invoked to justify them.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Chau (Viet Nam)

The tragedies of 11 September will go down in contemporary history as one of the most heinous crimes committed against innocent people. Some 6,000 men and women perished in the ruins of the World Trade Center, in Virginia and in the wreckage in Pennsylvania, while thousands of others are suffering in hospitals. Who can hold back the tears, looking at those photos along the sidewalks of Lexington Avenue, in Union Square, in New Jersey and elsewhere? They are proof of the suffering, the agony, the mourning of the living over the tragic death of their husbands, wives, parents, children, siblings and friends.

Death in war is as painful as death in peace, I can assure the Assembly. Right after these horrendous killings by the insane terrorists, President Tran Duc Luong and Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, in their messages of condolence addressed to President George Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell, extended the deepest sympathy and condolences of the people and Government of Viet Nam to the people and Government of the United States of America and voiced their indignation at and strong condemnation of the barbarous acts, which involved the heavy loss of innocent lives. The spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of Viet Nam went on to say that the perpetrators should be brought to justice and severely punished.

The demand to vent the anger that has built up inside is understandable. In the same vein, it is necessary to bring the planners, organizers and perpetrators of these senseless acts of terrorism to justice, but it should be done in such a way that it does not turn into acts of vengeance, which can easily endanger other innocent people. Otherwise we could get into a vicious circle in which violence may lead to numerous other rounds of violence, with no finality in sight.

As terrorism is going global, counter-terrorism should go global as well. Solidarity and unity among people around the world and their participation in a common endeavour are badly needed to meet the goal of rooting out terrorists from our daily life. To this end, a comprehensive strategy should be worked out to deal with the political, diplomatic and development issues of genuine concern. The United Nations, as a universal Organization where every nation, big or small, acts on an equal footing, should play a key role in the process, through discharging its functions enshrined in the Charter, in accordance with international laws and relevant international conventions.

While condemning in the strongest terms acts of terrorism of the magnitude of those of 11 September, we should be equally resolute in our determination to pay attention to other forms of terrorism, such as kidnapping foreign citizens, bombarding foreign embassies and hijacking aeroplanes, to name just a few. Having been victim of such acts of terrorism as the hijacking of an aeroplane of its national airline in 1978, the attacks and bombings of its diplomatic representation offices in a number of capitals in Europe and Asia in 1999 and the violation of its airspace by a criminal pilot in 2000, Viet Nam is fully aware that it is very important to have international cooperation in the prevention of those crimes and in the punishment of the culprits. It is the responsibility of each nation not to provide shelter or support in whatever form to the terrorists, before, during or after such acts of barbarism. Viet Nam is willing to fulfil its obligations in conformity with national and international law in a worldwide endeavour to counter terrorism.

There is a story about a happy six-year-old girl. She was happy because her mother had taken her to the top of World Trade Center building, as promised, so that she could look at the panoramic view of New York on that fateful day. She and her mother, together with thousands of others, disappeared, forever, in the ruins.

It is better to act than to react. We should not wait until the cow is stolen to lock the barn. Something should be done, and done fast, in a manner that is allowed for under the Charter, international laws and international norms governing the relations among sovereign States.

Mr. Moutari (Niger)

May I address to you, Sir, the heartfelt congratulations of the Nigerian delegation on your eminent election to the presidency of the fifty-sixth session of the General Assembly. I also take this opportunity to congratulate the Secretary-General Mr. Kofi Annan, on his eminent re-election to a second term at the helm of our Organization. On behalf of the Niger, I pay a ringing tribute to him for the strides that the United Nations has made during his first term and for his constant, tireless efforts in the service of humanity.

This debate on the measures to eliminate international terrorism is taking place under exceptionally grave circumstances in the aftermath of the despicable terrorist attacks perpetrated on 11 September in the United States -- attacks that took thousands of innocent victims, men and women of all ages, cultures and faiths and of more than 80 nationalities.

