Security Council meeting 4798

The President

I have the pleasure to acknowledge the presence of our new colleague, Sir Emyr Jones Parry of the United Kingdom. On behalf of the Security Council, I wish to extend to him a warm welcome. We are very keen to work closely with him. Welcome, Ambassador.

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Argentina, Australia, Colombia, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein and Ukraine, in which they request to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure.

There being no objection, it is so decided.

The President

In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council's prior consultations, and in the absence of objection, I shall take it that the Security Council agrees to extend an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to His Excellency Mr. Heraldo Muñoz, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999).

There being no objection, it is so decided.

I invite Ambassador Muñoz to take a seat at the Council table.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations.

Members of the Council have before them document S/2003/669, which contains a letter dated 7 July 2003 addressed to the President of the Security Council from the Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), containing the first report of the Monitoring Group, submitted in accordance with resolution 1455 (2003).

I now give the floor to the representative of Chile, who will brief the Council in his capacity as Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999).

Mr. Muñoz (Chile)

At the outset, I should like to welcome the presence in the Security Council of the new Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, Sir Emyr Jones Parry. We expect to have the best relations with him, as we had with his predecessor, and I am certain that his presence will make a concrete and effective contribution to the Council's work.

This is the second quarterly report submitted to the Council by the Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), as required by resolution 1455 (2003). As agreed by the members of the Committee, today's meeting will also include my first detailed oral assessment of Member States' implementation of the relevant Council measures imposed by resolutions 1267 (1999), 1333 (2000) and 1390 (2002). As we know, those measures are aimed at individuals and entities belonging to or associated with Al Qaeda and the Taliban, and they were adopted with a view to hindering the pursuit of activities by those groups and thus at preventing greater human tragedies caused by terrorist acts.

The implementation of those measures -- the freezing of assets, the travel ban and the arms embargo -- is an urgent task, particularly since we are dealing with a determined and dangerous enemy that seeks to undermine our coexistence. Therefore, we must examine in detail the effectiveness of the measures that have been adopted to confront this threat to international peace and security, and must determine how they can be strengthened and improved.

Since the adoption of resolution 1455 (2003), the international community has achieved a degree of success in the fight against Al Qaeda, thanks mainly to the arrest of key operatives. However, the recent bombings in Saudi Arabia, in Chechnya in the Russian Federation, in Morocco, in Yemen and in Afghanistan make clear the dangers and challenges that lie ahead. At least 263 persons have lost their lives in such incidents since December 2002 -- a figure that does not include the physical or psychological consequences.

My predecessor submitted the first oral report on 15 April 2003, and I am particularly pleased that today's consolidated informational meeting is taking place in the context of an open Council meeting, since the Committee's work can take full advantage of its possibilities only if all States undertake concrete measures against persons and entities on the Committee's list and continue to identify those who support terrorist activities. That is why I wish to emphasize that our objective is to establish an ongoing and constructive dialogue between Member States and the Committee so that States can believe that the Committee is ready to help them in their work. The Committee itself is assisted in its efforts by the Monitoring Group established in resolution 1363 (2001), and I wish to welcome its members here today.

In order to establish a context for this informative meeting, I shall summarize and provide an update on the principal measures undertaken by the Committee thus far this year.

First of all, with the valuable assistance of the Monitoring Group and the Secretariat, the Committee has improved the format and the content of the consolidated list of persons and entities belonging to or associated with the Taliban and Al Qaeda. The list serves as the fundamental mechanism to assist States in implementing sanctions imposed by the Council. The Committee formally communicates the list to all Member States every three months, in conformity with resolution 1455 (2003), but an updated version is always accessible worldwide via the Internet, with explanatory information in the six official United Nations languages.

Moreover, the Committee has reviewed and expanded its guidelines to help States submit supplementary information related to the list and to enable the Committee to act on that information in a much more timely manner. The Committee is extremely grateful to the States that have submitted supplementary information. But I would again strongly urge States to work actively to seek out and submit to the Committee any information not included in the list that they are able to provide.

Given the emphasis that resolution 1455 (2003) places on assessing Member States' implementation of relevant Security Council measures, the Committee and the Monitoring Group worked hard during the first months of the year to prepare and disseminate among all Member States transparent guidelines to assist them in preparing their implementation reports. States are strongly urged to reflect those guidelines in their reports, as that helps the Committee to determine where there have been successes in implementation and also where problems remain. Furthermore, reports that have followed the Committee's guidance document are more likely to help the Committee determine where technical assistance is needed most, and they can also help the Committee to formulate its own recommendations to the Council on how to strengthen sanctions measures.

The Committee can improve its future guidelines directed at States only if sufficient responses to its present guidelines are received. By resolution 1455 (2003), the Council has entrusted our Committee with the task of assessing Member States implementation of the assets freeze, the arms embargo and the travel ban against listed individuals and entities. If the information requested in paragraph 6 of the resolution is clearly insufficient, the Committee will have no choice but to note that reality in preparing its year-end written assessment to the Security Council of actions taken by States to implement those relevant measures.

In addition to urging States once again to submit their reports, I also wish to emphasize that the Committee and its Monitoring Group are ready to assist States in the preparation of their reports and thereby contribute to the dialogue. The focused and practical reporting guidelines also describe how relevant information previously submitted to the Counter-Terrorism Committee will be taken into account by the 1267 Committee. Precise references to previously submitted reports can be made. Moreover, information already submitted need not be duplicated in updated reports. Also important to note is that the confidential or sensitive parts of implementation reports can be designated as confidential and will not be made public.

Recognition of the possible presence of Al Qaeda or of those associated with the network within its territory appears to be a stigma for some States. Therefore, detailed information concerning the activities of the Al Qaeda network and of its operatives and supporters, many of whom were trained in Afghanistan or at other Al Qaeda-associated or run facilities, is not being submitted to the Committee. During its meetings in capitals with State officials, the Monitoring Group has often stressed that even if a particular State perceives no threat to its own security, the presence, however dormant, of Al Qaeda-related individuals may pose a threat to other countries not necessarily of the region, but elsewhere in the world.

Although the majority of States have submitted reports following the guidelines issued by the Committee and have provided useful information, the overall response has so far been disappointing. To date, 64 reports have been received -- representing barely 30 per cent of the United Nations membership. According to information available to the Monitoring Group, individuals or entities associated with Al Qaeda are believed to be active in some way in a significant number of States that have not yet submitted a report.

A review of the reports indicates that, for the most part, countries have taken steps to implement the specific requirements of the resolution by updating or enacting legislation and have also taken practical steps to adopt necessary measures. A number of States submitted very comprehensive reports, including information on planned and existing legislative enactments and administrative measures. Some reports documented specific regulations to deal with the freezing of financial and economic assets, the travel ban and the arms embargo. A number of countries provided information on frozen assets, including type and amount.

On the other hand, some reports offered only a brief account of the legislative measures taken, while others concentrated mostly on practical steps taken in the areas of ongoing investigations and enforcement actions.

Few States have indicated the need for technical or financial assistance to strengthen their capacity to implement the measures. However, a number of reports indicated that a particular State was already providing or was willing to lend assistance to strengthen the overall implementation of the measures.

Paragraph 3 of resolution 1455 (2003) stressed the need for improved coordination and increased exchange of information between our Committee and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), also known as the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). Pursuant to that paragraph, I am pleased to point out to the Council that contacts between the two Committees have recently become more regular. At a recent meeting convened by Ambassador Arias and myself, experts from the Monitoring Group and CTC had a fruitful discussion on how they can best cooperate and exchange information. Despite having different objectives, their tasks are clearly complementary, especially with regard to the analysis of Member State reports and to advising States on how to obtain technical assistance. Ambassador Arias and I are aware that some confusion remains regarding the differences between the mandates and the roles of both Committees. Thus, for the sake of clarity, the two Committees have recently issued a joint press release that clearly sets out their mission and goals.

I will now briefly draw attention to the recent activities and current work of the Monitoring Group so that Council members might get a sense of what is actually happening in States. I would also like to note that the Chairman of the Group, Mr. Chandler, is present to respond to questions members may wish to ask him.

The Group continued its programme of visits to Member States, including Afghanistan, Bulgaria, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia and the United States. The Group also participated in the International Atomic Energy Agency Conference, held in Vienna, on the security of cross-border movements of legal and illegal radiological sources and in the fourteenth plenary meeting of the special Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, held in Berlin.

The first written report of the Group was submitted to the Committee on 16 June. The report notes the successes to date in the fight against Al Qaeda and the positive impact of the intelligence and information gleaned following the arrest of key Al Qaeda individuals. However, in its review of the continued existence of the Al Qaeda network, the Group has highlighted certain important shortcomings and has warned against complacency by States in the collective effort and political will required to enforce the measures adopted by the Council. Al Qaeda has built-in resilience and flexibility, which contributes to its survival as a global network. That, in turn, encourages support for the network among elements of the population of many countries, which produces sympathy for the ideology, new recruits to the movement and funding.

Funds may also easily reach the Al Qaeda network through the sale of heroin and opiates originating from Afghanistan. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported high levels of opium poppy production last year and forecasted another bumper crop this year. A large proportion of these harvests emanate from provinces in which support for the Taliban and its ideology has been strong. Thus, the possibility that a substantial proportion of the profits from these illicit harvests will go to warlords sympathetic to the Taliban and Al Qaeda cannot be ignored.

