Security Council meeting 5168

The President

At the outset, I should like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the members of the Security Council, to express our profound condolences in connection with the tragic train accident in Amagasaki, Japan, which has taken the lives of at least 50 people and has injured over 400. The Security Council expresses its sympathy and condolences to the victims and their families and to the Government of Japan. On behalf of the Council, I should like to request the representative of Japan to convey those sentiments to his Government and his people.

The President

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Australia, Chile, Cuba, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Morocco, Spain, Venezuela and Viet Nam, 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, I shall take it that the Security Council agrees to extend invitations under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Ambassador César Mayoral, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities; Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj, Chairperson of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerning counter-terrorism; and Ambassador Mihnea Ioan Motoc, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004).

There being no objection, it is so decided.

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.

I wish to draw the attention of members to document S/2005/266, containing the text of a letter dated 21 April 2005 from the Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee transmitting the Committee’s fifteenth 90-day work programme.

At this meeting, we will hear briefings by the Chairpersons of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004).

I now give the floor to Ambassador César Mayoral, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities.

Mr. Mayoral

It is an honour for me to brief the Security Council on the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban at a meeting in which I shall share the floor with the Chairpersons of the Council Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004), Ambassadors Løj and Motoc, respectively.

I am delivering my 120-day briefing pursuant to paragraph 12 of resolution 1526 (2004). As this is my first briefing in my function as Chairman of the Committee, I should like to thank the members of the Council for the trust they have shown me in selecting me to chair that important Committee.

I should also like to thank my predecessor, Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz of Chile, who is with us here today. Thanks to his diligent leadership, the Committee has solidified its role as one of the most active sanctions committees. The past three months have been a real learning experience for my delegation, and I would like to express my gratitude to Ambassador Muñoz and the Chilean mission, who have generously shared their accumulated experiences with my delegation. I have been encouraged in my work by the proactive approach of all members of the Committee and, in particular, those who are new to it.

I wish first to refer to the Committee’s activities. Let me note that the Al-Qaida and Taliban Committee was the first of the counter-terrorism committees to be created by the Security Council. It has, since 1999, accumulated a broad and fruitful experience in dealing with its specific mandate: making the operations of Al-Qaida and the Taliban more difficult worldwide. Today, its sanctions regime is being implemented throughout the world and, in particular, thanks to submissions of Member States, its consolidated list of individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaida and the Taliban is updated periodically. During the reporting period, the Committee delisted one individual at the request of a Member State and accepted exemptions pursuant to resolution 1452 (2002).

On the last day of 2004, Ambassador Muñoz submitted to the President of the Council the Committee’s written assessment of reports submitted by Member States pursuant to resolution 1455 (2003). That important assessment, contained in document S/2004/1037 and available on the Committee’s website, details the Committee’s substantive evaluation of reports submitted by Member States and contains the more specific analysis of Member State reports provided by the Monitoring Team to the Committee. I strongly encourage Member States that have not already done so to read it. I also take this opportunity to stress the obligation of non-reporting States to submit their reports as a matter of urgency. As the written assessment clearly demonstrates, the reports from Member States provide the Committee with an important tool in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the implementation of sanctions measures.

During the reporting period, the Committee met 15 times, mostly in informal meetings, which has been the practice for the work of the Committee for many years.

On 11 January, the Committee met a senior delegation from the United States and was briefed by Mr. Juan Zarate, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crime, and Mr. E. Anthony Wayne, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs. The Committee was informed in detail of current United States efforts to implement the sanctions against Al-Qaida and the Taliban imposed by the Security Council. I consider it important to note that the Committee was honoured by the presence of the three Chairmen of the other counter-terrorism committees and working groups.

I encourage Member States to follow the example of the United States by making use of the opportunity to meet with the Committee, since that is a very useful way for the Committee to evaluate the state of implementation of the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions regime, its strongest areas and its shortcomings.

During the first months of this year, the Committee has been considering in great detail the second report of the Monitoring Team submitted last December pursuant to resolution 1526 (2004). I thank the Monitoring Team for the recommendations contained therein, which proved a useful basis for discussion in the Committee. The report is, of course, the work of independent experts and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Committee. The Committee has also been analysing the recommendations contained in the report, mainly with a view to further improving the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions regime.

I expect that several of those recommendations will have a great influence on the Council’s upcoming consideration of a draft resolution to be adopted pursuant to paragraph 3 of resolution 1526 (2004). The Committee supports increased cooperation with Interpol, which is among the most important of those recommendations. I should note that, in the fight against Al-Qaida and the Taliban, it would be beneficial for all Member States to become members of Interpol. The Committee also supported the Team’s recommendation that Interpol members make use of the Interpol database on stolen travel documents. The Committee recently held an informal meeting with the Interpol representative in New York, Mr. Ulrich Kersten, to discuss potential specific areas of cooperation between the Committee and Interpol.

With respect to the activities of the Monitoring Team, I have dealt in some detail with the contribution made by the Team through its December report (S/2005/83, annex). The Monitoring Team has continued to strive to improve the quality of the consolidated list. By contacting a number of Member States, in accordance with the Committee’s guidelines, the Monitoring Team has been able to propose more than 500 additional pieces of identifying information concerning individuals and entities already on the list and has actively encouraged Member States to submit new names for inclusion on the consolidated list.