In the wake of these terrible attacks, the Niger has expressed its position through two messages addressed to the United States authorities -- one by the President of the Republic of the Niger and the other by the Government. These two documents state that the Niger vigorously and firmly condemns the blind violence that has just struck innocent people. The Niger is committed to becoming involved in all initiatives taken at the subregional and international levels, particularly those initiated by the Organization of African Unity, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the United Nations, so that we can come up with concerted, lasting solutions to the threat posed by terrorism to international peace and security. We offer every means at our disposal for cooperating with the United States of America on the exchange of information and intelligence. We invite the international community to display prudence and discernment to avoid any confusion between terrorism and Islam.

The Niger endorses the terms of Security Council resolutions 1368 (2001) and 1373 (2001), notably the appeal addressed to all States to work together with the utmost urgency to bring to justice those who perpetrated, organized and directed these terrorist attacks.

The Republic of the Niger condemns recourse to violence as a means of putting ideas forward or settling disputes. In practical terms, we have taken a number of measures to combat terrorism. At the international level, the Niger has proceeded to ratify the following major legal instruments designed to fight the various manifestations of terrorism: the Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft; the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft; the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civilian Aviation; the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents; and the Organization of African Unity Convention for the Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa.

Moreover, the Niger signed this year, in conformity with article III of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, for the purpose of verifying compliance with obligations assumed under the terms of that Treaty in order to ensure that nuclear energy is not diverted away from peaceful uses towards the production of nuclear weapons or any other nuclear explosive devices.

In the same context, the Niger also entered into a protocol this year with the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization relating to the establishment of two international monitoring stations in the Niger.

My country has furthermore begun the process of ratifying a number of texts on terrorism. These include the International Convention against the Taking of Hostages and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

Finally, my country will begin as soon as possible the process of ratifying the following conventions: the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries, the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation, supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation. Those are our activities at the international level.

Domestically, the relevant provisions of Niger's penal code punish acts of terrorism in conformity with international and regional conventions on the subject. And article 78 and subsequent articles of our penal code punish attacks, plots and other crimes against the authority of the State and against the security of our national territory.

Fighting and eradicating international terrorism requires comprehensive collective action within the framework of international law, of which the United Nations is the repository. Here, I hail the Organization's important contribution in the legal sphere. Under United Nations auspices, no less than 12 conventions have been formulated to deal with various aspects of terrorism. And beyond those legal instruments, two draft conventions are under discussion in the Sixth Committee. Niger hails the sponsors of the initiatives in that regard, India and the Russian Federation.

The draft text initiated by India relates to a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. That would be an important legal instrument defining the concept of international terrorism, because other conventions on international terrorism are sectoral in nature. The draft convention proposed by the Russian Federation relates to the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism.

My country very much hopes that those two draft texts will be completed as soon as possible. The adoption of the two draft instruments would provide the legal arsenal the international community needs to combat and eradicate this scourge.

Let me recall two key truths that have emerged as a leitmotif of this debate. First, Islam is a religion of peace, a religion of moderation. Thus, no credible interpretation of the basic sources of the religion of the Prophet can possibly justify murder or suicide, or even less suggest that these offer a shortcut to paradise. Muslim scholars the world over are unanimous about that. And the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which brings together 56 States representing nearly a billion Muslims, has strongly condemned these acts as contrary to Islam, to its own resolutions and to the Convention of the Organization of the Islamic Conference on Combating International Terrorism.

Secondly, terrorism derives from blind fanaticism, which is in turn born of ignorance and poverty. It follows that, ultimately, any strategy for the total eradication of terrorism cannot be limited to ad hoc or unilateral action. Niger therefore welcomes the emergence of a consensus view that if the fight against terrorism is to succeed, it will have to be collective and will have to encompass the need for a more just and equitable international economic and political order that takes more careful account of the interests of the greatest number of people.

It is obvious that extreme poverty, injustice and myriad frustrations can lead only to the extremism that poses a serious threat to the whole of mankind. For our fight to be effective, it must therefore be multisectoral and must call for an accelerated fight against poverty and injustice.