As States improve the steps to implement the measures, the international community must exercise greater control over the accounting methods and transparency of charities. Despite the good intentions of such charities when they were established and the good work of many of their genuine operations, there is sufficient evidence for the Council to be concerned about some of the disbursements of funds of these organizations. States must be encouraged to ensure that effective measures are put in place to stop such humanitarian activities from being abused in any way by Al Qaeda operatives. This is one area in which the Monitoring Group is concentrating its efforts. For this reason, I call upon all States to cooperate fully with the Group and give it the maximum possible assistance when requested.

Such assistance should not be confined to questions related to charities and the funding of the Al Qaeda network; it is required across the whole spectrum of matters related to the implementation of the measures. This is especially true when the Monitoring Group embarks upon specific case studies in key areas related to implementation of the Council's measures, which States have requested of our Committee.

Another continuing concern involves the many Al Qaeda operatives who have received training in more specialized forms of terrorist activities such as making improvised explosive devices or crude forms of weapons of mass destruction, or carrying out assassinations. The concern is that many of these individuals have left Al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan or camps run by its associates, such Jemaah Islamiyah, and have returned to their countries of origin or to other countries where they have gone underground, obviously ready to mount attacks at later dates. The Group firmly believes that any such individuals who are known to the authorities should be listed in order to reduce the opportunities for them to move around freely. They are a constant source of danger for all States if allowed to go unchecked. States are therefore urged to face this reality and bring these individuals to the notice of all agencies responsible for public order and security, through the Committee's list.

The Group has noted that, notwithstanding the measures being taken around the world to implement the arms embargo, Al Qaeda, the Taliban and their associated terrorist groups are still able to acquire adequate quantities of weapons and explosives where and when they need them. Regrettably, this fact has been all too clearly demonstrated in the past three months by the attacks I mentioned earlier, but also by the many successes in seizures by State authorities of weapons, ammunition and explosive-making materials.

I hope that today's briefing will make it clear that the work of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1267 (1999) goes well beyond the mere processing of reports. While the analysis and follow-up of implementation reports is a critical avenue of communication between the Committee and States, it is not the only one. In addition to the operational work that the Monitoring Group undertakes on the ground during its visits to States, there are a number of other ways in which the interactions between the Committee and Member States can also be enhanced.

First, I intend to continue to hold periodic briefings open to all Member States. Such briefings allow the Committee to provide details on any significant new developments related to its work or procedures, and they also afford all States with an opportunity to ask questions directly of the Monitoring Group or myself and receive straightforward answers on the spot.

In addition, paragraph 11 of resolution 1455 (2003) requests that the Committee consider the possibility that its members or I visit countries with a view to encouraging States to implement all Council resolutions. I believe that such a mission, which I intend personally to undertake as of October, will provide an excellent opportunity to encourage Governments to take a more proactive and creative approach to implementing the established measures and to hear from them.

The 1267 Committee has thus been engaged in a very full programme of work in the first half of 2003. The members feel that they have done their utmost to lay the groundwork for the successful implementation of resolution 1455 (2003). It is the Committee's sincere hope that, in the second half of this year, the wider membership of the United Nations will do its part to implement that very demanding resolution.

In resolution 1455 (2003), the Council also set for all of us the very challenging goals of improving the implementation of important counter-terrorist measures and improving the measures themselves. If we devote all of the attention and resources to these tasks that they deserve, and in a spirit of effective dialogue and true cooperation, then there is real hope that lives may be saved, which in the last analysis is the fundamental purpose of the role of the Council and the Committee.

Today's briefing serves as a mid-year review, and clearly much remains to be done in the months ahead. The written report that I will submit at the end of the year will contain a detailed analysis of both the reports received and the findings of the Monitoring Group. Pursuant to resolution 1455 (2003), the Council will return to this matter to ensure that its efforts to combat the Al Qaeda network continue to be effective and, we hope, enhanced.

Mr. Zhang Yishan (China)

Before making my statement, I would like to extend my congratulations to the new Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sir Emyr Jones Parry, on his assumption of his post. We will be cooperating closely with him. I trust that the cooperative and friendly relations that we have had with the United Kingdom Mission in the past will be continued and indeed strengthened during his term.

I would first like to thank you, Madame President, for convening this public meeting on the work of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1267 (1999). I would also like to thank Ambassador Muñoz of Chile for his briefing and to congratulate him on his assumption of the Chairmanship of the Committee. I would also like to welcome the presence of the Chairman of the Monitoring Group of the Committee, Mr. Chandler, and other Committee members.

Terrorism is the common enemy of the international community. The terrorist bombings that have taken place recently in Saudi Arabia, Chechnya, Morocco and Afghanistan indicate that the Taliban and Al Qaeda still constitute a serious threat to international peace and security and to regional peace and stability.

The Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) as a sanctions mechanism, targeting the Taliban, Al Qaeda and relevant entities and individuals, has shown us the importance of studying and analysing changes in the level of threat posed by Al Qaeda; continuously updating the list of entities and individuals subject to sanctions; and assisting States in the implementation of their sanctions measures and in monitoring and enhancing these measures.

The Committee addresses the sources of funding and weapons used in the planning and carrying out of terrorist attacks by Al Qaeda in order to determine if these links can effectively be severed and whether illegal cross-border activities by terrorist elements can be forcefully combated. This is an important and indispensable part of the counter-terrorism struggle waged by the Security Council and the world as a whole.

Recently the Committee took a series of active measures to implement the resolutions of the Security Council and to enhance the work of the Committee. These include improvement of the consolidated list, the revision and expansion of the guidelines for the work of the Committee, and the drawing up of guidelines for Member States in the formulation of their implementation reports.

The Committee still faces an arduous task, however. I should like to make three proposals concerning the work of the Committee and of its Monitoring Group.

The first area of importance is for the Committee to strengthen its capacity for analysis and research, and to implement and improve sanctions against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. The views and proposals of the Committee and of the Monitoring Group provide important guidance. We encourage the Committee and the Monitoring Group to acquire firsthand information and to use precise evidence as a basis for strengthening its analytical work, and we appeal to States to cooperate with, and support, the work of the Committee and the Monitoring Group.

Secondly, coordination and cooperation with the Security Council and the Counter-Terrorism Committee must be strengthened. Both committees are important mechanisms in the Security Council's counter-terrorism efforts. The strengthening of exchanges will be helpful in order to avoid duplication, improve efficiency and move forward in the struggle against terrorism. We welcome and support the momentum achieved recently by the two Committees in strengthening cooperation.

Thirdly, the practicality of the consolidated list must be improved and enhanced. This list is an important tool for Member States in implementing sanctions. Through the efforts of the Committee, the consolidated list has been rendered even more useful. We hope that additional efforts can be made to improve it in order to ensure that the information provided is as detailed, accurate and specific as possible.

China has always attached great importance to, and actively participated in, the work of the Committee and has strictly applied the sanctions adopted by the Security Council through its resolutions. China, too, faces the scourge of terrorism. East Turkestan terrorist organizations have been receiving long-term training, arms and funding from the Taliban and Al Qaeda. They have been carrying out terrorist acts in China and in the Central Asian countries and are an important part of the international terrorist forces. Opposing East Turkestan terrorist organizations is an important aspect of the international counter-terrorist struggle.

Last year, at the request of China and of other concerned countries, the Committee put the major East Turkestan organization, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, on the consolidated list. We hope that other East Turkestan terrorist organizations also will be included on that list. We will continue to work closely with the members of the Committee and to contribute to the strict implementation of Security Council resolution 1455 (2003) and of other resolutions and to the global struggle against terrorism.

Sir Emyr Jones Parry (United Kingdom)

Madame President, I wish to express my thanks for your kind words of welcome and for those which colleagues have already addressed to me. I am very conscious of the privilege and the responsibility of joining this particular group, and I look forward to working closely and cooperatively with colleagues in the Council.

I should like to begin by associating the United Kingdom fully with the statement to be delivered shortly by the Italian presidency of the European Union. I move on now to compliment Ambassador Muñoz on both his chairmanship and on the very succinct report which he has presented to us this morning setting out an ambitious programme of work.

Today's meeting is important because it focuses the Council once again on the fight against the scourge of terrorism. It is vital, and the sombre words we have heard from the Chairman should remind us all of the political necessity to maintain this fight and in particular to move on to the practical but technical implementation of how one does that. Hence the importance of the report of the Monitoring Group on the implementation by States Members of the United Nations -- how they are fulfilling their responsibilities.

It is vital that Members submit their reports to ensure that there can be some monitoring of implementation and of the success achieved in this fight. The addition of experts to the Monitoring Group is very welcome. We hope that will enable the Group to provide a substantive analysis of implementation by Member States and also to offer guidance and advice on how that implementation can be improved.

Focusing on case studies is important, particularly in terms of charitable foundations, to ensure that they are not abused by Al Qaeda. Stopping the financing of terrorism, as we all have seen, is at the heart of international efforts to disrupt, combat and eventually defeat terrorism. The cooperation of Members is actually vital in that fight. I think that it is important in this respect to recognize the role which regional organizations can fulfil -- particularly, in my case, recognizing what the European Union is doing to combat the illegal financing.