The Monitoring Team has undertaken 11 trips, including to Africa, the Middle East and Europe, to discuss sanctions implementation and how to make the sanctions regime more effective. Those trips raised the Committee’s profile and have promoted a proper understanding of the purpose and the importance of the sanctions regime. Following each trip, the Team has submitted written reports to the Committee. As well, a member of the Team will accompany me on my upcoming visits to the States selected. The Monitoring Team has established contacts with regional and other international bodies, including the European Union, Interpol, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The Team has also participated in several important conferences, helping to increase international awareness of the Committee’s work.

The Monitoring Team continues to hold regular meetings with the experts supporting the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and has formed a close link with the new Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, sharing the information it has collected and ensuring that, before visiting States and attending conferences, the Team is aware of the interests and the concerns of the CTC experts. It has also held informal discussions with the experts of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), and the Coordinator has briefed the working group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004). The Committee expresses its appreciation for the outstanding contribution made by the Team in that regard and encourages the Team to maintain its leading role.

With respect to the future activities of the Committee, I firmly believe that we can achieve further progress in the coming months: by introducing further quantitative and qualitative improvements to the lists; by involving Member States in a fruitful dialogue with the Committee, encouraging them to meet with the Committee and share their successes, challenges, problems and frustrations; by increasing the level of cooperation with other United Nations bodies involved in the fight against terrorism, such as the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), as well as with specialized bodies such as Interpol, in order to enhance the United Nations capacity for coordination in the fight against terrorism; and by reviewing the Committee’s guidelines for the conduct of its work.

I intend also to travel soon to a number of countries, including in Europe and in the Middle East, to continue to promote the Committee’s activities, gather first-hand impressions in those countries’ capitals of the status of the implementation of the sanctions regime and receive suggestions on how we can work to improve it.

Finally, as mandated in paragraph 3 of resolution 1526 (2004), by July this year the Security Council must adopt a new resolution to assess the implementation of the sanctions regime against Al-Qaida and the Taliban and improve it. With that in mind, the Committee will shortly begin actively to work on a new draft resolution to be submitted to the Council.

To conclude, last year in this Chamber, my predecessor aptly noted that there were no quick or easy solutions in the fight against terrorism. Rather, the fight requires systematic and results-oriented work, persistence and patience and an unyielding commitment to our mission.

In the coming months, the Committee will examine how States are implementing sanctions with a view to identifying those areas that require additional effort so that current measures can be improved. Moreover, I am confident that members of the Committee will genuinely welcome suggestions from Member States about how the Security Council can improve the current sanctions regime. After all, who better than States can tell the Committee whether established sanctions measures are indeed effective? The counter-terrorism sanctions regime, first of all, involves accurately targeting the right individuals and entities and requires the political will of States to make that regime effective through the strict implementation of sanctions.

At the moment, it is difficult to envision a world completely free from terrorist threats. Nevertheless, we all share the common mission of effectively preventing such threats from materializing. Today, all three Committees have distinct and crucial roles in that mission. I therefore wish to state that I shall continue to work closely with Ambassador Løj, Ambassador Motoc and, of course, Ambassador Baja, Chairman of the working group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004), in order to further enhance the efforts of the Security Council and the entire United Nations in this mission.

The President

I thank Ambassador Mayoral for his briefing.

I now give the floor to Ms. Ellen Margrethe Løj, Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerning counter-terrorism.

Ms. Løj

In my capacity as Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), I would like to brief the Security Council on the activities carried out by the Committee during the past three months and submit the Committee’s fifteenth work programme covering the period 1 April to 30 June 2005 (S/2005/266).

I had the honour to assume the chairmanship of the CTC on 1 April 2005. I would like to express my gratitude to the previous Chairman of the Committee, Ambassador Andrey Denisov, for his excellent work and leadership. Much of what I will be reporting today took place under his chairmanship, and, together with his colleagues at the Russian Mission, he deserves much credit for the many new initiatives taken during that period. Let me also take this opportunity to thank the Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), Mr. Javier Rupérez, and his team, as well as the CTC secretariat staff, for the valuable support they have provided the Committee over the past three months.

Security Council resolution 1535 (2004) set the stage for revitalizing the CTC and improving the dialogue with Member States. Based on that and other resolutions with relevance to the work of the Committee, the CTC has more effectively discharged its mandate to monitor the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). The following key activities took place.

The dialogue with Member States was strengthened, including through a first visit to a Member State. New methods were introduced for determining technical assistance needs. The dialogue with international, regional and subregional organizations was strengthened, for the purpose of encouraging them to help their members implement resolution 1373 (2001). Work continued to strengthen the CTED’s practical capabilities. Work on a set of best practices related to work against the financing of terrorism was initiated.

As part of its dialogue with Member States, the Committee continued to respond to incoming national reports. More than 580 reports have so far been received, and many States will soon be submitting their fifth reports to the Committee. However, not all reports are equally comprehensive, and 75 States are currently late in submitting their reports. This delay appears to be due to a lack of available technical capacity in the States concerned but reportedly also to “reporting fatigue”. Responsibility for the preparation of reports as well as for implementation of the other provisions of resolution 1373 (2001), rests with Member States. However, the CTC has offered to facilitate the provision of technical assistance to help States in writing their reports. The CTC has reminded late submitters to send in their reports. Another part of the CTC’s dialogue with Member States has been to initiate country visits, which help bring the CTC and the CTED closer to States and allow for in-depth dialogue on specific challenges facing a State.

