General Assembly Session 62 meeting 118

Mr. Grauls (Belgium)

In adopting the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy by consensus two years ago, the international community took a decisive step. An even more important step, however, is the implementation of the commitments that we undertook, and it is to review that progress that we have come together today.

The presidency and the Counter-Terrorism Coordinator of the European Union (EU) amply illustrated in their statements -- to which my delegation fully subscribes -- how the EU has committed itself to implementing the four pillars of the Strategy. I should therefore like to take this opportunity to briefly complete that picture by including a number of points concerning Belgium's activities.

As a strong commitment to multilateralism is one of the pillars of Belgium's foreign policy, Belgium fully supports the initiatives and actions developed within the framework of the United Nations system and contributes to the implementation of the Organization's Strategy. In particular, Belgium has undertaken to support the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to develop an anti-terrorist framework in several African countries. That project is a direct contribution to strengthening the rule of law and the criminal justice systems in those countries. It is an essential component of an effective and lasting strategy to prevent terrorism.

The first pillar of the Global Strategy poses the greatest challenge, owing to its complexity. That is why Belgium, also within the framework of its development cooperation policies, is contributing actively to the fight against terrorism, in particular by strengthening the institutional and governance frameworks of several African countries.

There can be no doubt that violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms can create an environment conducive to terrorist activities. The protection of those rights and freedoms is not only a moral and legal obligation; it is also in our interests and is a central element of any effective and lasting counter-terrorism strategy. Belgium has thus supported various initiatives in that area and, in particular, supports the activities of the Special Rapporteur in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. My country will continue to examine how it can contribute to the strengthening of that aspect through concrete action.

In that context, I should like to stress the importance of active participation by human rights mechanisms in the activities of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force in order to strengthen the consistency, effectiveness and complementarity of United Nations efforts. Civil society can also provide substantial expertise and contributions in that regard. That is why Belgium has already financed the projects of several non-governmental organizations in the area of protecting human rights and combating terrorism, including the Global Security and Rule of Law Programme of the International Commission of Jurists and a project developed by the International Federation for Human Rights.

Finally, Belgium welcomes the report of the Secretary-General (A/62/898) and wishes to thank the Task Force for the work that it has done to increase the coordination and consistency of United Nations action. We hope that the draft resolution to be adopted today will help to improve its institutionalization and thus lay the foundations for greater interaction between the Task Force and the General Assembly.

I should like to conclude my statement by thanking the President of the General Assembly for holding this meeting and Ambassador Rosenthal for his contribution to the success of this session.

Mr. Le Luong Minh (Viet Nam)

Terrorism is a serious threat to international peace and security -- an assault on the principles of law and order, human rights and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Terrorism runs counter to the principles and purposes enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. In the Outcome Document of the 2005 World Summit, our leaders unanimously declared their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, by whomsoever, wherever and for whatever purpose committed. Building on that historic high-level consensus, the General Assembly successfully negotiated and adopted the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006.

The Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, with its annexed plan of action, was a milestone in the fight against terrorism. For the first time, all States Members of the United Nations agreed to undertake a common strategic approach to combating terrorism through individual and collective steps on the four most important aspects: addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, preventing and combating terrorism, strengthening States' capacity and the role of the United Nations system, and respecting human rights and the rule of law while countering terrorism. The General Assembly also decided in 2006 to make the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy a living document by examining two years thence the progress made in the implementation of the Strategy and by considering updating the Strategy to respond to changes.

My delegation is impressed by the commitment shown and the measures undertaken by Member States as well as the United Nations system to implement the Global Strategy. We welcome the report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the United Nations system in implementing the Strategy, contained in document A/62/898, and support the request that the Secretary-General submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session a report on the progress made in the Strategy's implementation.

Viet Nam has always maintained that the measures to be taken against terrorism must be comprehensive, balanced and in compliance with international law, in particular the principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of States. At the same time, we have emphasized the need to address the root causes of terrorism and insisted that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group.

We recognize the leading role of the United Nations and the paramount importance of international, regional and subregional cooperation and coordination in the implementation of the Global Strategy. We support the establishment of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force to ensure coordination and coherence in the work of the departments, programmes and specialized agencies of the United Nations that are providing assistance to Member States in their counter-terrorism endeavours. We look forward to further interacting with the Task Force on how best to carry out its mandates. As a member of the Security Council, Viet Nam will continue to fully support and constructively contribute to the work of the Council's subsidiary bodies with mandates in the field of counter-terrorism.

Viet Nam is resolutely pursuing a foreign policy of peace, stability, cooperation and development. We consistently support efforts towards the peaceful settlement of conflicts, upholding national independence and sovereignty, promoting development programmes, cooperating to tackle global issues and establishing equal international political and economic relations for mutual benefit. As a friend and reliable partner of all countries striving for peace, independence, cooperation and development, the Vietnamese people and State have been making tremendous efforts to carry out the 10-year socio-economic development strategy for the period from 2001 to 2010. That will enable Viet Nam to fulfil a number of Millennium Development Goals ahead of schedule, especially those in the area of poverty reduction. We strongly believe that those policies and achievements contribute positively to the maintenance of political stability, social and economic equality and the rule of law in Viet Nam, which constitute important components of a preventive strategy against terrorism.