Combating financing does not work unless there is an effective, comprehensive network that covers all possibilities, because otherwise financing simply seeks out the weakest points, and then funds are diverted through them -- to places like Al Qaeda. Therefore a comprehensive effort is absolutely crucial, and the obligation on us all to play our part is one that the United Kingdom recognizes totally.

Ambassador Muñoz referred to the cooperation between the Monitoring Group experts and the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the need to avoid both duplication and, perhaps, to clarify respective roles. I think the work that is being done there is quite important in that direction, as is the continued development of links with relevant international and regional organizations. Their support and help can assist Member States with the necessary implementation, and the work of the CTC has demonstrated what can be achieved. I think the work done by the Committee in expanding the list of individuals and entities associated with Al Qaeda needs to be emphasized, but it will be successful only if Member State contribute by fully implementing resolution 1455 (2003).

In conclusion, I would like to signal how important it is that the Council today support, encourage and endorse the work of the Committee and the programme which has been set out for its future activity. We rely on the committee to maintain the momentum in the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. It is very much for the individual Members of the United Nations to cooperate in the necessary implementation and to play their essential part so that we can all, collectively, carry on and defeat this threat.

Mr. Khalid (Pakistan)

We would like to join others in extending a warm welcome to Ambassador Jones Parry. We look forward to working closely with him in a spirit of friendliness and the traditional cooperation which characterizes our bilateral relations.

I would also like to thank Ambassador Muñoz for his first briefing as the Chairman of the sanctions Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) on the work of the Committee, the Monitoring Group and its future plans. We have full confidence in his leadership and capabilities and wish him good luck during his term as Chairman.

We appreciate the role that the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) has been playing in the fight against terrorism. The consolidated list maintained by the Committee has been rightly described as the key tool in this regard. We have also noted the efforts of the Committee to improve the content and format of the list.

As the Committee needs international cooperation to fulfil its mandated tasks, it is important that Member States continue to extend to it their fullest cooperation. We believe that the improved guidelines of the Committee will facilitate this process and encourage Member States to comply with their obligations under Security Council resolutions. The Committee's efforts to bring more transparency to its work will also be helpful in encouraging greater cooperation with the Committee.

The clarification of the roles of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) and the Counter-Terrorism Committee would remove confusion -- if any -- about the work that the two committees perform. We also believe that this clarification would lead to a better understanding of, and appreciation for, the work of each committee.

We share the views of the Chairman about the role country reports play in the analysis of the Committee on how best to deal with the fight against terrorism. However, we need to address the factors which may lead to reporting fatigue and which are responsible, at least in part, for a poor response from Member States in submitting reports.

I would also take this opportunity to appreciate the role the Monitoring Group has been playing in furthering the work of the Committee and in monitoring compliance with relevant Security Council resolutions. We hope that the recent addition of support staff to the Group will help improve its performance further. We hope that the Group will maintain and improve its analytical reporting to the Council.

When it comes to terrorism, Pakistan speaks from its own experience, based on the sacrifices our citizens and law enforcement officials have made, especially in the past two decades. Pakistan has had to pay a heavy price during this period for its principled position against terrorism and in support of the right of people for self-determination. But to the dismay of terrorists, these incidents have served to strengthen Pakistan's resolve to fight this menace with even greater conviction and resolution. Our message to the terrorists and their supporters is clear and unequivocal: we cannot be cowed by acts or threats of terrorism and we continue to stand undeterred in the face of terrorism.

Terrorism has become the bane of all countries alike. It is no longer a localized problem which can be solved through domestic actions alone. The modern manifestations of terrorism endanger the peace and security of the entire world. Measures to combat this problem should therefore be based on international cooperation and coordination.

As we proceed with the fight against terrorism, it becomes increasingly clear that we will need long-term solutions to address this problem. We will have to move beyond administrative and legal responses. At the policy level, the international community will need to pay greater attention to factors which lie at the root of most cases of terrorism. There is a certain correlation between poverty, religious and political persecution, injustice and terrorism.

Our policy response to terrorism should be broad and multifaceted. It should not be limited only to administrative, legislative or legal measures but should also encompass measures that address factors which are partly, if not fully, responsible for its growth. It may not be possible to ensure the elimination of all acts of terrorism through those policy measures. But at least through the use of such measures we will have deprived many potential terrorists of causes or justifications for resorting to terrorism.

As noted at the open meeting of the Security Council on 23 July, the emotional impact of the events of 11 September 2001 is now decreasing. It is therefore important that we sustain our fight along lines which ensure maximum cooperation on the part of all States, as this issue is no longer the concern of a few States but of the whole of humanity.

A legal definition of terrorism is necessary in order to prevent abuse by certain States that visit all kinds of hardships on innocent civilians in the name of fighting terrorism. Unless we control our actions by subjecting them to limitations based on a legal definition, and make a political commitment to addressing this problem in its entirety, it will not be possible to avoid human rights abuses and the denial of the right to self-determination, or to prevent State terrorism. Securing consensus for a definition of terrorism might seem difficult, but it is not impossible.

We need to prioritize our goals in the fight against terrorism so as to ensure that we remain on track and do not lose sight of our long-term objective of ensuring and maintaining international peace and security.

Mr. Raytchev (Bulgaria)

I should like to begin by joining others in extending a warm welcome to Sir Emyr Jones Parry, the new Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom. We are confident that his extensive diplomatic experience will be a valuable asset for the work of the Council. We look forward to continued and active cooperation with the United Kingdom delegation.

Bulgaria associates itself with the statement to be made later in the debate by the Italian presidency of the European Union. We highly appreciate the considerable efforts and the substantial contribution of the European Union in this field.

Bulgaria welcomes and supports the briefing given at this open meeting of the Security Council pursuant to paragraphs 9 and 14 of resolution 1455 (2003) by the Chairman of the Committee established by that resolution. I would like to take this opportunity to compliment Ambassador Muñoz of Chile for the smooth transition in the chairmanship of the Committee. It is obvious that, thanks to his committed leadership, the Committee is making further progress in its work. Our thanks also go to the members of the dedicated team from the Chilean delegation, as well as to the experts from the Monitoring Group and to the Secretariat. We are grateful for the detailed briefing on the overall activities of the Committee and for the summary on the progress made in submitting the reports requested in paragraph 9 of resolution 1455 (2003).

Success in the fight against terrorism, the Al Qaeda organization and the Taliban -- and other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them -- requires synergy of action based upon shared analysis, clear-cut goals and continued improvement of the measures applied. A well-calibrated balance between transparency of purpose and secure, confident interaction at the subregional, regional and international levels can facilitate the achievement of our common goals in this delicate sphere of activity.

It is our firm belief that, among the leading priorities of the Security Council, the following are of particular importance: first, setting and sustaining the right context; and, secondly, guiding and assisting -- when and where necessary -- in the strict implementation of measures provided for in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council.

We fully endorse the view of the Chairman of the Committee that the stigma of recognition associated with the possible presence of Al Qaeda or those associated with the network within the territory of a given State should be overcome. Such a presence is like a virus, and all measures should be taken to prevent it from turning into a dangerous disease. We expect that the forthcoming visits of the Chairman to various regions will serve that end. The establishment of such a new framework will help national authorities and facilitate more active intra- and interregional cooperation in the fight against terrorism. It will also create the basis for a more proactive approach by the Monitoring Group in collecting and analysing information to assist the Committee and the States concerned. We thank the experts of the Monitoring Group for their continuous efforts towards introducing improvements to the consolidated list.

We are pleased that, on the basis of country reports and with a view to recommending further measures for the consideration of the Council, the Chairman of the Committee will, by 15 December 2003, inform the Security Council in his next report of the main difficulties encountered by the States in the implementation of the measures referred to in paragraph 1 of resolution 1455 (2003).

Finally, we believe that among the immediate results of this meeting of the Security Council, the following deserve particular attention: maintaining genuine transparency in, and awareness of, the work of the Committee when needed; deepening cooperation with Member States; closer coordination and cooperation between the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the Committee established under resolution 1267 (1999), as well as more operational interaction between the experts of the CTC and the Monitoring Group; and more active and efficient cooperation with existing subregional and regional mechanisms and organizations. We also commend the further efforts made to improve the process of implementing resolution 1455 (2003) and to ensure concrete and practical results in that regard.

Mr. Mekdad (Syria)

At the outset, allow me to warmly welcome Ambassador Jones Parry, the new Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations. We wish him every success in his new post, and we assure him that we wish to continue the sincere and productive cooperation enjoyed by our two delegations.

We would also like to thank Ambassador Muñoz, the Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), for his second oral briefing made in accordance with the provisions of resolution 1455 (2003). We also wish to thank him for the detailed and valuable information he has presented regarding the efforts made and the work undertaken by States to implement the provisions of resolutions 1267 (1999), 1333 (2000), 1390 (2002) and 1455 (2003). We congratulate him on the Committee's excellent work and thank him for his personal efforts, and those of his Mission, aimed at ensuring the success of the Committee's work.