We hope that the high-level international conference proposed by the Non-Aligned Movement can provide an appropriate opportunity to formulate a programme of international cooperation that would include, inter alia, substantial technical and financial assistance to the least developed countries to enable them to make a meaningful contribution to the international fight against terrorism. Those measures should be complemented by other forthcoming conferences, including the International Conference on Financing for Development, to be held at Monterrey, Mexico, and the World Summit on Sustainable Development, to be held at Johannesburg, South Africa.

Mr. Abulhasan (Kuwait)

Terrorism is among the most important challenges facing the international community. It arises time and again in the form of crimes against many innocent civilians. These crimes are intended to intimidate societies and to spread chaos and panic among peoples, and they serve to remind us of our responsibility to confront and eradicate this phenomenon.

Events have proved that terrorist acts result from extremist thinking unrelated to any particular geographical area, culture, religion or other factor. Terrorism breaches the basic values and principles embraced by the members of the international community to define their behaviour, and seeks to return us to the law of the jungle and to destroy the doctrine of free will.

Here, my delegation reiterates the powerful condemnation issued by the Government of Kuwait of the 11 September terrorist acts against the United States and its friendly people. We convey our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, and we pray God to grant them patience and to hasten the recovery of those who were injured. We reaffirm our total support for United States Government efforts to confront terrorism and the criminal acts against it.

The role of the United Nations in confronting the terrorist acts against the United States began less than 24 hours after the perpetration of those unprecedented crimes against humanity. The Security Council adopted its resolution 1368 (2001) of 12 September 2001, by which it condemned the terrorist attacks against the United States. On the same day, the General Assembly adopted resolution 56/1, by which it too condemned the terrorist attacks against the United States. I believe that the next Security Council resolution on this matter, resolution 1373 (2001), which was adopted on 28 September under Chapter VII of the Charter, constitutes a political and legal response that will help us excise this cancer that has spread throughout the body of our world.

We in Kuwait are in full support of all those United Nations endeavours, and we pledge our full cooperation with the international community in any action that could result in the eradication of these crimes, which are in fact crimes against all humanity, in bringing their perpetrators to justice, and in studying their root causes and reasons with a view to eliminating them or easing their impact.

International terrorism is one of the major issues on which the entire international community is focusing, because this phenomenon poses a specific danger to people's lives. No State, however large or small, can be immune to terrorism.

The phenomenon of terrorism did not come into existence only recently. The world has been aware of it for a long time now. What is new, however, is the increase, in the last few years, of the number of incidents and the expansion of its scope.

Kuwait has been, and still is, a victim of terrorism, and in particular State terrorism. The Amir of Kuwait was the subject of an assassination attempt during which a Kuwaiti aircraft was hijacked and Kuwaiti citizens killed. Many Kuwait institutions have been bombed, killing many innocent civilians and causing tremendous material losses. Thus, when we speak of terrorism, we speak of a reality that we have lived through in recent years.

The State of Kuwait wishes to affirm that combating terrorism is the responsibility of all countries of the world. We must work at all levels to combat terrorism in a manner that does not contravene the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. All States, therefore, must take the necessary legal measures -- at the local, regional and international levels -- to combat and eradicate terrorism. They must also implement the provisions of international law and of the relevant internationally binding resolutions, in order to suppress the execution, financing, or instigation of terrorist acts and to prevent the harbouring of their perpetrators. We would like to emphasize the importance of adopting carefully thought-out measures within that legal framework.

In that context, Kuwait supports the convening of an international conference under the auspices of the United Nations whose goal would be to arrive at a clear definition of terrorism and to work on an organized joint response by the international community as a whole against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

This is a responsibility that all of us must shoulder. The international community must concentrate on the importance of addressing the root causes that have led to the escalation of the phenomenon of terrorism and of eradicating such causes.

Kuwait reaffirms once again its total condemnation and rejection of all forms of terrorism. However, we must draw a distinction between the genuine struggle of peoples for self-determination in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, and terrorism that targets innocent civilians.

We in Kuwait believe that the struggle of the Palestinian people, for example, in its legitimate resistance to Israeli occupation, cannot by any means be considered a form of terrorism. It is a legitimate form of self-defence and a defence of the rights of the people, pre-eminent among which is the right to life, to land and to sovereignty.