In the face of the emergence of contemporary international terrorism, Viet Nam is fully committed to its obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions and multilateral and regional treaties to which it is party. In order to combat terrorism, Viet Nam is determined to strengthen the country's capacity and to develop cooperative ties with countries of the region and throughout the world. Efforts have been made to enhance the national legal and institutional frameworks against terrorism and other terrorist-related crimes. The National Assembly has included in its legislative programme the revision of our penal code as regards the definition and punishment of terrorism. In November 2007, the Prime Minister of Viet Nam adopted a directive document setting up a governmental mechanism to coordinate the counter-terrorism policies of all ministries and branches. That mechanism reports directly to the Prime Minister. An agency has also been established within the Ministry of Public Security to coordinate counter-terrorism operations in the field, including as regards training and capacity-building. Several technical assistance programmes are being developed -- or are already being carried out bilaterally or through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) or such United Nations agencies as the Office on Drugs and Crime, the Counter-Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate -- to provide Vietnamese law enforcement agencies with updated databases, technologies and experiences to deal with today's terrorism and transnational organized crime.

In 2007, we joined with ASEAN member countries to adopt the Association's Convention on Counter-Terrorism, which provides an appropriate legal framework for ASEAN cooperation in countering terrorism. We work with ASEAN countries in promoting inter-civilizational dialogue, raising awareness of and vigilance against terrorist organizations and their activities, and strengthening commitment among member countries with regard to the timely provision of information and assistance in criminal matters, including legal assistance.

Reaching consensus in adopting the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy was an outstanding achievement of the international community in the fight against terrorism. To keep the agreements in the Strategy alive and to further update them in line with existing realities is a shared responsibility of Member States. It requires the United Nations system and other relevant international, regional and subregional organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations, to step up their efforts in a coordinated and integrated manner in supporting Member States. My delegation believes that we should keep on the agenda of the General Assembly an item that allows stakeholders of the Global Strategy to discuss and reach agreement on measures to further enhance the implementation of the Strategy.

Ms. Jahan (Bangladesh)

The delegation of Bangladesh welcomes this opportunity to participate in the first biennial review meeting on the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We align ourselves with the statement made by the representative of Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. We thank the Secretary-General for his report (A/62/898) on the activities of the United Nations system in implementing the Strategy. We also owe our appreciation to Ambassador Rosenthal of Guatemala for his successful stewardship of the negotiations on the draft outcome document of today's meeting.

The Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is the product of much-prolonged and intense negotiations. Indeed, that was our first significant achievement in articulating a coordinated global response to the most visible security threat of our time. That gives a sense of urgency to making an initial assessment of where we stand and what we need to do globally as well as nationally.

Terrorism is not a new phenomenon. The issue has been on the United Nations agenda for many decades. What is different today is that terrorism has assumed new and diabolical ways to kill, maim and cause massive destruction. While we note that it is urgent to mount an immediate response to terrorism, an effective medium- to long-term strategy has been lacking. An effective response should embody sincere attempts to address the root causes of the phenomenon. That includes addressing long-standing conflicts, peoples' right to self-determination, political oppression, social and economic marginalization, and victimization.

In order to successfully implement the plan of action of the strategic framework, all those issues should receive focused attention from the international community. A lopsided response is bound to yield incoherent results. Similarly, an unqualified and indiscriminate response to terrorism may often be counterproductive. Such measures obscure the fact that counter-terrorism and the development of a culture of peace and tolerance are interrelated.

Terrorism is all pervasive. Terrorism is indiscriminate with respect to race, religion, culture or faith. Any attempt to associate terrorism with any particular nation, culture or religion is grossly wrong and unacceptable.

We at the United Nations need to keep the issues focused on the priorities. We should work to fulfil the agreed development goals, as economic exclusion provides fertile ground for extremist elements. We need to refocus the global debate on victims' rights, building capacity to strengthen the rule of law and the promotion of good governance.

We maintain that the United Nations has a central coordinating role to play in organizing international efforts to counter terrorism on the basis of the relevant resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and the Security Council. A number of mechanisms have been established at the United Nations in the past few years in response to terrorism. They include a number of sanctions committees established pursuant to Security Council resolutions, the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) and the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. Those entities were established on the basis of individual requirements and for specific actions. Creating a multiplicity of entities with limited mandates is not necessarily the best way to provide a coherent response to terrorism. The Task Force, for instance, does not have any institutional relationship with any intergovernmental body. It is also severely under-resourced. Consequently, little if any input flows to the General Assembly, depriving it of the scope to discuss actions of the Task Force.

The fact that the Task Force lacks a secretariat does not allow Member States to receive the assistance they need in implementing the Global Strategy. We would therefore stress the importance of institutionalizing the Task Force. We also welcome the proposed interaction between the Task Force and the General Assembly through briefings and reports, as set out in draft resolution A/62/L.48 before us.

The pending comprehensive convention on international terrorism should be finalized by addressing the issue of State terrorism. It should contain a legal definition of terrorism in the first place. While elaborating the Convention, we must make a distinction between terrorism and the legitimate right of peoples under foreign occupation to self-determination and to struggle for independence.