The important work done by the Committee represents an important preliminary step in the international efforts to combat terrorism. Those activities are of particular importance to the work of the Security Council, as demonstrated by the series of resolutions adopted by the Council to confront this major challenge facing the international community.

The points mentioned by Ambassador Muñoz regarding the progress made by the Committee clearly demonstrate the enormous amount of work done by the Council, its members and the Secretariat to implement the provisions of the Council's resolutions. I would like to take this opportunity to dwell on some of the points he touched upon.

I should first like to take up the issue of substantive reports. As we have heard, a number of Member States have indeed submitted reports. The guidelines adopted by the Committee have facilitated the preparation by States of their reports, as well as the Committee's study of those reports. We therefore encourage Member States that have not yet done so to submit their reports to the Committee as soon as possible. In that regard, I would like to point out that the Syrian Arab Republic has submitted all the reports requested of it.

Secondly, I would like to mention the Committee's consolidated list. Thanks to the efforts that have been made, that list has become more valuable, more detailed and easier to read.

Thirdly, I wish to refer to the Monitoring Group. The Group's reports have become more valuable, focused and extensive. They are also more credible and transparent, while also more clearly reflecting the information transmitted to the Monitoring Group from every source, including from the Group's own field missions. Given the importance of the Group's work and the need to provide it with assistance to carry out its mission, the Committee has, in cooperation with the Secretariat, strengthened the Monitoring Group by making several recommendations to assist it in reviewing and analysing the reports submitted by States pursuant to resolution 1455 (2003).

Fourthly, I wish to mention the subject of cooperation between the Committee and the Counter-Terrorism Committee.

The Committee is faithful to the provisions of paragraph 3 of resolution 1455 (2003), which stresses the need to improve the exchange of information between the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) and the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001). That has been reflected in the meetings and contacts of the experts of both Committees. Accordingly, we must take note of the joint communiqué adopted by both Committees to clear up any ambiguity or misunderstanding with regard to the work that they have done concerning Member States.

Countering international terrorism is a major task that requires planning and genuine cooperation among States. For the United Nations to ensure that that campaign is taking place, it is not enough to say that we are combating terrorism; in fact, a number of measures have been adopted and actions undertaken to fight terrorism. However, the international community must energetically condemn terrorist acts. Here, I do not wish to go into detail. As I just said, what has been done is indeed important, but much remains to be done. Obtaining information and making it available to Member States is a long, difficult task that requires cooperation among the Secretariat, the Security Council and both Committees so that the Organization's responsibilities are clear with regard to the maintenance of international peace and security.

Mr. Gaspar Martins (Angola)

I should like to begin by expressing, like previous speakers, a warm welcome to Ambassador Jones Perry and to reiterate that we are very pleased to see him here. We hope that the good cooperation that already exists with his Mission and with him personally will be characteristic of his presence throughout his tenure in the Security Council.

I should like to thank you, Madam President, for convening this meeting and to thank Ambassador Muñoz, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) (1267 Committee), for his very substantive briefing and the concrete proposals it contains, which are aimed at improving the work of the Committee in the fight against terrorism. We commend the work that has been done by the secretariat of the Monitoring Group, since its assistance is indispensable for the activities of the 1267 Committee.

Resolution 1390 (2002), and particularly resolution 1455 (2003), extended the sanctions measures already in place against the Taliban and the Al Qaeda network with a view to further improving their implementation; therefore they are obligatory references in the fight against the threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. Despite the existence of the sanctions regime created by those Security Council resolutions, the strengthening of cooperation between Member States and the Committee itself is urgently required for the achievement of the objectives set out in those resolutions.

Although there is a need for more effective implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions to allow a greater and more efficient response to present and future threats to international peace and security, my delegation is pleased to note the considerable progress achieved during the past two years, especially with regard to identifying and halting the financing of terrorism. The listing process within the framework of the 1267 Committee constitutes a very important instrument for all Member States. Significant progress has also been made in tracking down and detaining the financing entities and individuals belonging to the Al Qaeda network. Very important steps forward should be noted in the travel ban imposed by Security Council resolutions 1390 (2002) and 1455 (2003), as well as in the field of the arms embargo.

However, despite the progress to which I just referred, we must be aware that the efforts to curb the financing of the Al Qaeda network and to control its capacity to carry out terrorist activities are far from complete. The specific references, contained in the report of the Chairman of the Monitoring Group, to training in the more specialized forms of terrorist activities and to the fact that Al Qaeda has investigated ways and means of developing weapons of mass destruction are very serious indeed. As we have already stated, we are convinced that further success in the fight against terrorism -- specifically with regard to Al Qaeda -- requires a sustainable international effort along with increased cooperation, information sharing and coordination between Member States and the Committee. In accordance with operative paragraph 6 of resolution 1455 (2003), States are called upon to submit updated reports to the Committee on all steps taken to implement the measures imposed by operative paragraph 4 of resolution 1267 (1999), by operative paragraph 8 of resolution 1333 (2000) and by operative paragraphs 1 and 2 of resolution 1390 (2002).

One of the important issues related to the work done by the Committee since the Chairman's most recent report, submitted in April, was the evaluation of States' reports by the Monitoring Group covering the implementation of resources and measures called for under resolution 1455 (2003). In that connection, I am pleased to say that my delegation has presented its report within the required time frame.

As stated during the Chairman's most recent briefing to the Security Council, in April, Angola has developed various activities within the framework of its relations with other countries in terms of strengthening international cooperation in combating terrorism. The 12 conventions for the suppression of financing terrorism have been integrated into domestic legislation. Ratification of that legislation is now under way, which will complete our legal framework aimed at dealing with terrorism.

Although the 1267 Committee and the CTC share the same objective -- of fighting the threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts -- the activities of the two Committees are different, albeit complementary. My delegation commends the ongoing efforts and discussions in both Committees on how they can better cooperate in pursuing their complementarity, particularly with regard to the implementation of operative paragraph 6 of resolution 1455 (2003) and of resolution 1373 (2001).

Finally, I cannot conclude my statement without expressing our appreciation to the Monitoring Group for the excellent work it has been doing. My delegation shares the views expressed in the Monitoring Group report submitted in June, and underlines in the meantime that technical assistance to be provided to the countries lacking the resources to implement the full scope of resolution 1455 (2003) should be one of the top priorities of the work of the Committee and the Monitoring Group as well.

Mr. Diallo (Guinea)

Allow me at the outset to associate myself with the previous speakers in welcoming Ambassador Sir Emyr Jones Parry, the new Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, and to assure him of our sincere desire to cooperate.

I also wish to convey to Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz of Chile, Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), my delegation's appreciation for his detailed briefing on the quarterly review of the work done by the Committee and its Monitoring Group, as well as on the future programme of work. Finally, I wish to express our gratitude to the members of the Monitoring Group for their resolve in discharging their mandate and for the outstanding results they have achieved.

This meeting is another opportunity to assess progress made in implementing the measures imposed by the Security Council against Al Qaeda, the Taliban and associated persons and entities. I need not recall that those measures include the freezing of financial and economic assets, the travel ban and the arms embargo.

My delegation welcomes the notable success made in combating Al Qaeda since last April. That success includes the arrest of some of its main leaders, the establishment of new means and mechanisms to attack the financial base of the network, improvement of the consolidated list, and the submission by certain Member States of their reports on the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions.

Clearly, the arrest of key members of Usama bin Laden's command team has harmed the operational capacity of Al Qaeda and has made it possible to obtain useful information about how it functions. However, those facts should not make us forget that the network still has sufficient resources to rebuild itself and consequently to conduct devastating targeted attacks. The attacks in Casablanca and Riyadh, among others, are there for us to recall, should we need to.

The adoption by several Member States of laws, rules and procedures to identify and to combat more effectively the financing systems of Al Qaeda are significant points of progress, due basically to the greater vigilance of Governments and banking establishments and other financial institutions, as well as to the gradual development of a better network for information and information exchange. That process should be strengthened.

Notwithstanding that relative success, my delegation considers that much remains to be done to eliminate the Al Qaeda supply lines. Apart from the fact that several of its financing sources remain to be identified, there is no doubt that that organization is increasingly using informal mechanisms, such as hawala and other parallel types of payment, to make its operations more diffuse. That also certainly explains why Al Qaeda is always in a position to conduct its policy of indoctrination, recruitment and deployment to undertake terrorist actions everywhere in the world.

In order to remedy the situation, we appeal to all Member States to sign and ratify the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, increase their efforts to identify and freeze the assets of Al Qaeda donors and sympathizers and implement the measures necessary to combat money-laundering.

International drug trafficking is another significant source of financing for Al Qaeda activities, which, according to the report of the Monitoring Group, brought in more than $6 billion in 2002. It has also been proven that Al Qaeda uses contraband and traffic in mineral resources from conflict areas to increase its financial assets. We all need to combat those phenomena seriously if we want to help dry up this network's supply sources.

While rules regarding the travel ban are familiar to all Member States, experience demonstrates that use of the United Nations consolidated list continues to pose a number of problems. That is why we believe that it needs to be made more accurate, be supplemented and be updated. To do that, my delegation believes -- as was also stressed in the Monitoring Group report -- that new minimum identification data should be added, greater attention should be paid to the submission of names, and the position of titles in names that appear in the section on the Taliban should be modified. We believe that the information that the Afghan Transitional Authority has promised to provide will be very useful. Also, in order to expand the list, we urge Member States to communicate the names of persons or entities recruited or trained for terrorist purposes.