The first such visit, to Morocco, took place from 14 to 18 March. The World Customs Organization, the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, Interpol and the European Union took part in the visit. A fruitful dialogue took place with the Government of Morocco and its various entities during the visit. The visit permitted joint problem identification and a discussion of how best to overcome the problems that were observed. The key to the success of this visit, as will be true for all visits, is follow-up. The CTC plans similar visits to Albania, Kenya and Thailand in the near future. The Committee encourages Member States to welcome country visits by the CTC, including the CTED, with a view to enhancing their efforts in the fight against terrorism.

With regard to technical needs assessments, a methodology has been developed and agreed upon for how they should be prepared and reviewed by the Committee. So far 51 such assessments have been prepared and 11 have been endorsed by the Committee and have been forwarded to Member States for their review. Unless a Member State objects, the results of such assessments will be shared with potential assistance providers. The Committee has further engaged with international, regional and subregional organizations so as to encourage them to help their members implement resolution 1373 (2001).

From 26 to 28 January 2005, the fourth special meeting with those organizations was organized by the CTC and the Commonwealth of Independent States in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It was attended by 40 international organizations, as well as by 36 Member States.

Over the past three months the CTC has also received briefings from the Council of Europe, the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime and the Collective Security Treaty Organization. In addition, the Committee has cooperated closely with the Counterterrorism Action Group created by the Group of Eight, as well as with Interpol, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and NATO. Cooperation has also been close with the other terrorism-related subsidiary bodies of the Security Council, namely the 1267 Committee, the 1540 Committee and the 1566 working group. A joint briefing of the CTC and the 1267 and 1540 Committees for Member States took place on 24 February.

In his speech in Madrid on 10 March 2005, the Secretary-General referred directly to the central role of the CTC and its CTED in the fight against terrorism. Unfortunately, for technical reasons, the CTED has not yet become fully operational. This seriously limits the CTC’s ability to sustain the various types of dialogue with Member States on which it has embarked. Many reports from Member States, for instance, still require response from the Committee. A lack of experts has prevented such responses from being drafted.

Further, the CTC, in accordance with the request contained in resolution 1566 (2004), has initiated development of a set of best practices to assist States in implementing the provisions of resolution 1373 (2001) relating to the financing of terrorism.

Finally, the CTC has taken major steps towards its revitalization, as set out in Security Council resolution 1535 (2004). The Committee has been equipped with valuable instruments needed to reinforce its practical work.

I would now like to briefly present the Committee’s work programme for the next three months. The work programme has been distributed to members of the Council in document S/2005/266. During the next three months the Committee will continue its efforts to complete the revitalization process. In particular, it looks forward to having a fully functional CTED in the shortest possible time. Let me also add that this, to a large degree, will depend on the timely finalization of recruitments for the CTED. The dialogue with Member States on the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) will continue, guided by the principles of cooperation, transparency and equal treatment. That dialogue, based on Member State reporting and CTC replies, will be underpinned by CTC technical needs assessments and visits to Member States in order to monitor the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001).

In addition, the Committee will continue to improve cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations, and will encourage them to seek to develop further ways to help States implement resolution 1373 (2001). Finally, the CTC will begin to consider, where appropriate, the development of best practices in other areas with relevance to resolution 1373 (2001).

The CTC remains a crucial instrument of the international community in its fight against terrorism, based on dialogue and assistance to States. Its task remains vital and urgent. The support of Member States remains crucially important, and the Committee is grateful for the support it has received and will continue to count on it in the future.

The President

I thank Ambassador Løj. For her briefing.

I now give the floor to Ambassador Mihnea Motok, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established to pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004).

Mr. Motok

Allow me, Mr. President, to start by expressing gratitude to you for arranging for this special joint briefing by the Chairs of the three Committees called upon to report to the Council.

I would like to salute the activities and achievements of my colleagues the Permanent Representatives of Argentina, Mr. César Mayoral, and of Denmark, Ms. Ellen Løj, Chairpersons, respectively, of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) and of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). Having been a member of the Council last year too, I would also like to take this opportunity to commend the dedicated work and leadership of Ambassador Muñoz of Chile and Ambassador Denisov of the Russian Federation, their predecessors at the helm of those two landmark subsidiary bodies of the Security Council.

Ambassador Lauro Baja of the Philippines does a wonderful job in steering the working group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004) towards its expected goals. A special word of appreciation also goes to the Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, Ambassador Javier Rupérez.

I have the honour to brief the Security Council on the progress achieved by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) in its work over the past four months and to submit the Committee’s first programme of work covering the period 1 April to 30 June 2005. I would also like to introduce briefly the elements of the first programme of work of the Committee.

With regard to the examination of national reports, since my previous report to the Council in December last year, the Committee has concentrated its work mainly on fine-tuning its methodology and tool kit for considering national reports submitted by States pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). Committee experts have developed a matrix to be used as an internal tool in the process of examining national reports. It is a living document built upon the provisions of resolution 1540 (2004).