Turning to the national level, let me reiterate that Bangladesh unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We believe that no act of terrorism should be condoned because of its circumstances, method or objective. At the same time, we believe that the root causes of terrorism should be addressed. International efforts to combat terrorism would be more effective if we were to address conditions of prolonged and unresolved conflicts, political exclusion and socio-economic marginalization, and to promote sustained economic growth.

Bangladesh is a pioneer in promoting a culture of peace and ethnic and religious tolerance. Numerous development programmes -- including ones relating to microcredit, the empowerment of women and non-formal education -- have been undertaken to address poverty and socio-economic disparity. We have also pursued motivational measures to halt the abuse of religion as a pretext for undertaking acts of terror. Religious leaders, including imams, have played an instrumental role in that regard. We have also promoted interfaith and intercultural dialogue, and our media have played an important role in raising awareness against terrorism and extremism.

At the regional level, Bangladesh, as a party to the relevant regional conventions, remains determined to combat cross-border crime and terrorism. Bangladesh, as a State party to all 13 United Nations conventions and protocols on terrorism, has adopted a number of legislative and administrative measures that are in line with the four pillars of the plan of action of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

We have worked with delegations from the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate to fine-tune Bangladesh's counter-terrorism readiness to international levels. In order to address the financing of terrorism, the Money Laundering Prevention Act of 2002 has been amended as the Money Laundering Prevention Ordinance of 2007. A financial intelligence unit has been established in the anti-money-laundering department of the central bank of Bangladesh. We are still in the process of enacting enabling legislation and modifying relevant domestic laws.

The menace of terrorism cannot be fought in an isolated manner by any single State. We would therefore like to see a holistic approach to our global fight against terrorism. We feel that technical cooperation and international financial assistance in combating terrorism are still not adequate to allow developing countries to meet their challenges, in particular least developed countries. We would therefore urge that the necessary technical and financial resources be geared up to that end for the effective implementation of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

Mr. Maurer (Switzerland)

At the outset, I would like to thank the President of the General Assembly for the energy and interest he has devoted to the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in the course of the past year. I would also like to thank Ambassador Gert Rosenthal of Guatemala for his excellent work; the Secretary-General for his report (A/62/898); and the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force for all its work. Switzerland will continue to cooperate closely with the Task Force and to support efforts to further institutionalize it and to increase its resources so that it can appropriately carry out its tasks.

I should also like to draw the Assembly's attention to the position paper that Switzerland has circulated in the Hall along with its statement.

The Strategy provides a comprehensive framework for a coherent international response to terrorism. It reminds us that, in order to be effective, the global fight against terrorism must focus on non-military tools and be based on the Strategy's four pillars. My Government would like to expand dialogue with the Task Force and its working group on integrated strategy implementation. We would like to explore ways for Member States to improve cooperation with the United Nations system and among themselves in order to improve integrated implementation.

In addition to national efforts undertaken by Swiss authorities, I should like to refer to some examples of Switzerland's contribution to the integrated implementation of the Strategy.

Beginning last year, Switzerland has provided financial support for several activities of the Task Force's working group on tackling the financing of terrorism. We have also contributed to its work by deploying a group of experts. Furthermore, Switzerland has facilitated the holding of meetings between the relevant Task Force stakeholders and representatives of the private sector to foster public-private partnerships in the fight against terrorism. In addition, Switzerland cooperates closely with the different counter-terrorism subsidiary bodies of the Security Council and supports them in the fulfilment of their tasks.

Switzerland has also provided support for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime project on strengthening the legal counter-terrorism regime. In that context, I am pleased to announce that, on 15 October 2008, Switzerland will deposit its instruments of ratification or accession to the four most recent universal conventions and protocols against terrorism. We thereby hope to be among the first States to have ratified all 16 United Nations conventions and protocols against terrorism.

Through the Strategy, the General Assembly aimed to ensure that fair and transparent procedures exist for the listing and delisting of persons and entities on the Consolidated List maintained by the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), as well as for the granting of humanitarian exceptions. To that end, Switzerland -- together with the Governments of Denmark, Germany, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands and Sweden -- has proposed that an effective review mechanism be established within the Security Council. As the Assembly is aware, the Court of Justice of the European Communities yesterday rendered an important judgement on the review of the internal lawfulness of Community measures implementing sanctions of the Security Council. It decided to annul the Community regulations violating the fundamental rights of complainants. We regret that discrepancy between the decisions of the Security Council and the requirements of European Union law in terms of the protection of fundamental rights. We shall attentively follow the consequences of that judgement, in Europe and elsewhere, and will continue our efforts to find a solution.

I would like to reiterate the importance of strengthening capacity-building measures for the effective implementation of the Strategy. Since 2003, Switzerland has funded security assistance and counter-terrorism capacity-building programmes in various countries and regions. For example, in Afghanistan we have financed the establishment of an electronic payroll management system and a gender mainstreaming programme for the Afghan National Police.