My delegation wishes to recall that the point of the travel ban is to limit the movement of members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban and of individuals associated with them. However, we must recognize that the latter remain mobile and that they continue, despite everything, to prepare and to carry out terrorist attacks in several countries, often using assumed identities. To check that situation, Member States must increase information exchange and adopt new techniques for the easy identification of those individuals and thus to block their activities. The world identification system including biometric data in travel documents, recently adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization, is an innovation that should be used worldwide.

My delegation notes that, since the adoption and the implementation of the arms embargo, the 1267 Committee has not been advised of any attempts by individuals or entities referred to in Security Council resolutions to violate or circumvent the embargo. The facts on the ground indicate, however, that Al Qaeda, the Taliban and their associates still have well organized networks for procuring weapons and explosives when the need arises. Witness, for example, the intensification of deadly attacks against the coalition force in Afghanistan.

For us, the best way to end that illicit and harmful supply is to better coordinate the efforts of the international community for increased surveillance of international borders. Furthermore, the threat posed by the ability of Al Qaeda to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction should not be ignored. Special action should be taken to strengthen control over the nuclear safety regime, as well as to strengthen legislation relating to the manufacture, stockpiling and use of biological and chemical products.

In conclusion, my delegation wishes to emphasize the importance of strengthening the working relationship between the 1267 Committee and the 1373 Committee, whose complementarity, which has been pointed out by Ambassador Muñoz, should give impetus to our common struggle against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We wish to recall that, notwithstanding the commendable efforts made, the international community is still not safe from the deadly attacks of Al Qaeda, the Taliban and their associates. This situation should be taken seriously, because, through the pernicious means that they use and the dangerous ideology that they spread, they are determined to stop at nothing. by fully taking advantage of the weak links of the system, They are still capable of organizing operations that do great damage to international peace and security.

The only valid weapon in these circumstances lies in an ongoing international effort, increased cooperation at all levels, better exchange of information and greater coordination of our actions. We are convinced that the mission that the Security Council will dispatch to Afghanistan and Pakistan from 31 October to 8 November -- its terms of reference have already been agreed on -- will be an opportunity to fine-tune our strategy to that end.

Mr. Pleuger (Germany)

Let me first join other delegations in warmly welcoming Ambassador Sir Emyr Jones Parry, even during this temporary spell of non-permanence. We have been friends and colleagues for a long time, and we have been working together in the context of the European Union. I am also looking forward to working very closely with him in context of the Security Council.

My delegation would like to thank the Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1267 (1999), Ambassador Muñoz, for his very comprehensive and convincing first report, which we fully support.

As terrorism continues to claim the lives of countless innocent people, the United Nations sanctions regime targeting members or associates of Al Qaeda and the Taliban remains a major tool for combating this global scourge. As Ambassador Muñoz has pointed out, the primary responsibility for making these sanctions work lies with Member States. It is therefore appropriate that, for the first time, the debate on this key issue is open to all Member States. In the view of my delegation, this should become a regular practice.

My country will continue to help to strengthen the credibility and efficiency of the targeted sanctions, as it has done in the past. Germany has contributed to improving both the consolidated list of targeted individuals and entities and pertinent watchlists and the border-crossing information system. We have submitted reports and additional information to the Committee as required, and we are cooperating closely with law enforcement, judicial and security authorities worldwide.

Our dialogue with United Nations experts, including the head of the Monitoring Group, Mr. Chandler, has been very close. We welcome Ambassador Muñoz's announced intention to visit several countries, and we gladly renew our invitation to him to include Germany in his itinerary.

A major source of credibility for the sanctions regime is the fact that it targets specific individuals or entities on the basis of a consolidated list. We think, however, that clear criteria should be developed that would specify under which objective conditions a given individual or entity should be added to that list. Such criteria would be helpful to facilitate the Committee's work. Perhaps we should discuss various national practices and, ideally, come to a widely accepted manner in which cases for listings are presented and considered by the Committee members.

Another open issue relates to de-listing. In our view, we should consider introducing some core elements of due process to be applied by the Security Council, mutatis mutandis. For example, there could be room for the possibility that a targeted individual might bring his case to the Committee for consideration.

We are convinced that these open issues can and should be resolved with the aim of avoiding or undoing the listing of innocent individuals. This would not weaken, but rather strengthen the sanctions regime by enhancing its credibility. The fact that resolution 1452 (2002) of December 2002 establishes objective criteria for granting certain exceptions to the sanctions regime demonstrates that appropriate refinement of the measures is possible.

Germany fully subscribes to the forthcoming statement by the presidency of the European Union and its assessment of today's topic.

To conclude, I would like to thank Ambassador Muñoz and his able team in the Mission of Chile, as well as the Monitoring Group and the Secretariat, for their outstanding efforts in steadily improving this key United Nations instrument in the fight against terrorism.

Mrs. D'Achon (France)

First of all, the delegation of France naturally joins in the words of welcome that the President addressed a moment ago to the new Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom. For my part, I wish to thank the Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1267 (1999), Ambassador Muñoz, for his very detailed briefing, which was prepared in close cooperation with the members of the Committee.

The Permanent Representative of Italy will later make a statement on behalf of the European Union, with which France fully associates itself. I therefore simply wish to highlight three points.

First of all, we are steadily achieving success in the campaign against Al Qaeda. Networks have been dismantled, and Al Qaeda's capacities to do harm are being reduced. But, as many speakers have stressed, that organization has demonstrated its capacity to rebuild, and the threat persists. We therefore cannot relax in our efforts. On the contrary, we must increase them and intensify them.

Secondly, in this context, we welcome the new improvements in the work of the 1267 Committee, in particular with regard to transparency and coordination with the Counter-Terrorism Committee. We also note with satisfaction the upcoming recruitment of three young experts who will be supporting the work of the Monitoring Group for a few months.

Finally, these efforts will be fully effective only if all Member States cooperate actively with the Committee, as they are required to do in the implementation of Security Council resolutions. States that have not yet submitted reports must do so immediately. Furthermore, the quality and content of the reports submitted to the Committee, particularly as regards the adoption of national measures in the fight against Al Qaeda, must make progress, as Ambassador Muñoz has rightly stressed.

The scourge of terrorism threatens all of us, and no State is protected. We believe that by continuing to work together with determination we will be able to put an end to terrorism, and we have every confidence in the Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999).

Mr. Gatilov (Russia)

Like other delegations, we too are glad to

welcome the new Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sir Emyr Jones Parry. We would like to thank the Chairman of the Committee, Ambassador Muñoz, for the semi-annual report submitted pursuant to resolution 1455 (2003) regarding the work done by the Committee and the Monitoring Group regarding sanctions against the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Russia knows first-hand of the danger that terrorism poses and how difficult it is to combat this scourge. The latest series of terrorist acts in Russia and a number of other States once again clearly indicates that terrorism knows no borders and that we must combat terrorism together.

We commend the practical work done by the Committee in drawing up and constantly updating the sanctions lists of persons and organizations engaged in terrorist activities. The ongoing additions to this list demonstrate the consistency of the measures adopted by the Committee vis-à-vis persons implicated in terrorism. The steps taken to draw up this list represent an important means of dealing with terrorism, its ideologues and its financial sponsors, which try to evade accountability.

For its part, Russia will continue to provide timely information to the Committee on persons suspected of having ties with Al Qaeda and the Taliban. We believe that this list is a mandatory document for States Members of the United Nations, which must take steps, pursuant to the list, to extradite such persons from their territory.

Particular attention should be given to the timely and full implementation of paragraph 6 of resolution 1455 (2003). States' reports on the measures they have taken to implement the Council's sanctions requirements should become the basis for a serious analysis, which is primarily intended to bring to the attention of the Committee the practical problems that exist in the functioning of the sanctions regimes.

In this context, we take note of the importance of the appeal to Member States that have not yet done so to submit their reports as soon as possible. We are extremely concerned to hear that a significant number of States on whose territory the Al Qaeda network is presumed to be operating have not submitted their reports, as required by the resolution. In this context, we believe that there should be closer cooperation between the Committee and the Counter-Terrorism Committee established by the Security Council.

We commend the work done by the Monitoring Group, chaired by Ambassador Chandler. We look forward to a concrete and practical outcome of the intensive regional visits planned by the head of the Group in order to shed light on the situation in the field, collect and analyse information on the activities of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, and provide the necessary consultative assistance to those countries that require it.

We share the concern mentioned by Ambassador Muñoz regarding the growing threat of narcotics trafficking from Afghanistan and its direct link with the financing of terrorist operations. We strongly support increased concrete efforts by the international community in this area, including through stepped-up cooperation with countries neighbouring Afghanistan, in order to create effective mechanisms to stanch the flow of drugs from that country.

Russia supports the intensive efforts of the members of the Security Council in the context of the Committee. We are sure that in the next six months it will be possible to prepare a detailed analysis on the basis of States' reports with respect to meeting the requirements of resolution 1455 (2003) and to elaborate practical recommendations on measures to combat terrorism.