A genuine source of concern is the campaign being waged by the mass media to try to link Islam with terrorism. Needless to say, Islam, like many other divine religions, prohibits the killing of innocent civilians. This is in accordance with the principles of international law, which aim at strengthening cooperation between peoples in order to establish peace. Islam is a religion of peace, love and brotherliness. God Almighty says in the Koran:

"That if anyone slew a person -- unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land -- it would be as if he slew the whole people. And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people." (The Holy Koran, V:32)

We would like, therefore, to emphasize that it is inadmissible to link terrorism and Islam, or terrorism and Arabs, if we wish to avoid a clash of religions and civilizations -- the Arab and Islamic world on the one hand, and the West on the other. We reject that linkage, which is condemned on the international level. Anyone who says such things does not want peace or the well-being of peoples and is working against all values of peaceful coexistence between peoples, religions and cultures.

Our Holy Koran, which is the highest constitution for all Muslims, is based on the concept that

"The most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you."

The Holy Koran also says that there is no difference between an Arab and a foreigner; only piety counts. It is well-known linguistically that a foreigner refers to a non-Arab. This is our religion. This is our Arab culture. These are the principles of coexistence we abide by, which conform to relevant international conventions and the Charter of the United Nations.

Our last prayer is to thank God and to praise the Almighty.

Mr. Shihab (Maldives)

I would like to begin by reiterating my Government's condemnation of the horrendous terrorist attacks on New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Pennsylvania on 11 September 2001. I would like also to reaffirm the condolences of my Government to the Government and to the people of the United States on the great loss of human life and the trauma caused by the atrocious attacks. I also offer my Government's condolences to the other delegations whose compatriots were also among the victims of the outrage of 11 September.

We must not, we cannot and we should not tolerate terrorism in any form.

The attacks on the United States have undoubtedly given a new, more sinister meaning to international terrorism. The tremendous loss of life and incalculable damage to property resulting from the attacks has demonstrated the viciousness and the heinous nature of international terrorism and the pain and anguish that it can cause to human beings. These attacks have confirmed that civilization is no guarantee against barbarism.

My country was among the first States to condemn the terrorist attacks on the United States in the strongest possible terms. The Maldives has always denounced and deplored terrorism in unequivocal terms wherever and whenever it has occurred. Upon hearing the news of the barbaric attacks on the United States, President Gayoom immediately telephoned the United States Government to condemn the attacks and pledged full support to the United States in the hour of its tragedy. We stand by that pledge and we are cooperating fully with the United States in taking measures against terrorism. Small as our country is, and vulnerable also to attacks by terrorists, we took immediate steps to increase our vigilance against any movement by any terrorist from anywhere.

My country believes that strengthening the existing national, regional and international legal frameworks against terrorism is essential to effectively fighting the war against terrorism. My country is happy to note the positive manner in which the work in this field is progressing. We are encouraged by the constructive work that is being carried out by the working group on terrorism to finalize a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. We are also looking forward to the early conclusion of the proposed international convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism, which we believe will broaden and further strengthen the international legal regime. My delegation also supports the early convening of the high-level conference, under the auspices of the United Nations, to formulate a jointly organized response of the international community to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

To us in the Maldives, any terrorist attack anywhere brings back memories of the carnage caused by terrorists in the Maldives in November 1988. Every year since that time, my delegation has addressed this Assembly on the need for effective and timely international cooperation to combat and eliminate terrorism, which is almost always transnational in nature. In an age of globalization and high finance, our vigilance against terrorism and organized crime has to be stepped up.

Following our own tragic experience as a victim of terrorism, we have strengthened out national legal framework to counter terrorism. Under our Anti-Terrorism Law of 1990, I am happy to report that we have enabled ourselves to be in full compliance with Security Council resolutions 1333 (2000) and 1373 (2001). We have taken measures, such as those called for in resolutions 1333 (2000) and 1373 (2001), so that no activities can be undertaken in the Maldives to support terrorist acts. Our laws ensure that no terrorist can find safe haven on our shores and that terrorists cannot enter the Maldives, let alone undertake any activities in the Maldives. We have acceded to the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, along with seven other international conventions on terrorism. We are now completing the process of signing the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.