Last year, in order to complement the various Global Strategy implementation activities, Switzerland joined Costa Rica, Japan, Slovakia and Turkey and, with the support of the International Center on Global Counter-Terrorism Cooperation, launched an international process on global counter-terrorism cooperation. In the course of this year, experts from Governments, relevant United Nations bodies and other multilateral institutions, as well as non-governmental organizations from various regions, have discussed ways of strengthening the Strategy's four pillars in an effort to step up and better balance its implementation. The final document presented by the sponsors on 24 July 2008 to the wider membership of the United Nations reflects the key elements of the discussions that took place. It contains 19 proposals for improving the implementation of the Strategy. Copies of that document are available in English, French and Spanish at the back of the Hall. Allow me to highlight four issues that were repeatedly addressed during the process in the past year.

First of all, the importance of better linking United Nations efforts with national efforts was emphasized continuously throughout the process. There was a sense that national counter-terrorism coordinators and focal points from capitals should meet periodically to discuss concrete Strategy-related issues with the Task Force, assess Strategy implementation efforts, determine policy direction and consider how the United Nations could support national efforts. Such meetings, which could be organized by the United Nations or by individual States and take place in different regions, should include the diverse array of Strategy-related stakeholders, including members of the Task Force and regional and subregional bodies. The Government of Switzerland is willing to consider supporting specific activities of the Task Force or meetings that would allow for an exchange of views between the United Nations system and national counter-terrorism coordinators or focal points.

Secondly, the point was repeatedly made that there is a need to broaden Member State participation in United Nations counter-terrorism policymaking. The second paragraph of the process' final document provides a number of proposals aimed at addressing this issue. Those range from strengthening the informal briefings that the Task Force already provides, to the establishment of a new counter-terrorism body or open-ended working group, to the more frequent use of existing forums, such as plenary meetings of the General Assembly.

Thirdly, as the implementation of the Strategy moves to the next phase, it is important to engage both traditional and non-traditional counter-terrorism actors within the United Nations and at the national level.

Fourthly and lastly, regional and subregional bodies and civil society have essential roles to play in implementing the Strategy that have yet to be fully explored and fully carried out.

In conclusion, it is widely acknowledged that the adoption of the Strategy was a significant political achievement that must be not only preserved but also built upon, both during the September review and beyond. The Strategy provides Member States an opportunity to develop more holistic approaches at the national level to combating terrorism.

What are the challenges ahead? The final document of the international process that Switzerland and other countries have sponsored could provide a basis for immediate and future efforts. Based on the discussions in the process, it appears that three broad areas merit further consideration. They include, first, the cooperation of entities with different legal status throughout the United Nations system; secondly, the issue of the governance architecture for such a system; and, thirdly, the relationship between Member States and secretariats of the different organizations. Switzerland, of course, remains fully committed to tackling those important issues.

Mr. Wenaweser (Liechtenstein)

At the outset, I would like to reiterate Liechtenstein's strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes. We are fully committed to international cooperation in the fight against terrorism, and in particular to the leading role of the United Nations in that regard.

We would like to join other speakers in thanking Ambassador Rosenthal of Guatemala for his excellent work in facilitating the negotiations on the draft resolution (A/62/L.48) on the review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. We note with satisfaction that the draft resolution reaffirms the Strategy and its four pillars in their entirety. That underlines the historic and integral character of the Strategy, which continues to serve as the central guide for all United Nations activities in the fight against terrorism.

While much of the discussion leading to the consensus on this draft resolution has focused on the role of the United Nations Secretariat, the primary responsibility for implementation lies with Member States. Liechtenstein continues to take all the necessary measures at the domestic level to implement all international standards related to counter-terrorism and to facilitate international cooperation in that area. Earlier this year, Liechtenstein ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and two of its protocols. The ratification of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism is in preparation, as are legislative reforms regarding the implementation of international sanctions regimes and related international cooperation.

Every effort is made to ensure that the Liechtenstein financial centre is not abused for illegal activities, such as the financing of terrorism in particular. The Government is actively following up on the recent assessment carried out by the International Monetary Fund and is pursuing the implementation of the third Money-Laundering Directive of the European Union, as well as the Financial Action Task Force's Recommendations on Terrorist Financing. Liechtenstein also supports a number of specific international projects in the area of counter-terrorism and has made substantive contributions to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Global Programme against Terrorism in particular.

While the primary responsibility for implementation rests with us, the Member States, a broad range of United Nations actors are involved as well. Many of those activities -- in particular in the area of conflict prevention and resolution, development and the promotion of human rights -- do not necessarily carry the label of counter-terrorism but still form an integral part of the Strategy. Others pertain to the core of international counter-terrorist cooperation. We commend the Secretariat's Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force for its invaluable efforts in bringing coherence and coordination to those activities. We are confident that the Task Force will continue to work with Member States in a spirit of transparency and cooperation. We recognize the Task Force's efforts in that respect.

The United Nations plays an important role in almost all areas of international cooperation against terrorism, but it has particular authority over, and responsibility in, ensuring that such activities are carried out in a manner that respects human rights and fundamental freedoms. The multiple manifestations of terrorism that the world has experienced in recent years have challenged States and international organizations to devise appropriate responses in conformity with the rule of law. The draft resolution before us today calls upon all United Nations entities to continue to facilitate the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.

Liechtenstein will continue to contribute to those efforts and that dialogue, in particular as regards the Security Council's efforts to ensure that fair and clear procedures exist for placing individuals and entities on sanctions lists. Like my Swiss colleague before me, I would like to refer to the judgment rendered yesterday by the European Court of Justice, which is highly important in that regard. The topic requires our enhanced focus and attention, and we hope that the Security Council will make the necessary adjustments in its current practice to safeguard the basic tenets of due process.