We view today's Council meeting as we did the one that took place a week ago on the report of the Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee: as real confirmation of the need for a further consolidation of efforts in order to build a genuinely universal anti-terrorist front, with the United Nations and its Security Council playing a coordinating role.

I should like to note that today at the United Nations there another important meeting is taking place: the meeting between the leaders of the Secretariat and regional organizations, focusing also on counter-terrorism. We agree that there is a need further to utilize the potential of regional organizations in resolving the questions that are being discussed today in the Security Council.

The Russian Federation intends to continue actively to enhance the effectiveness of the activities of the Committee in order to achieve further successes in the combat against terrorism.

Mr. Aguilar Zinser (Mexico)

First of all, on behalf of my delegation, I wish to thank Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz for his briefing and to congratulate him on the very effective and expeditious manner in which he has handled the work of the Committee, continuing the work done by his country's delegation since the beginning of this year and working to ensure the fulfilment of the commitments mandated by the Security Council under resolution 1267 (1999).

We wish also to thank you and the presidency of the Security Council for having taken the initiative to convene this open meeting, thereby allowing us to discuss with the community of nations -- Members of the United Nations and the international community as a whole -- the difficult tasks that the fight against terrorism requires.

The combat against terrorism is a fundamental priority for my country, for many and varied reasons. Our geographic location, the linkages within our economy, and our globalization process all make us aware of our vulnerability and of that of States in general with respect to the methods and systems utilized by international terrorists, in particular Al Qaeda and its associates, in their activities.

For these reasons, my country has taken a number of measures to implement United Nations resolutions and to expand the scope of its international cooperation in the area of the identification of funds and of terrorist entities which might wish to use Mexico's financial mechanisms or its territory to commit terrorist acts or to make use of our territory for so doing in other States. We have been very careful to prevent this from happening, and the key to this effort is international cooperation.

We believe that, to be successful, the fight against terrorism must be supported by exchanges of information among States and by the promotion of confidence among judicial institutions and institutions charged with the prosecution and prevention of crime in our countries. What will truly make us effective in our fight against terrorism is mutual confidence and the exchange of information; readiness to cooperate; willingness to coordinate our efforts; and our openness to learning from the experiences of all.

Given the nature of this phenomenon, any terrorist attack, whatever its location, is an attack on the international community as a whole. That is why we all must shoulder the same level of responsibility in our activities of international cooperation.

Only through the coordinated efforts of the international community will the members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban be brought to justice.

In the context of those efforts, the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) is of great importance. In this regard, it should be noted that the work of the Committee is taking place within a framework of transparency, which facilitates exchanges of information and intelligence in the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

In recent months, the Committee has continued to work on confidence-building among Member States. In this context, we would like to highlight the adoption of guidelines for the handling of additional information related to the designated individuals and entities on the consolidated list. Mexico trusts that such measures will promote a broader and more reliable flow of information, which will allow the Committee to propose better mechanisms for the implementation of the sanctions against the designated individuals and entities on the consolidated list.

Mexico also wishes to emphasize the importance of the work done by the Monitoring Group and to commend it for its efforts and for the professionalism that it has demonstrated. In its most recent report, the Monitoring Group reminded us of the very serious and present danger that Al Qaeda represents to international peace and security and alerted us to its capacity to adapt, the evolution that the organization has undergone and the threat that it continues to pose. This should lead us to increase our effectiveness and be more vigilant. Likewise, the Group reminds us that Al Qaeda still has funds at its disposal. Here, it is important to underline in particular the comments of Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz with regard to the fact that there are indications that drug trafficking originating in Afghanistan continues to be a source of funding for Al Qaeda's terrorist activities.

My delegation also wishes to congratulate the Monitoring Group on its contribution to improving the quality of the consolidated list in general and for obtaining relevant information to improve the Taliban list. In this regard, we would also like to thank the Government of Afghanistan and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan for their support.

The reports of the Monitoring Group are always of high quality. We hope that the Security Council will continue to receive such excellent reports, as the Group will now have at its disposal more staff dedicated to information analysis.

The report of the Monitoring Group draws attention to the fact that the results of the practice according to which countries are required to submit national reports have failed to meet expectations and that the picture offered by these reports is therefore still incomplete, as the group pointed out.

In this regard, the Security Council must redouble its efforts to ensure that all States fully comply with their obligations under Security Council resolutions. We must also, however, acknowledge that, with regard to the national reports, the working methods of the Committee could be improved. There should be improved and closer cooperation between the Committee and that established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001). That would prevent bureaucratic duplication in their reports -- which discourages countries from providing the necessary cooperation -- and facilitate complementarity between both committees, which depend upon the support of States in the implementation of their respective obligations.

The struggle against Al Qaeda is a commitment for all Member States. We understand that it will be neither a short nor an easy struggle. Defeating the causes of extremism that nourish terrorism will require cooperation in many areas at the international level.

I should also like to point out that the fight against terrorism clearly presents us with a number of difficulties. The report of the Monitoring Group provides details about problems associated with resolving those difficulties. These include the risk of implicating innocent people or -- because of mistakes in processing names -- of taking steps against people who are not responsible for terrorist activities. There is also a danger of restricting freedom and the fluidity of financial and banking transactions. No less serious is the risk to legitimate charitable and non-governmental organizations, which might be affected by the measures that we feel compelled to take.

All of these risks must be weighed by the Committee and the Security Council. The most effective tools at our disposal in this respect are information and the capacity to undertake a precise analysis of each of the measures taken. In that respect, the work of the Monitoring Group is vital. It is the Monitoring Group that points out to us the areas that need further work and the risks that we must avoid, as well as the mechanisms that we can use to minimize the dangers that are inherent in this difficult but necessary task of combating terrorism. Better cooperation and information exchange will be essential if we are to avoid those risks.

In this context, it is very important to note the close link between the fight against terrorism and the fight against organized crime. Terrorism makes use of organized crime networks and utilizes many of the methods and techniques that enable such networks to avoid justice and exploit the financial and banking system for money-laundering. Thus we must fight organized crime, drug trafficking and corruption, as well as terrorism, jointly and in a concerted manner.

Finally, no less important are efforts to control arms trafficking. It is essential that the international community redouble its efforts to prevent illicit arms trafficking by all the means at its disposal, since the availability of such weapons gives terrorists an advantage that they readily exploit.

Mr. Negroponte (United States)

I, too, would like to welcome Ambassador Muñoz in his new capacity as Chairman of the sanctions Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) relative to Al Qaeda and the Taliban. The United States appreciates receiving his informative briefing on the important work of the Committee for the first half of this year.

Ambassador Muñoz is right to underscore the serious threat that Al Qaeda continues to represent across borders. Its terrorist activities in 2003 serve as a tragic reminder that our counter-terrorism work remains unfinished. Attacks in diverse parts of the world reflect the true global dimension of the Al Qaeda network. They also serve to remind us that only through international cooperation can we prevent future attacks. No single nation can counter the Al Qaeda threat on its own; partnership is essential.

The United States considers the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) to be a central part of the international community's counter-terrorism efforts. Secretary of State Colin Powell's comments during the ministerial meeting on terrorism held on 20 January clearly underscored that point when he welcomed the unanimous adoption of resolution 1455 (2003), which reinforced sanctions that are both targeted and without time limits. The Secretary said then, and it is worth repeating now, that "The international community could not have sent a stronger message of its determination to stamp out terrorism." (S/PV.4688, p. 19). We must keep up that momentum.

Freezing terrorist assets remains a top priority of the Government of the United States. Approximately $135 million in terrorist assets have been frozen worldwide since the tragic events of 11 September 2001. While that is a sizeable figure, we recognize that more can be done to find, follow and freeze terrorist funds. Continued success in tracking terrorist financing will require international vigilance. We note, however, that 39 Member States have not yet introduced domestic legislation enabling terrorist-linked assets to be frozen. The United States urges those States to enact appropriate laws, in line with Security Council expectations. The regulation of informal money transfer systems, such as hawala, also warrants closer Council attention.

The reports called for under resolution 1455 (2003) constitute a crucially important part of the Committee's work. We are disappointed that more States have not taken the opportunity to convey information that is essential to improving the sanctions regime. Given the magnitude of the Al Qaeda threat, a 30 per cent response rate is inadequate, and hampers the Committee's ability to do its work. We encourage the Committee to seek additional information from States as necessary. Member States' successes and challenges need to be addressed through closer examination of those reports. Where there are gaps in capacity, we must find better ways to address them.

The work of the Committee established under resolution 1267 (1999), in the remainder of 2003, will result in a concrete assessment of Member State implementation of that key sanctions regime. That should not be a pro forma exercise. Instead, we anticipate the December 2003 written assessment to be a robust analysis containing an array of recommendations for consideration by the Council, including on issues such as hawala and charities, which are important themes identified by the Monitoring Group. Ambassador Muñoz's travel planned for October will usefully frame the Committee's remaining work and his end-of-the-year assessment to the Council, as well as send an important political signal to key capitals. He, as Committee Chairman -- and we, as the Council -- should not shy away from asking tough questions. The United States believes that counter-terrorism expectations for Member States should remain high. We all can, and should, strengthen efforts to meet the ongoing challenge that Al Qaeda poses.