As in the past, my delegation would also like to assert that terrorism is linked to a wide network of organized crime. We must therefore target not only terrorists, but all those who assist terrorists and benefit from terrorist activities. Quite often, those who smuggle arms and launder funds from the illicit trade in narcotics operate hand in hand with terrorists. Similarly, mercenaries who provide training and supply weapons of terror also pose a serious threat to peace and security. In this regard, we believe that it is high time that the international community give serious thought to ratifying the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries as well.

The important and positive role that regional cooperation can play in combating terrorism cannot be overemphasized. Increased interaction, consultation and cooperation at the regional level can pave the way to setting up effective security arrangements and legal frameworks that complement efforts at the international level. In South Asia, a region that understands the destructive effects of terrorism, a regional Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism is presently in force. Under the provisions of the Convention, States members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) are committed to extraditing or prosecuting terrorists, thus preventing them from enjoying safe haven. A Terrorist Offences Monitoring Desk also functions under SAARC with the aim of collecting, analysing and disseminating information on incidents of terrorism, along with tactics, strategies and methods used by terrorists. However, a lot more remains to be done if we are to have an impact on terrorism in our region.

My delegation would like to compliment the Security Council for the prompt manner in which the horrifying attacks on the United States were condemned and for quickly acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, detailing measures to be taken by the world community to combat terrorism. In a global village, an attack against one is an attack against all, especially where the fundamental tenets of civilization come under attack. My country has long valued and stressed the importance of the Declaration on the Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States, adopted by the United Nations in October 1970 in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, contained in General Assembly resolution 2625 (XXV). Adherence to these Principles is so crucial to the peace, security and well-being of small States, such as the Maldives. In a globalized world, the observance of these Principles is of profound importance indeed to all States, big and small.

Our aim is to live in a more peaceful world, one where the small shall feel as secure as the mighty and where the fruits of human labour and ingenuity are not destroyed by wanton acts of barbarism. Never before has the international community come together to speak in one voice, as it has now, to condemn the senseless and brutal murder of so many people. We must seize the moment to ensure that such a tragedy is never allowed to occur again. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the world community in doing our utmost to this end.

Mr. Kawah (Liberia)

Over the past three weeks, we have concentrated on the matter of terrorism to a degree which is unprecedented, not only here at the United Nations but throughout the entire world. This high degree of attention, as many have observed, is principally the result of the wave of terrorism recently perpetrated on the United States of America and the American people, which has caused an immeasurable loss of innocent life, acute fear and suffering, and economic dislocation and downturn throughout the world.

Terrorism is not a new phenomenon; however, it is changing in its scope, parameters and scale. It has reached a new level of viciousness and insidiousness; it has reawakened fear and vulnerability within us because of its senselessness and because we cannot rationalize or comprehend it.

We sit here deliberating only a brief distance from the site of one of the greatest crimes ever inflicted on civilization, a crime that threatens to tear apart our spirit and our vision of a better world. The United Nations is now called upon to draw upon its great reserves of resolve so as to eliminate the scourge of humankind that has brought death and sorrow to so many of God's children. We must respond together to the call. All of us have a stake in the outcome of this struggle.

Liberia is a small nation with big problems: we have been torn apart by a long civil war, we are suffering as a result of the ongoing conflicts that surround us and we are beset by internal political strife. Yet we hold onto a clear vision that we, too, must contribute our voice and support to world efforts to rid all peoples and cultures of the threat of ignorance and evil.

Terrorism can be allowed no part of our collective future. Even as we speak, small groups of self-appointed rebels are challenging, with arms, the stability and progress of our fragile Liberian democratic system. They bring death, destruction and anarchy, not truth or enlightenment. Now is the time to call a halt to terrorism, with its corrosive effect on our social and religious foundations.

In their grief and shock over the events of 11 September, the Americans have issued a call to all of us to join in a common effort to eliminate the elements among us that would destroy our values, kill our innocents and impose fear on our lives. The nations here must unite to prevent even transient success for those elements.