In that connection, I would like to remind delegations of our invitation to participate in a seminar on targeted sanctions and the rule of law, to be held jointly by the American University Washington College of Law and the Government of Liechtenstein on 15 September in Washington, D.C.

In conclusion, I would like to commend the Secretary-General's initiative to hold an international symposium on the victims of terrorism at United Nations Headquarters next week. All too often in responses to terrorist attacks, the plight of the victims plays only a secondary role and their rights remain unaddressed. We hope that that initiative will be a step in the right direction.

Mr. Wolff (United States)

The United States welcomes the review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The unanimous adoption of the Strategy by the General Assembly at its sixtieth session marked the first time that all United Nations Member States had agreed on a common strategic approach to fighting terrorism. The Strategy represents a pragmatic, action-oriented approach to that end.

Today, global terrorism remains one of our greatest collective challenges. It affects the lives of all peoples and all nations in both direct and indirect ways. No geographic region is immune. The recent terrorist attacks specifically targeting United Nations offices in Algiers and United Nations officials underscore the need for all Member States to work together to support the General Assembly's counter-terrorism efforts.

The success of the review is a testament to the resiliency of our collective will to battle terrorism, and the United States welcomes it. The United States remains strongly committed to supporting the efforts of both the General Assembly and the Security Council to that end. We appreciate the hard work that has gone into producing a thoughtful and balanced document. We believe that the review will enhance the overall United Nations counter-terrorism programme. We especially appreciate the efforts of the facilitator, Ambassador Gert Rosenthal, Permanent Representative of Guatemala. He has done a superb job working with Member States to achieve unanimous support for the draft review resolution.

The United States strongly supports the central role of the United Nations in the global fight against terrorism and wants to strengthen the Organization's ability and the resolve to play a constructive and effective role. The United States views the creation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force as a key milestone in the international effort to eliminate terrorism. We must ensure the full and effective implementation of the Strategy.

We must also continue to cooperate with the counter-terrorism Committees of the Security Council to ensure that our obligations under the Charter are fully implemented and that those Member States having the will, but not the capacity, to fulfil those obligations receive the help that they need to do so.

We appreciate the efforts of the Secretariat to set up the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, which has moved to mobilize the United Nations and its constituent agencies to identify concrete deliverables under each of the four topical pillars of the Strategy. We call on those Member States that are in a position to do so to respond to the call of the Task Force for contributions.

To that end, the United States has provided a voluntary contribution of nearly half a million dollars to support the working groups of the Task Force. Additionally, we have provided extensive responses to the working groups' requests concerning radicalization and extremism and countering the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes. We call on the Task Force to continue to engage Member States on its work by providing information and updates on the working groups' activities.

The engagement of the United States in support of the Strategy is structured for the implementation of all four pillars of the Strategy. We recognize the need to build Member States' capacity to meet international counter-terrorism standards. The United States has funded numerous cooperative and capacity-building initiatives to help partner nations to better address terrorism, with the long-term goal of reducing conditions conducive to terrorism.

In 2007 alone, we conducted 266 training activities and technical consultations, including more than 4,500 participants from 64 countries and emphasizing law enforcement under the rule of law and respect for human rights. We have offered extensive counter-terrorism finance capacity-building efforts on a regional and bilateral basis in 45 countries through our counter-terrorism finance training programme. We have provided border security training and capacity-building in 20 countries through the Terrorist Interdiction Program.

In addition, the United States is focused on increasing economic development by helping Member States to tackle poverty, unemployment, weak institutions and corruption. That can help to reduce the recruiting pool for terrorists. As a complement to our own bilateral efforts, we support the holistic approach to countering terrorism embraced in the Strategy and reaffirmed in the review. If we, as Member States, are to be successful in our common struggle against terrorism, we must work together with our growing networks of partners in a strategic and coordinated manner.

While we think that the Security Council should continue to play a key part in the efforts of the United Nations, many others in the United Nations system can and should make contributions to the broader counter-terrorism effort, whether it concerns capacity-building, education, economic development or helping to address the underlying conditions that terrorists and extremists exploit.

The effectiveness of United Nations efforts to manage and reduce the terrorist threat will depend to a large degree on improving the coordination among the various parts of the United Nations counter-terrorism programme and ensuring that all relevant United Nations bodies and organs are focused on making practical contributions to the global effort. To that end, we believe that the United Nations Strategy should remain focused on identifying concrete ways in which the various parts of the United Nations system can contribute to the global counter-terrorism campaign and ensure the necessary degree of cooperation and coordination to maximize synergies and avoid duplication of work.

The Strategy brought together the efforts of the principal organs of the United Nations. Each has an important role to play in coordination with the others, but a balance must be maintained to ensure that the expertise of those bodies is used to the maximum degree of efficiency in United Nations counter-terrorism activities. We believe that a key objective of the Strategy is system-wide coherence, and the Task Force should continue to stress cooperation among all the United Nations offices that can support counter-terrorism efforts within their mandates. That approach recognizes that diverse United Nations programmes can provide a useful impetus to efforts to address terrorism. We believe that all programmes can and should play vital and meaningful roles in the fight against terrorism.