We strongly encourage willing and able States to do more, my own Government included. For example, the United States can do better in a number of areas. We are still learning how to better address the threats at our borders, in our skies and across our territory. Our new Department of Homeland Security has invested significant resources to monitor the flow of information and targeted individuals moving into and out of our country. We remain concerned about the status of our seaports, an area of recognized vulnerability that our Congress has spent time investigating. We also realize that coordination with our geographic neighbours -- Canada and Mexico -- must be supplemented by robust international cooperation that extends beyond our nation's physical boundaries.

The United States remains strongly committed to help willing States achieve greater counter-terrorism successes. Increased assistance and capacity building is key in that effort. The work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee in matching available capacity with stated needs represents a critical step in that regard. We also emphasize that States unwilling to implement their obligations, whatever the reason, must be encouraged and, if necessary, pressured to do more. The international community cannot allow intransigence by some to be the weak link that undermines our shared counter-terrorism efforts.

We welcome the results achieved thus far by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), and support maintaining its robust counter-terrorism approach under the able leadership of Ambassador Muñoz. It is a big job, and among the United Nations most important long-term tasks. Resolution 1455 (2003) is a demanding resolution. The expectations it set forth are unique in many ways, and have required significant investment in time by Committee experts and the Sanctions Branch of the Secretariat -- and especially by Ambassador Muñoz and the Chilean Mission. We appreciate that hard work.

Improved sanctions implementation -- made possible by vigilant Security Council oversight and better responsiveness by Member States -- will send the right message to all Governments and translate into improved implementation. Successfully countering the Al Qaeda threat -- a deadly threat to all of us -- demands as much.

Mr. Belinga-Eboutou (Cameroon)

I would first like to congratulate Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz of Chile, Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), for the excellent and very detailed briefing he has just so eloquently given. I would also like to welcome the presence at this meeting of Mr. Michael Chandler, Chairman of the Monitoring Group, as well as the other members of his team, who have skilfully and devotedly tackled the tasks entrusted to them. I also wish to thank the President for organizing this open meeting on the activities of the Committee established by resolution 1267 (1999).

On 6 May 2003, the Spanish Prime Minister graced with his presence the open meeting of the Council held on the same subject as the one we are today discussing, namely, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. At that time, I congratulated Spain for refusing to give up. I also noted its long experience in, and commitment to, counter-terrorism. That commitment is unanimously recognized and commended. The Spanish presidency this month has corroborated what I said then. In fact, since last week's open debate on combating terrorism, when we considered the report of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), the President of the Council stated that he had planned an open meeting to be held today on the same subject and in the context of our consideration of the report of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), which is so well presided over by my friend Ambassador Muñoz.

The timing of those events was no coincidence; my delegation believes that it demonstrates the President's desire to draw the international community's attention to the ongoing nature and seriousness of the evils of terrorism. It also illustrates the close link that exists between the Committees established by resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1373 (2001). In fact, on 23 July 2003, I welcomed the cooperation that had been established between the Committees. I also said that I very much wanted to see that cooperation expanded to bring about true synergy between other Security Council committees doing complementary work.

Resolution 1267 (1999) and the series of resolutions that supplement and strengthen its regime -- resolutions 1363 (2000), 1390 (2002) and 1455 (2003) -- set forth a set of measures, particularly the freezing of financial and economic assets of targeted terrorists, the travel ban aimed against them, and the arms embargo. Those resolutions, because they are the backbone of this determined fight by the international community, must be strictly implemented by all countries. And today's meeting provides us with precisely the opportunity to take account of the Committee's work and of the implementation of the relevant resolutions aimed at combating Osama bin Laden, the Taliban, Al Qaeda and the persons and entities associated with them.

The Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) (1267 Committee) spoke to us a few moments ago about the consolidated list of identified targets whose format and contents have been improved, about the adoption of clear and transparent procedures for processing information submitted by States and by international and regional organizations, about the adoption of precise guidelines aimed at assisting Member States in the preparation of national reports relating to the implementation of resolution 1267 (1999) and, finally, about the establishment of an open, constructive dialogue with Member States. Those are all actions to assist in the effective implementation of the measures set forth to help penetrate, understand and thwart the various methods used by the Taliban and Al Qaeda, which do not hesitate to exploit the misery of populations or to misuse charitable organizations for their deadly purposes. We might have hoped that their financing and recruitment networks and their sphere of action would have gradually shrunk as a result of the joint action of the 1267 Committee and of the international community, since many of the leaders of those networks have been successfully tracked down and arrested. Unfortunately, nothing of the kind has happened. Rather, we note the emergence of third-generation terrorists, trained by Afghanistan's veterans and scattered throughout the world today -- terrorists whom we must tirelessly track down and flush out.

Our fight against terrorism, as we have stressed, is a long-term endeavour, and we have the obligation of constant vigilance. That is why, generally speaking, my delegation -- which reaffirms its full satisfaction with and confidence in the Chairman of the Monitoring Group and his team -- supports most of the recommendations made by the Monitoring Group. This struggle, which is a painstaking task that we have always supported, requires mobilization and participation by all States, the organized cooperation of all actors and partners involved in this battle, and capacity-building assistance for the States that need it.

With regard to assistance, my delegation hopes that the commitment made by the World Bank and by other international organizations to support the principal African subregional organizations will be acted upon. Here, my delegation must thank the World Bank for its recent support for the Bank of Central African States in the context of actions by countries members of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa related to combating money-laundering and terrorism.

Furthermore, I should like to indicate Cameroon's support for the programme of activities of the 1267 Committee and that of the Monitoring Group. Finally, I should like to reaffirm my country's commitment to continuing to join its efforts with those of other States for the implementation and effective application of the regime established by resolution 1267 (1999).

The President

I shall now take the floor in my capacity as representative of Spain.

I thank Ambassador Muñoz for his comprehensive and detailed briefing on the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999). I also welcome the presence of the Monitoring Group and its constant and dedicated work. Spain fully subscribes to the statement that will be made shortly by Italy on behalf of the European Union. Therefore, I shall limit my statement to a few brief observations.

First, I wish to highlight what has been achieved since the adoption of resolution 1455 (2003). Among those achievements, I must cite the improvement in the format and content of the consolidated list, the adoption of guidelines to assist States in preparing their reports and the increase in the Committee's transparency and communication. I must also mention the beginning of coordination and information-sharing between the 1267 Committee and the Counter-Terrorism Committee, which will undoubtedly help to improve the work of both Committees and, therefore, the fight against terrorism.

Finally, I wish to recall -- as has the Chairman of the 1267 Committee -- that success in this struggle depends on the cooperation of States. All of us must meet our obligations under international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

I now resume my functions as President of the Security Council.

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

Mr. Spatafora (Italy)

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The acceding countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, the associated countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, and the European Free Trade Association country member of the European Economic Area, Norway, declare that they align themselves with this statement.

Today's meeting gives us the opportunity to reaffirm the European Union's policy of unequivocal condemnation of all acts of terrorism as criminal acts. We remain deeply convinced that no act of terrorism is justifiable, irrespective of its motivations, objectives, form or manifestation. The European Union, together with all its member States, is strongly committed to defeating that threat, and recognizes and supports the central role of the United Nations in the fight against terrorism everywhere.

Since 1999, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) has proved to be one of the main instruments at our disposal to fight against terrorism by imposing targeted sanctions designed to focus specifically on the individuals and entities belonging to or associated with the Taliban and Al Qaeda. After the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, resolutions 1390 (2002) and 1455 (2003) imposed and strengthened targeted sanctions designed to focus specifically on individuals and entities that, in connection with the Taliban or Al Qaeda, were responsible for such threats to and breaches of international peace and security. Under the authority of the Security Council and with the active support of the international community, the scope of the sanctions regime has been enlarged, its tools have been extended and improved, and its working methods have been progressively adapted to the new circumstances. The Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) has played an important role in that process, and it will continue to do so. Likewise, we appreciate the important work of the Monitoring Group and its regular reporting to the Committee and the Security Council.

The European Union and its member States immediately responded to that effort by strengthening their cooperation with this Committee. A unique regulatory framework directly applicable in all EU member States has ensured proper and timely implementation of all the relevant Security Council resolutions in this field. The result was amplified by the voluntary alignment to that framework of all countries acceding to the EU. A wide range of legal instruments has been adopted with the aim of strengthening the restrictive measures imposed by the United Nations, notably to combat the financing of terrorism.

Furthermore, the European Union and its member States entered into close cooperation with the Committee and the Monitoring Group, which assists it in the fulfilment of its tasks. That cooperation has already produced satisfactory results, although it can be further improved, and has ensured a remarkable flow of information, which proved extremely useful in enhancing the effectiveness of our overall strategy against terrorism. The European Union firmly supports the continuing efforts of the Committee to improve its working procedures, thus increasing efficiency, transparency and scope.

Respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law is essential in all efforts to combat terrorism. In that respect, the European Union deeply shares the approach followed by the Security Council with the adoption of resolution 1452 (2002) of 20 December 2002, aimed at defining criteria for the granting of exemptions, in specific cases, based on humanitarian needs.