I am very pleased to report to the Council today that the 1540 Committee has already entered the substantive stage of its work and has begun examining national reports, with a view to monitoring States’ efforts to implement resolution 1540 (2004). The Committee believes that it needs additional information from States in order to better determine implementation efforts, and it will reach out to them, with the support of its experts, both in New York and in capitals.

We must pursue this process with the same sense of urgency that contributed to the adoption of resolution 1540 (2004). The Committee has been given a two-year mandate by the Security Council. The Committee should consider at least 40 national reports within each remaining trimestrial programme of work, thus completing the processing of first national reports by the end of 2005.

In one year’s time, the Committee will need to provide the Security Council with sufficient information about States’ implementation efforts to enable the Council to assess the progress that States have made in implementing the resolution. In considering national reports, the Committee will start examining possible sources of technical assistance for States that have requested such assistance in order to implement resolution 1540 (2004). Discussions on where assistance is already being provided and on facilitating necessary technical assistance will form part of the examination process.

With respect to reporting, Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) calls upon all States to present to the Committee a first report, not later than 28 October 2004, on steps that they have taken or intend to take to implement the resolution. The status of reporting is presented on the web site of the Committee, and is kept up to date.

As of today, 115 States and one organization have submitted reports to the 1540 Committee. I would like to use this opportunity to renew my call to States that have yet to submit their first report as called for by the Council in resolution 1540 (2004). Their reports will enable the Committee to present to the Council, by the end of its mandate, an objective picture of what has been achieved in terms of implementation and of what should be done going forward.

I assume that some countries may encounter difficulties in drafting their national reports or in enacting appropriate legislation to fulfil the requirements of resolution 1540 (2004). Informing the Committee of such difficulties will help it to identify and respond to requests for assistance from those States lacking the legal and regulatory infrastructure, implementation experience or necessary resources.

In my capacity as Chairman of the 1540 Committee, I have continued to raise the issue of further reporting through briefings with Member States, informal contact at the United Nations with the coordinators of regional groups and sending reminders to those that have yet to report. I remain committed to pursuing such endeavours in the future work of the Committee, on its behalf. I am also very encouraged that the issues of improving further reporting and late submissions will be considered in a coordinated manner by the various Committees.

On the interaction with international organizations, I am pleased to report that, on 13 April 2005, the Committee was briefed in a formal meeting by Mr. Rogelio Pfirter, Director General of the Technical Secretariat of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and by Mr. Gustavo Zlauvinen, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency Office at the United Nations, on ways in which those organizations can support the work of the Committee and contribute to the process of implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). The Committee has also received letters from other organizations, such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Zangger Committee, expressing willingness to assist in the work of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004).

As the process of examining national reports evolves, the Committee will interact and cooperate, as appropriate, with relevant international, regional and subregional organizations in order to facilitate the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Working relationships with such organizations will be developed, as appropriate.

In the same vein, the Committee will maintain close relations and cooperation with the CTC and the Al-Qaida/Taliban sanctions Committee, as provided for in resolution 1566 (2004).

Transparency has been, and continues to be, an important objective of the work of the 1540 Committee. The Chairman and the Vice-Chairmen will reach out on a regular basis to Member States, including through common briefings with the Chairmen of the CTC and of the Committee dealing with Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions. The 1540 Committee will keep its dedicated web site updated as an additional source of information on issues related to resolution 1540 (2004).

The Committee will also continue to inform organizations outside the United Nations about our work, through attendance at international, regional and subregional meetings and conferences. I will also make full use of such opportunities to continue to address the issue of further reporting.

As a final point on transparency, I encourage Member States to designate points of contact for resolution 1540 (2004) and to make direct contact with the Committee’s members and its experts to seek any necessary clarification on the issues covered in their correspondence with the Committee or on matters related to resolution 1540 (2004) in general. In addition, the Committee, with the support of its experts, may, when it is deemed appropriate, contact States to seek further clarification from them on issues arising from their reports.

In conclusion, on behalf of the Committee, I look forward to the cooperation of all States as the Committee goes forward with its work in the months ahead. I also look forward to comments and queries that colleagues in the Security Council and representatives of other States Members of the United Nations might have with regard to the briefing that I have just given.

The President

I thank Ambassador Motoc for his briefing.

In accordance with the understanding reached among Council members, I wish to remind all speakers to limit their statements to no more than five minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. Delegations with lengthy statements are kindly requested to circulate the texts in writing and to deliver a condensed version when speaking in the Chamber.

Mr. Sardenberg (Brazil)

I wish to congratulate Ambassador Ellen Løj, Chairperson of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerning counter-terrorism, Ambassador César Mayoral, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities, and Ambassador Mihnea Motoc, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), on their briefings today. We also thank them for their tireless efforts to conduct the work of their respective Committees in a dynamic and effective manner.

Cooperation among the three Committees — whose mandates share many complementary aspects — is essential for proper coordination of the international community’s efforts in this area. We support the initiatives already carried out, and we urge even closer cooperation. In that connection, Brazil agrees with the text of the presidential statement to be read out at the conclusion of this meeting.