The United States once again thanks the Secretary-General and his team for their hard work in facilitating the completion of the review process. We look forward to hearing the views of others and to reports of great progress in our collective effort.

Mr. Al-Allaf (Jordan)

Today, we are meeting once again, united in our condemnation of terrorism, that scourge that constitutes an aggression against humanity as a whole and a global problem that should be tackled jointly by all of us. In that vein, the Assembly adopted the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy by resolution 60/288.

Jordan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of its perpetrators and purposes. It believes that terrorism is an international scourge that should be uprooted and eradicated through concerted international efforts, since terrorism does not recognize any borders or belong to any homeland or country. Hence, we emphasize our rejection of attempts to link terrorism with any group, ethnicity, culture, religion or civilization.

Eradication of terrorism cannot be achieved solely by deterrent security and military measures, but rather through addressing underlying political, economic, cultural and social causes. Here we should like to stress the need to respect the rule of law and human rights in the international and national fight against terrorism.

Mr. Al-Allaf (Jordan)

Jordan attaches great importance to today's meeting to review the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and highly appreciates the efforts made by His Excellency the Permanent Representative of Guatemala to achieve the draft resolution (A/62/L.48) on the Strategy.

Jordan has taken a number of measures at all levels to combat terrorism. At the level of national legislation, Jordanian law has defined terrorism within the penal code. In 2001 the Government adopted a law amending the penal code of Jordan, by virtue of which severe punishment is imposed on any action legally deemed to be a terrorist act. That law contains provisions that criminalize, punish and ban illegal groups engaged in criminal or terrorist acts. People who assist and support such groups suffer the same punishment. In the field of border control, Jordanian Law of Customs No. 3 of 1998 gives Customs personnel the capacity and competences of investigating magistrates to investigate smuggling, be it of people or prohibited materials, in addition to imposing stringent and improved oversight on all borders and checkpoints.

The Government of Jordan has adopted numerous measures to confront cyber-terrorist attacks. At the executive level, after the Security Council adopted the counter-terrorism resolution 1373 (2001), the Government took a number of measures, issuing instructions to all banks to audit their clients' accounts and to freeze any assets the Government required them to, as well as special directives on money-laundering. Identity cards and passports are issued in accordance with international criteria to prevent falsification of those important documents.

Jordan also cooperates with INTERPOL and many friendly countries in the fight against terrorism through bilateral agreements and security cooperation. Security organs monitor the purchase and sale of hazardous substances and raw materials in order to prevent them being used for terrorist acts. We have also acceded to a number of international anti-terrorism conventions, and we are now studying acceding to other international anti-terrorism conventions and agreements.

Mr. Gwozdecky (Canada)

The fight against terrorism is a priority for Canada at the national and international levels. The protection and security of its citizens is the most fundamental role and the most important obligation of a Government. Terrorism is a direct threat to our way of life and our fundamental values -- democracy, respect for human rights, the rule of law and the peaceful resolution of conflict.

The threat posed by terrorism transcends national borders, which means that no State can undertake that fight alone. The United Nations, as the sole international organization to have a fully global mandate and having itself been the target of terrorists, must fight against terrorism while continuing to promote the rule of law and respect for human rights.

The adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy marked an important step in reaffirming the commitment of the United Nations to fight terrorism. Moreover, the adoption of the Strategy demonstrated that the General Assembly could act decisively to confront today's international challenges.

Mr. Gwozdecky (Canada)

The two-year review of the Strategy provides an opportunity to reaffirm our joint commitment to the Strategy and to enhance its implementation worldwide. While the Strategy is an expression of our collective concern and commitment, responsibility for its implementation lies primarily with Member States.

Since 2006 Canada has made significant efforts to implement the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, both nationally and internationally. Canada has ratified 12 of the 13 United Nations conventions and protocols on terrorism, and has signed and is working towards the ratification of the thirteenth -- the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. We have invested significantly in law enforcement, security intelligence, and transportation and border security. Canada's Parliament has actively debated and passed several key pieces of legislation to strengthen its national counter-terrorism legal framework.

In keeping with our strong belief that respect for human rights and the rule of law must be at the centre of both international and national efforts to fight terrorism, Canada has consistently sought to balance human rights and national security in all of its counter-terrorism efforts. Civil society has an important role to play in that regard, and Canada has enacted a number of measures domestically to engage civil society in a dialogue on counter-terrorism issues.

Internationally, we continue to collaborate with a broad range of bilateral partners on a range of counter-terrorism issues and to work in multilateral and regional forums such as the Organization of American States, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the African Union to enhance their ability to fight terrorism within their respective mandates.

Emphasizing the primary role of Member States, the Strategy's plan of action focuses on the need for effective capacity-building to develop State capacity to prevent and combat terrorism. Since 2006, Canada's Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program has invested significantly in a range of projects to enhance the abilities of partner countries to fight terrorism. In particular, Canada's contributions to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime have enhanced the Organization's efforts to encourage the ratification and implementation of the universal instruments against terrorism. Canada is also working closely with the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) to better channel its capacity-building assistance throughout the world. We are encouraged by the new strategic vision and leadership of CTED, which is confirming its pre-eminent role in New York.