The European Union remains convinced that every effort must be made to promote due process in the proceedings of the Committee. In that respect, the Union welcomes the adoption by the Committee, on 7 November 2002, of guidelines for the conduct of its work, which were further revised and expanded on 10 April this year.

Sanctions must be implemented on the basis of transparent technical criteria in order to create maximum legal certainty in the matter. The European Union stands ready to work to further improve the Committee's guidelines, as appropriate. It also welcomes the improvement of the format and content of the consolidated list of individuals and entities belonging to or associated with the Taliban and Al Qaeda, as well as the adoption by the Committee of a guidance document to assist Member States in the preparation of their implementation reports.

Terrorism must and can be defeated, in accordance with the Charter and international law, by a sustained comprehensive approach involving the participation and the collaboration of all States and international and regional organizations, and by redoubled efforts at the national level. Therefore, the European Union shares the need for improved coordination and increased exchange of information between the 1267 Committee, the Counter-Terrorism Committee, established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), and the Terrorism Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. While appreciating that that cooperation is on the right track, the European Union is fully aware that much work remains to be done, and therefore it is fully committed to contributing to such an effort with its expertise and best practices in the fight against terrorism.

The European Union and its member States reiterate their determination to cooperate fully with the 1267 Committee and with the Monitoring Group both by supplying information as may be requested and by facilitating, to the extent possible, the proper identification of all listed individuals and entities targeted by restrictive measures. In that respect, the European Union encourages all States that have not yet done so to provide all possible information in response to resolution 1455 (2003).

The President

I now call on the representative of Liechtenstein. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. Wenaweser (Liechtenstein)

Like others, I would like to thank the Monitoring Group, as well as Ambassador Muñoz, for the detailed presentation to the Council this morning. We attach the utmost importance to the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), as well as to that of the Monitoring Group, both of which we consider complementary to the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC).

I am very pleased to inform the Council that on 9 July 2003 Liechtenstein deposited the instrument of ratification for the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. Liechtenstein has thus ratified all 12 relevant international conventions and protocols and is currently in the last stage of the process of amending its legislation in order to implement the Convention, in particular in the field of criminal and administrative law. Liechtenstein is determined to make all efforts to prevent abuses of its financial centre for terrorist activities and appreciates the cooperation with international bodies in that area, such as the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the 1267 Committee.

We commend the remarkable steps the Security Council and the Committee have taken to improve the effectiveness and the precision of the sanctions and to address humanitarian concerns, as well as concerns of transparency and due process. The Committee guidelines for the conduct of its work, which were revised in April this year, are an important tool in this respect. We particularly welcome that the guidelines now include rules for the work of the Monitoring Group with respect to its role in updating the sanctions list.

We believe that such rules are crucial not only for the effective work of the Committee and the Monitoring Group, but also for the cooperation with Member States and the protection of the rights of individuals. At a time when the Security Council is increasingly making decisions that have a direct impact on the rights of individuals, we believe that it is important to provide for avenues that allow individuals to address concerns stemming from such decisions.

That also holds true for the work of the Committee and the Monitoring Group, which are increasingly focusing their work on concrete cases and individuals, thereby improving the effectiveness of the sanctions regime but also expanding the need for dialogue and cooperation with national authorities. We therefore encourage the continuation and the widening of the process of rule-making in the interest of improved cooperation and flow of information between the Committee and the Monitoring Group and the Member States, with a view to strengthening respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in the fight against terrorism. The suggestions made by the representative of Germany this morning could go a long way in assisting the Council in that respect.

As the example of the Counter-Terrorism Committee shows, a well-structured reporting dialogue between a Committee and Member States can considerably enhance the implementation of the Security Council resolution. Liechtenstein has submitted a comprehensive report pursuant to resolution 1455 (2003), and we hope that all States will soon fulfil their reporting obligations in accordance with that resolution. We are aware that such reporting requirements place a considerable burden particularly on small administrations. At the same time, however, they are not only designed to monitor the compliance of States with Security Council resolutions; they can also provide a basis for concrete progress through engaging in a dialogue with Member States and in particular, where needed, through the provision of technical assistance. That is another area where the 1267 Committee could draw from the experience and the expertise of the CTC.

In conclusion, I would like to stress once again our unequivocal commitment to international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. We look forward in particular to enhanced cooperation and dialogue with the Committee and the Monitoring Group.

The President

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

Mr. Haraguchi (Japan)

The Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1267 (1999) is an extremely effective tool in the fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda and groups associated with them, and we are very grateful for its activities. I regret to note, however, that there seems to be no end to the terrorist incidents suspected of having been committed by Al Qaeda in certain countries. In Afghanistan, their former stronghold, the remnants of the Taliban and Al Qaeda are still active. These groups thus continue to threaten international peace and security.

Japan is cooperating in the activities of the coalition force that is fighting against them in Afghanistan by engaging its maritime self-defence force vessels in the replenishment activities in the Indian Ocean. We must overcome the challenges posed by the Taliban and Al Qaeda through an integrated approach, including resolute action in the field and strict application by the international community as a whole of the sanctions that have been imposed and capacity-building to enable developing countries to implement those measures.

The recently released report of the Monitoring Group established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1363 (2001) is a detailed and extremely interesting document, and we greatly appreciate it. However, we are deeply concerned about the following three issues pointed out in the report.

First, although the efforts to find and detain key Al Qaeda leaders have made progress, there are still some leaders who have managed to escape the international pursuit. Furthermore, the monitoring group has pointed out that a new generation of Al Qaeda members who have been trained outside of Afghanistan has emerged, and that members of the network have retained a dangerously high degree of mobility around the world. These facts highlight the seriousness of the matter. It is urgent that we take effective travel-ban measures by strengthening information sharing and cooperation among law enforcement authorities and enhancing the consolidated list of the Committee, and thereby close in on the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Secondly, while substantial progress has been made in promoting new legislation and regulations in Member States through the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), the Financial Action Task Force and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, which has resulted in the freezing of many Taliban- and Al Qaeda-related funds and assets, it is important to note that substantial funds are still available to Al Qaeda from the illicit drug trade and through charities, and that they are still able to distribute funds through mechanisms such as hawala. We need to make further efforts in order to completely suppress all resources available to them and render them powerless to carry out their activities. It is in this regard that further cooperation between the CTC and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), through strengthening of the relations between CTC experts and the Monitoring Group, will be useful.

Thirdly, an environment that enables access to illicit arms enhances the threat posed by Al Qaeda. Implementation of strict measures to address arms trafficking is therefore essential. Above all, the international community must absolutely prevent terrorists from gaining access to weapons of mass destruction. Japan therefore supports the recommendation of the Group to urge Member States to join the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, including States that have no domestic nuclear programme. It is also important for Member States to address the problem of small arms and light weapons.

The consolidated list of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) has been constantly enhanced, but sometimes insufficient information in the list still presents difficulties for Member States in identifying the individuals or entities listed. We urge all States, including those that originally submitted the names of the individuals or entities included, to make a greater effort to put supplemental information on the list.

It is also important for all Members to incorporate without delay any update of the list in their domestic regulations. In this connection, we would consider it helpful for the Committee to establish guidelines on the timing of domestic implementation of the update, indicating that any update should be domestically implemented within a certain period of time after the press release or official notification to the Member States by the Committee.

In closing, I would like to reiterate our appreciation of the dedication of Ambassadors Valdés and Muñoz, the former and present Chairmen of the Committee, and their outstanding staff, as well as the Secretariat and the Monitoring Group experts. We trust that the Committee will continue to function effectively under the leadership of Ambassador Muñoz.

The President

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

Mr. Nambiar (India)

I wish to congratulate your delegation on its successful stewardship of the Council in July, when the Council has addressed some of the most pressing issues confronting us in Africa and the Middle East, while also allowing for a detailed review of the performance of the Council committees on terrorism.

We thank you, Madame President, for including in your work programme, consideration of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1267 (1999) and its Monitoring Group. A review of the work of this Committee in an open meeting of the Council is particularly timely and essential, given the propensity of organizations like the Taliban and Al Qaeda to strike at will at different parts of the world, but equally owing to disturbing recent developments in Afghanistan's southern and south-eastern borders, indicating the regrouping and increasingly damaging activism of the A1 Qaeda and Taliban there. It is vital that all members of the international community be united in their preparedness and, more important, willingness to tackle this growing menace.

In its first report since the adoption of resolution 1455 (2002), the Monitoring Group has correctly concluded that despite some marked successes in the fight against terrorist groups, recent events have demonstrated that the Al Qaeda and its associated groups still pose a significant threat to international peace and security. The fight against terrorism can be addressed truly and effectively only when all nations realize that terrorism is a malaise that can strike at will in any part of the world, including those societies that currently may see a vested interest in encouraging such tendencies.

India has been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism for more than two decades. Only last week, at least 14 persons were killed in the State of Jammu and Kashmir in India as a result of terrorist attacks against pilgrims and at an army camp. While there is no direct evidence of the involvement of the Al Qaeda or the Taliban in these attacks, the motivating factors and the sponsors of such operations are one and the same. Yesterday, there was an additional bomb blast in the city of Mumbai.