Brazil has reaffirmed its commitment to the fight against terrorism and its repudiation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations as an extremely grave threat to international peace and security. We are prepared to continue to work to find increasingly effective ways in which to combat that threat.

The debates on United Nations reform promoted by the Secretary-General once again offer us an opportunity to establish a definition of terrorism and to identify coordinated, expanded and integrated actions to be taken by the international community to confront this problem. We welcome the suggestions made by the Secretary-General in his report “In larger freedom” (A/59/2005), and we consider them to be a good basis for broader discussion of the subject in the General Assembly.

Brazil welcomes with satisfaction the General Assembly’s adoption of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (General Assembly resolution 59/290), and we are now considering the possibility of ratifying it as soon as possible. Brazil believes that the threat of catastrophic terrorism, although undoubtedly very important, should not be our sole concern in confronting threats to peace and security that are caused by terrorist acts.

With regard to the Security Council, we support the current process of reforming the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED). We hope that that body can soon become completely operational. We wish to help make the transition period as brief as possible. In our opinion, the CTED is intended, above all, to protect those States that wish to cooperate but, for various reasons, are unable to do so. The Counter-Terrorism Committee and, by extension, the CTED do not have the role of a sanctions committee, as members are well aware.

The activities of the working group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004) should be developed in the framework of the structure established in resolution 1373 (2001), resolution 1535 (2004) and resolution 1566 (2004) itself. Given the sensitivity of the issue of international terrorism, working with the participation of Member States is more important than trying to force decisions that might not necessarily reflect the various legitimate concerns that may arise.

Many countries have doubts about the appropriateness of resorting to lists to confront the problem of international terrorism. In the end, such an approach could put unnecessary limitations on our consideration of the ultimate causes of violence. Many problems could be created. For example, contacts with certain armed groups might become more difficult, which would make negotiated solutions to conflicts less likely.

Questions related to the inclusion or deletion of names on sanctions committee lists have not yet been adequately resolved. On various occasions, we have recalled the need to develop precise and uniform procedures to update, correct and improve the lists of individuals subject to sanctions. With regard to the 1267 Committee, we reaffirm that it must develop such procedures and methods, in addition to continuing its practice of conducting periodic reviews of the lists of individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaida and the Taliban, with a view to the possible delisting of names. As we have previously stated, adopting measures to refine the consolidated list and clarifying list management procedures are the main ways in which the 1267 Committee can provide an incentive for contributions by Member States to the List.

Without a consensus definition of terrorism, it is not appropriate to consider — as envisaged in resolution 1566 (2004) — possible practical measures regarding individuals, groups or entities involved in terrorist activities not covered by resolution 1267 (1999). Resolution 1566 (2004) reflects negotiated language that contains a clear and important political message, but it does not constitute a conceptual definition of terrorism and cannot be interpreted as such.

Furthermore, under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly has the functions and powers enabling it to define subjects such as terrorism. In the absence of a common definition, the compilation of a consolidated list of individuals and organizations classified as terrorist could lead to the undue politicization of a committee. Hence the importance of the appeal made by the Secretary-General in his report.

The work of the 1540 Committee is now entering an important phase. More than 110 Member States have submitted their reports, in accordance with paragraph 4 of resolution 1540 (2004) and with the specific guidelines drawn up by the Committee. We urge those Members that have not yet submitted their national reports — including requests for technical assistance when necessary — to do so as soon as possible.

The Committee recently began to consider the reports with the support of a group of experts. Our intention is that that work be carried out in a manner commensurate with the urgency required by the threat of non-State actors gaining access to weapons of mass destruction.

In our opinion, the final outcome of the work of the 1540 Committee should be a framework for national and international efforts to confront the threat posed by non-State actors, particularly terrorists. The Committee could also facilitate the provision of technical assistance to States that request it, in order to help them build their capacities in the relevant areas. Such efforts must always be developed in cooperation with Member States, with full respect for the integrity of multilaterally negotiated instruments and international law, particularly the rights and obligations of Member States.

Brazil continues to believe that a world free of weapons of mass destruction would be a safer world and that the very existence of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, in the possession of either non-State actors or States themselves, is a threat to international peace and security. Effective, irreversible and verifiable disarmament by States possessing such weapons would be a clear sign of their commitment to that cause.

While terrorism is completely unacceptable, it is nonetheless widely recognized that certain situations, usually related to social, political and cultural oppression as well as to severe economic inequalities, have the potential to create an environment conducive to the development of extremism. Brazil believes that our strategies to fight terrorism must also tackle, in an appropriate manner, the roots of terrorism, as this is the most effective long-term method of creating alternatives for individuals that might move them away from the use of this form of violence.

The President

Before I give the floor to the next speaker, I wish to remind representatives once again to limit their statements to five minutes.

Mr. De La Sablière (France)

I wish at the outset to thank the Chairpersons of the three Committees for their briefings, and I commend you, Mr. President, for having convened, for the first time, a meeting at which we can take stock of the work of the three Council Committees involved in combating terrorism. Although their mandates differ, it is important to have a comprehensive overview of the Council’s work in this area.

Furthermore, our entire Organization must act within the framework of a comprehensive strategy, which the Secretary-General outlined at Madrid. We support his approach and agree with the importance he attaches to respect for human rights, which is not only an obligation on the part of States but also an instrument for the prevention of terrorism.