In addition to national efforts, entities within the United Nations system must also continue to enhance their efforts to implement the Strategy. The Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force has a special role to play in that regard. Canada supports the Task Force's role in coordinating the contributions of United Nations system entities to Strategy implementation. We urge the Secretary-General to allocate funding to that initiative in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Strategy itself, as outlined in resolution 60/288. We applaud the important work that the Task Force has done to date and the proactive manner in which representatives of various United Nations entities have approached their task. That said, the time has now come for greater interaction between the Task Force and its working groups with Member States. Canada is interested in working with the Task Force to enhance that interaction in coming months.

Canada fully supports the draft resolution that is before us today. We would like to express our appreciation to Ambassador Rosenthal and his team for taking on the difficult task of facilitating the negotiations and for leading the process in so efficient a manner. We were delighted to see so much support for the Strategy during the negotiations and to hear so many calls for further implementation.

In closing, allow me to add that Canada intends to do its part to continue to implement the Strategy in the coming two years and beyond. We will continue to enhance our own domestic framework to fight terrorism; we will maintain our efforts at the regional level through continued engagement with regional organizations; and we will enhance our multilateral efforts through better cooperation with CTED, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Task Force. We are convinced that there will be much further progress to report in two years' time.

Mr. Carmon (Israel)

At the outset, allow me to thank the President of the Assembly for convening this important meeting on a subject that is so close to the heart of every Israeli citizen. Israel's delegation is honoured by the presence here earlier today of the Secretary-General and the President of the Assembly, lending the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy the high profile it deserves. We would also like to commend the Permanent Representative of Guatemala for his relentless efforts to reach a consensus on the important draft resolution that will be adopted later.

In order to utilize our time more effectively, I will present only part of our prepared remarks. For the full version, I encourage representatives to read the distributed text or visit our Mission's website.

I would like to emphasize the importance Israel attributes to the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy as a comprehensive and holistic instrument that highlights the different aspects of the fight against terrorism. Indeed, as terrorism is a universal phenomenon that threatens international peace and security, only a joint effort by all Member States, international and regional organizations and other relevant actors can effectively eradicate that danger. The four pillars of the Strategy represent this multipronged approach to fighting terrorism, and they should be implemented in a comprehensive manner in order to achieve our common goals.

The State of Israel has been challenged by terrorism from its very beginning. Israelis and Israeli interests have been the target of terrorist attacks abroad, along our borders to the North and South, and in the very heart of the country. That unique and unfortunate history has put our country at the forefront of the fight against terrorism. Over decades, Israel has developed legislative and operational tools to support its counter-terrorism activities. Since the most important task now before Member States is to fully implement the Strategy, I would like to share with this Assembly some of my country's experience gained in those efforts.

The State of Israel is committed to fully implementing its obligation to take the measures necessary to prevent and combat terrorism. In that regard, Israel is currently drafting a new comprehensive anti-terrorism law and is engaged in an ongoing process to ensure that all domestic legislation conforms to the international instruments dealing with terrorism. Those instruments and Israel's domestic laws together provide a solid foundation for the Government's counter-terrorism activities.

The Strategy correctly emphasizes the need for cooperation at the bilateral, regional and international levels. Israel is a donor country, and part of our international cooperation involves sharing our knowledge and expertise to build State capacity in other nations. Israel also supports the Strategy's emphasis on regional cooperation and has ongoing cooperative relationships such with regional and multilateral organizations as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the European Union in the field of counter-terrorism. The Government is also developing a cooperative relationship with the Organization of American States. On the international level, Israel is looking into avenues of cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate.

Cooperation is not limited to Government mechanisms alone. Israel's International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, an academic think tank, is cooperating with many partners around the world. One example of an Institute project is an upcoming seminar being conducted for officials from the Horn of Africa. Other examples of private initiatives in the area of counter-terrorism are provided in our written statement.

Terrorism is an evolving menace. Likewise, the response of the international community must be flexible, with the ability to quickly and effectively adapt to any new form the threat may take. On the technical side, Israel is taking advantage of innovations in identity verification and is in the process of replacing national identification cards and travel documents with new biometric cards, which will be much more difficult to duplicate.

Technological advances, however, will not provide all the tools we need; the political will to address incitement through education and public awareness programmes that encourage respect for all faiths is also required. In adopting the Strategy, Member States committed themselves to promoting a culture of peace and respect for all religions. States and other relevant actors must work to end deliberate radicalization, in particular of youth.

One example of such a project in Israel was initiated by our new Permanent Representative, Ambassador Gabriela Shalev, in her previous capacity as the head of an academic institution. That unique project, which began last year, brings together leaders from the nation's major religions -- Jewish, Muslim, Druze and Christian -- in a programme leading to a law degree. The weekly meetings at Ono Academic College provide a venue for serious interfaith and intercultural dialogue. Since the students are also leaders of high standing in their faiths, they bring home their newfound knowledge and understanding of other religions to share with their respective communities.