My Government has already expressed to the Government and the people of the United States of America its profound regret, as well as its horror and disbelief, at the cold-blooded murder of so many of its citizens that took place on 11 September. As President Taylor said,

"We share the sorrow and distress of the suffering American people. In the name of humanity, love and affection, which have no boundaries, we identify with you and share your anxiety".

For many years now, terrorism has been growing at an alarming rate and has visited every Member of this Organization. In recognition of the need to combat this scourge, world leaders, in the Millennium Declaration, committed themselves to

"take concerted action against international terrorism, and to accede as soon as possible to all the relevant international conventions." (resolution 55/2, para. 9)

Equally important is adherence to those conventions. To this end, the Government of Liberia has instructed me to sign the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings.

At the thirty-fifth ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), held in Algiers, Algeria, in July 1999, the OAU adopted a Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism. This Convention explicitly acknowledges the fact that terrorism constitutes a serious violation of human rights, in particular of the rights to physical integrity, life, freedom and security, and that it impedes socio-economic development through the destabilization of States. It concludes that political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic or other motives can never be used in justification or defence of terrorist acts.

Today, the peoples of the entire world -- not only those of the United States and other developed countries -- face personal and collective dangers from this new wave of terrorism from lone individuals or small groups of people who, for personal, selfish and parochial reasons bring untold tragedy to the lives of other people by committing unspeakable acts of violence.

In discussing such manifestations of terrorism and United Nations plans for dealing with this affliction, this gathering should remember that, although such plans are essential in the short term, in the longer term our Organization must not lose sight of the underlying causes of terrorism. In this respect, we are still shrouded in a considerable fog of ignorance, and sometimes of denial.

We believe that the root cause of these nefarious acts is the lack of a proper balance between the liberty of the individual or group of individuals, and the needs of society in general. It has been said that

"Liberty causeth man to overstep the bounds of propriety, and to infringe on the dignity of his station. It debaseth him to the level of extreme depravity and wickedness." (Kitab-i-Aqdas, verse 123)

We must reconcile ourselves to the fact that the liberty of individuals or groups of individuals to act as they wish can never be absolute.

In our search for solutions and remedy, we must acknowledge that peace, security and the well-being of mankind will not be obtainable unless and until global unity is firmly established. What we need to develop among mankind is genuine respect for humanity. This is the goal we should pursue, and, once it is achieved, the fierce nationalism and parochial interests that underlie, or are used as justification for, acts of terror will be undermined. In short, we should develop a sense of world citizenship. Accordingly, the oneness of mankind should become a conscious goal of our political, educational and religious life. Every nation, race, religion, sect or tribe should have its rightful place in this global village. Globalization must manifest itself in equity, true universality and purity of self, and divest itself of nationalistic and exploitative trappings.

In condemning all acts of terrorism, the Liberian Government, in conjunction with other nations of the world, supports the initiatives of the Non-Aligned Movement, including the call for a high-level conference on international terrorism, held under the auspices of the United Nations, to focus on the total elimination of acts of war launched by terrorists the world over.

The conclusion of such a conference should be to universally condemn every act of terrorism, be it committed by ally or foe; create an international cooperation centre; make economic opportunities and development available to and possible for all; identify the causes of despair and poverty and act upon that knowledge; continue to acknowledge the diversity of customs and religion and to recognize economic disparities; ensure that the helpless and innocent do not suffer; and ensure full respect for all international conventions so that no nation, large or small, abandons basic principles of law.

Liberia stands ready to do its part to defeat this menace to our cherished norms of international interaction that foster international trade, travel and commerce. Furthermore, my Government is in full support of the anti-terrorism efforts of the United States and other nations and unreservedly condemns all acts of terrorism, their perpetrators, organizers and sponsors. It is prepared to participate in any and all efforts to eliminate this crime from the face of the earth. In doing so, we must make certain that the principles enshrined in the Charter of this Organization are upheld.

Finally, we must admit in all candour that it will be impossible to eliminate terrorism unless, and until, some sort of conscious consensus is reached on the norms that would govern world unity and togetherness. As has been said, "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."