We share the Secretary-General’s view that the international community must urgently agree on a definition of terrorism. We very much hope that an agreement will be reached during the September summit that will pave the way for the rapid adoption of a comprehensive convention. The General Assembly would thereby add a new element to the normative framework in that area, as it has just done through the adoption of the Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.

The Council has shown the importance of its contribution to combating one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. Its Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) has recently taken some important steps under the leadership of Ambassador Denisov and now Ambassador Løj. France is particularly pleased that the first visit on the ground fully met our expectations, thanks to outstanding preparations and full cooperation on the part of the Moroccan authorities.

The CTC has also been developing some best practices to combat the financing of terrorism. It is our hope that it will soon endorse the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering on this subject.

In order for the CTC fully to meet the expectations of Member States, it is more than ever critical that its Executive Directorate, created almost a year ago, be provided with all of the experts it requires. We endorse that statement made this morning by the Chairperson of the CTC in that respect.

With respect to the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), we see two major areas where improvements might be made. The first has to do with the Committee’s list. All Member States should undertake to provide to the Committee additional names and entities, giving the necessary information to identify them and establishing their link with Al-Qaida or the Taliban. The Committee’s methods must also be improved in order to give rise, after a case-by-case analysis, to a more effective de-listing procedure.

The second area is that of fine-tuning the sanctions themselves. In a few weeks the Committee will begin to consider a draft resolution on this question. The Committee will be working on the interesting proposals made by the follow-up team experts. It could also suggest to the Council that it begin to focus on new issues in order to strengthen the combat against terrorism — for example, better oversight of MANPADs or of the Internet, or increased cooperation with Interpol.

The Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) has filled a gap in the existing multilateral machinery by addressing the risk of access by terrorists to weapons of mass destruction. The Committee does not intend to substitute for the responsibilities of States, but it does create an obligation for States to adopt the necessary legislative measures in many areas, such as border control, export control and the criminalization of proliferation.

The Committee is up and running, and experts have begun to consider States’ reports. We will therefore soon obtain information that will allow us to progress in this crucial area.

Finally, I should like to emphasize that we believe that the three Committees and their experts must strengthen their coordination in areas of common interest and do a better job of exchanging information and experience. They are confronted with common questions: how to ensure that States meet their obligations; how to build States’ capacities; and how to cooperate effectively with other international and regional organizations.

Joint reflection on this issue can only enhance the effectiveness of our actions. My delegation will continue to work within these three Committees with the following objectives: increased effectiveness in the combat against terrorism, with full respect for human rights; compliance with those obligations that are incumbent on every Member State; and full cooperation on the part of all in the combat against a scourge to which no one can remain indifferent.

Mr. Baja (Philippines)

My delegation welcomes this initiative to hold a joint open briefing by the Chairpersons of the three Committees of the Security Council dealing with the issue of counter-terrorism, and we thank them for their informative briefings.

We share the view that global counter-terrorism efforts will be more effective if the efforts of these subsidiary bodies in pursuing their specific mandates profit from the enhanced cooperation among them.

In recognition of such synergy, resolution 1566 (2004) specifically called on these bodies to enhance cooperation with one another. I am particularly gratified that this call is being seriously heeded, as the work of the working group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004) will benefit from the wealth of experience of those three Committees.

As Chairman of that working group, I would like to acknowledge with warm appreciation the offers of cooperation by Ambassadors Mayoral, Løj and Motoc to the working group.

Allow me also to take this opportunity to express my delegation’s appreciation for the exemplary work of the previous Chairmen of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1373 (2001); to offer my delegation’s full cooperation to the new Chairpersons, Ambassadors Mayoral and Løj, respectively; and to reiterate our support to Ambassador Motoc, Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004).

My delegation also pays tribute to the respective groups of experts that assist the Committees in their work. The expertise and objective perspective they bring to the consideration of the national reports submitted to the Committees are invaluable to the work of the Committees in drawing conclusions on how to make global counter-terrorism efforts more effective.

There is a lot to be learned from the sanctions Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities, as it is the Committee with the longest lifespan. Starting with resolution 1267 (1999), the sanctions regime directed at that time against the Taliban has undergone subsequent fine-tuning in response to the evolution of the modus operandi of Taliban and Al-Qaida terrorists.

Terrorist operations continue to evolve, and terrorist groups continue to mutate. Now Al-Qaida functions like a venture capital firm, providing funding, contacts and advice to many groups or individuals throughout the world. Such groups and individuals act in the style of Al-Qaida and follow its precepts and methods, but are only very loosely part of Al-Qaida.

My delegation looks forward to the negotiations on a new draft resolution to respond to this phenomenon. However, in drawing up the new draft resolution, it is also important to bear in mind not only reactive responses for more effective measures against those changes in modus operandi, but also the need to be more proactive and to examine the root causes of terrorism. Examining and addressing those root causes could have longer-term effects.

We welcome the adoption of the fifteenth work programme of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), under the able chairmanship of Ambassador Løj. In that regard, given that the effectiveness of the Committee in performing its mandate of assessing the compliance of Member States with the requirements of resolution 1373 (2001) depends, to a great extent, upon the full organization of the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s Executive Directorate (CTED), which we hope can be completed as soon as possible.