Israel recognizes that the promotion and protection of human rights is an essential component of the Strategy. It is a matter of principle that, in spite of the constant terrorist threat against Israeli civilians, national security considerations cannot justify unlimited restrictions on human rights. In that regard, it should be emphasized that all aspects of Israel's counter-terrorism activities are subject to the rule of law and to judicial review. That principled approach is evident in numerous decisions handed down by the country's Supreme Court in recent years dealing with different counter-terrorism measures.

Finally, the victims of terrorism must not be overlooked. The Global Strategy calls for national programmes to assist victims and for an international campaign condemning terrorism. Israel has in place a comprehensive system, led by the Social Security Service, which is responsible for compensation and social, medical and psychological support for victims of terrorism and their families. While the Government has an important role to play, non-governmental organizations and civil society are also active in the field, complementing state functions.

In conclusion, all States are well aware that terrorism knows no boundaries. We must build a global cooperative network to act effectively against the threat. The State of Israel therefore calls on all nations to join in that fight and to address all elements of that struggle with equal dedication. Israel is ready to join any other nation in that effort.

Ms. Grace (Australia)

The adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2006 was a significant achievement for the General Assembly, as Member States united to take action on one of the most pressing threats facing the international community today. Australia warmly welcomes the reaffirmation of the Strategy by the General Assembly, and we remain committed to implementing the Strategy's plan of action in its entirety.

For Australia, multilateral action through the United Nations system is a vital element of our international strategy to address terrorism and violent extremism. In that context, we welcome initiatives by the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force to ensure overall coordination and coherence in counter-terrorism efforts at the United Nations.

Australia also strongly supports the efforts of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate to build global counter-terrorism capacity by engaging donors and matching their capabilities with the priority needs of recipient countries.

We also note with appreciation the work that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has been undertaking in South-East Asia and the Pacific to promote the ratification and implementation of the international counter-terrorism conventions and protocols.

In addition to action through the United Nations system, it is important to remember that we, as Member States, have primary responsibility for the implementation of the Strategy. Since 2001, Australia has introduced a range of important measures aimed at protecting Australians and Australian interests. Australia has fully implemented its obligations to freeze terrorist assets under Security Council resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1373 (2001) and successor and related resolutions. We have also now ratified 13 of the 16 international counter-terrorism instruments of universal application and are currently assessing the legislative changes necessary to implement the remainder.

The evolving and persistent nature of the terrorist threat calls for a long-term international strategy built on sustained delivery of counter-terrorism assistance. Australia's counter-terrorism priorities to date have been in South-East Asia, where Australians and Australian interests have been subject to direct attack, and in the Pacific, where Governments may require assistance from regional partners to meet their international counter-terrorism obligations. We are looking to expand our counter-terrorism cooperation in South Asia.

Our regional approach to tackling the terrorist threat centres on a sustained programme of building mutually beneficial cooperation through counter-terrorism capacity-building. There is now an increasing convergence in the understanding of the threat and our approaches to countering it between Australia and its regional partners. We believe that the efforts of the South-East Asian region may provide useful lessons for other Member States in implementing the Strategy at a regional level. We will be looking to build on those achievements in our broad region.

I would like to take a moment now to highlight one of those initiatives. Established in close partnership with Indonesia, the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation is recognized as a model for counter-terrorism and law enforcement cooperation. The Centre has developed a reputation across South-East Asia as an institution which provides very effective and practical training and which fosters development of cooperation and networks between officers of regional agencies. The Centre has now trained over 3,000 law enforcement and legal officers.

Another key concern for all of us is the threat of terrorists acquiring and using chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear materials in an attack. To reduce the risk of such materials falling into the hands of terrorists, it is important that we have in place robust physical and legislative measures. Accordingly, Australia has assisted a number of regional countries in developing the laws and regulations required to implement United Nations conventions on the protection of nuclear materials and to improve the security of radiological, nuclear and laboratory biological materials.

Terrorists thrive in an atmosphere of ignorance and distorted ideas, which make it easier to sow discord and to split communities from one another. The Strategy recognizes the importance of that ideological dimension to countering terrorism and encourages initiatives and programmes to promote dialogue, tolerance and understanding among civilizations, cultures and religions.

Australia welcomes the Secretary-General's Alliance of Civilizations initiative as a complement to the ongoing interfaith activities taking place in our own region. Domestically, we have implemented a national action plan to strengthen social cohesion, harmony and security. Australia is working with regional Governments, non-governmental organizations and community groups to rebut extremist propaganda and to reinforce shared values based on tolerance, non-violence, respect for human dignity, diversity and pluralism.

Australia co-sponsors a regional interfaith dialogue alongside New Zealand, the Philippines and Indonesia. Those meetings bring together representatives from the diverse faiths in our region to promote harmonious relations between their communities. Australia is a strong supporter of that process and has offered to host the next dialogue.

Respect for human rights and the rule of law is the fourth and final cornerstone of the Strategy. We cannot effectively counter the threat of terrorism by using the same methods as terrorists. Counter-terrorism measures must be accountable and subject to the rule of law. In that context, Australia recognizes that the United Nations vital role to play in advising Member States on ways to counter terrorism consistent with their obligations under international law, with particular regard for international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.

As we go forward, Australia anticipates engaging further with United Nations agencies on all those issues and contributing what we can of our experience towards a shared approach by the world community to eliminating the scourge of terrorism from the world stage.