The CTC also needs to explore other creative means by which to monitor compliance with resolution 1373 (2001) as it contends with “report fatigue” and the lack of expertise and capacity of some Member States to respond to highly technical questions. With respect to report fatigue, it is useful for the three Committees to exchange and share information and study the possibility of creating a common reports database. Common information requested by different resolutions can be identified and obtained from a report already submitted by a Member State. That could limit the repetition of questions to which States are required to respond.

My delegation is pleased that the much-awaited substantive consideration of national reports by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) has commenced. We are all aware that resolution 1540 (2004) has given the Committee a two-year mandate within which to determine how Member States comply with the requirements of the resolution. Fulfilling the mandate of resolution 1540 (2004) to monitor the global effort to prevent nuclear, biological and chemical materials that can be used as weapons from falling into the hands of non-State actors to be used for the purposes of terrorism is important, but it could be complicated. In that regard, we hope the vital element of technical assistance provided for in resolution 1540 (2004) will be facilitated by the Committee, led by its dynamic Chairman, Ambassador Motoc, as soon as possible, in order to maximize its usefulness for Member States that need such assistance. In that way, the global capacity to prevent nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and their means of delivery from falling into the hands of non-State actors to be used for the purposes of terrorism could be enhanced. That is true as well with regard to the facilitation of technical assistance by the CTC in a wider counter-terrorism perspective.

Various aspects of the war on terrorism have had some significant success. Continued international cooperation among intelligence organizations and increased national security budgets have made it harder for terrorists to successfully organize and execute attacks or to move their funds across borders to finance those attacks. However, if countries are to win the war on terror, they must deny terrorists the support of local populations. They must combine the component of force with the component of cultural, social and even emotional aspects. They must limit an all-out war against the threat of terror in such a way that it does not violate human rights or seriously impinge upon the daily lives of citizens.

Finally, my delegation would like to see the incorporation of the activities of these subsidiary bodies within the comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy proposed by the Secretary-General.

Sir Emyr Jones Parry (United Kingdom)

I would like to begin by associating myself with the comments to be made subsequently by the Ambassador of Luxembourg on behalf of the European Union.

I would like to welcome and congratulate the Chairpersons of the Al-Qaida/Taliban sanctions Committee, the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) and the Counter-Terrorism Committee. I thank them for their briefings. I would also like to welcome Ambassador Baja’s role, as well as his contribution this morning.

Terrorism and the risk of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) falling into terrorist hands remain ever-present threats — if you like, the ultimate nightmare. The Security Council, rightly, continues to put a sustained effort into that area. This morning’s joint briefing is therefore indeed very welcome and demonstrates the range of ongoing work. Those Committees, and the work of their experts, share important common themes. It is worth ensuring that our work forms a coherent whole-Council effort. For instance, information submitted to each Committee must form part of a greater whole. It should amount to a single database of knowledge that States are sharing with the Council. Equally, the Council’s relationship with States — through reporting and visits — must be mutually reinforcing between Committees, and not confusing to States or wasteful of scarce time and resources.

There are some clear messages that come out of the work of each of these Committees, and I think they are worth emphasizing.

The first is that the fight against terrorism requires an effort from every Member State. Terrorists prey upon States in the developing world as much as in the developed world. They move their money and they move themselves. They try to acquire the deadly tools of their trade. They identify weak links. The locations of recent terrorist atrocities demonstrate that all too well. Protecting States and individuals must be effected nationally. A huge amount of progress has been made in recent years, but we must not let up. The work of the Council and the Committees provide real assistance.

The second is that the Council recognize that many States will need help with this effort. It is a long-term effort requiring changes in domestic legislation and procedures. We may have be working on it for some years since the establishment in 1999 of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) and the Counter-Terrorism Committee in 2001. But we must strengthen the sense of urgency and effort and ensure that the provisions of those resolutions are implemented fully by all Member States. There is no shortcut. Those of us with the ability to do so must stand ready to help others. Committees are always keen to hear from States that need assistance, to enable us to facilitate its provision. The United Kingdom is also providing bilateral assistance.

The third is that international, regional and subregional bodies are good places for the establishment of centres of expertise and advice. Many international organizations have specialized knowledge and are already helping States with this challenge. The Council and its Committees have developed good working relations with many of those organizations, enabling the Council to draw on their expertise and experience in the various aspects of the task in front of us. All regional organizations should also be building up their expertise, so that they too can help their members.

The fourth is that the Committees can fulfil their monitoring mandates properly only if they receive the full cooperation of Member States. The required reports from States form a crucial part of the Council’s information-gathering effort to enable us to monitor the overall state of the international community’s readiness and ability to tackle terrorism and to help us identify where we collectively have to do more. We need information. Without it key parts of the international architecture to defend against terrorism may never be implemented. The willingness of Member States to share information with the Committees is therefore an earnest of their commitment to the full implementation of the Security Council’s resolutions.

Lastly, a word on the recent General Assembly debate on freedom from fear. Today’s meeting is exactly about how United Nations Members can help to put in place the architecture to help their people feel more safe. The United Kingdom supports the Secretary-General’s proposals to put in place a comprehensive United Nations strategy against terrorism to run across the entire United Nations family. In that context, we welcome the recent adoption of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism and look for early progress on the comprehensive convention.

In particular, however, we agree unconditionally with the Secretary-General’s statement that terrorism is unjustified in any place, at any time and for any reason. Terrorist acts undermine the causes they purport to support. There is no plausible justification for acts of terrorism. We find this to be a simple statement of fact and unarguable. We hope very much to see heads of State underline that at the September High-level Meeting.

Mr. Holliday (United States)

Following your guidance, Sir, I will submit a fuller statement to be circulated as a document of the Council. I would like to highlight a few key points.

First, I would like to thank all three Chairpersons for their presentations. Each Committee is engaged in important work to fight terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The fact that we are holding this meeting in this format demonstrates genuine progress towards enhanced coordination and cooperation among the Committees and their staffs — a factor crucially important to achieving the Council’s counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation goals.

Regarding the Counter-Terrorism Committee, let me begin by thanking Ambassador Denisov and his staff for their able conduct of Committee business. Under Ambassador Denisov’s chairmanship and the able stewardship of Ambassador Ruperez, the Counter-Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate have made important progress towards enhancing monitoring of the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). The first site visit occurred and was a notable success. Building on that success will require follow up. We are confident that Chairperson Løj will continue to lead us successfully in those efforts.

We look forward to the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s producing best-practices guidelines to assist States in the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). We hope that the Security Council will soon be able to endorse the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) special recommendations on terrorist financing and money-laundering as best practices, which States should consider following in taking action against the financing of terrorism.

That point relates also to the work of the 1267 Committee. Fundamentally, the best way the Counter-Terrorism Committee can contribute to the struggle against terrorism and help those on the front lines of that fight is by helping States to implement resolution 1373 (2001) and by holding those that fail to do so, or that will not do so, accountable.

Regarding the 1540 Committee, we commend Chairman Motoc for his leadership and the work of his delegation as well. The 1540 Committee plays an important role in efforts to stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Reporting to the Committee in a timely and complete fashion is important to its success. We and other States are ready to help those Governments needing assistance in that area.

Regarding the 1267 Committee, we thank Chairman Mayoral for his leadership and would highlight that the United States is devoting substantial resources to combating terrorist financing. We again emphasize the importance of the FATF best practices as guides for all States in that endeavour. We encourage States to submit names for inclusion on the consolidated list and remind States that they need to provide identifying and background information demonstrating the association of individuals or entities with Al-Qaida or the Taliban.

In conclusion, let me emphasize what we all know. None of our collective counter-terrorism efforts will succeed unless States make implementation of the resolutions the high priority it must be. We need a standard of accountability and compliance against which the efforts of individual States can be measured. Many States and organizations are ready and willing provide assistance to States needing help, and none should hesitate to ask for such help.

Mr. Denisov (Russia)

At the outset, I wish to thank you, Sir, for organizing today’s meeting and Ambassadors Ellen Margrethe Løj, César Mayoral and Mihnea Motoc for their in-depth and substantive reviews of the work of the Committees which they chair.

We are pleased to note that, today, we have a clear definition of the sphere for practical interaction between the related Committees, including an increase in the reciprocal exchange of information, cooperation among the expert groups, and the coordination of planned visits to Member States. We have taken steps to develop coordinated working methods aimed at the timely submission by States of their national reports on their compliance with obligations under the relevant resolutions. It is important in principle for us that the Security Council committees focus on close cooperation with international and regional organizations and that they use their experience and potential to strengthen their dialogue with States.

I take this opportunity to thank Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj and other speakers for their favourable assessment of the 10-month Russian chairmanship of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC).

Thanks to joint efforts, the CTC has made important progress in the reform of the Committee, pursuant to resolution 1535 (2004), and in organizing new forms of dialogue with States. The Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) has now been established and is working. Procedures and methodologies have been developed that have allowed us to launch the process of country visits. We have implemented new methods for expert assessments of States’ needs for technical assistance, with the active involvement of potential donors. Finally, we have laid the basis for the qualitative expansion of the dialogue and practical interaction of the CTC with international and regional organizations.

We welcome the Danish chairmanship’s focus on the ongoing further development of those approaches in the CTC’s work. At the same time, we share the concerns regarding the delay in the staffing of the CTED. That unfortunate situation, as we see it, is due ostensibly to a number of reasons, but it must be given particular attention. The staffing of CTED will determine, to a critical extent, how effectively we will be able to implement all of the plans scheduled for that body.

The Russian Federation attaches great importance to the work of the 1267 Committee on sanctions against Al-Qaida and the Taliban. We favourably assess the work of the analytical support and sanctions Monitoring Team. We believe that its second report generally establishes a positive basis for the Committee’s ongoing work and will enable us in the near future to prepare a new draft resolution under paragraph 3 of resolution 1526 (2004). It is important that we all share the general understanding that we cannot underestimate the scope or degree of the threat that Al-Qaida still poses to peace and stability.

The year that has passed since the Security Council adopted resolution 1540 (2004) has confirmed the timeliness of that initiative. An important step was taken towards strengthening the international legal basis in that area on 13 April, when the General Assembly adopted the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. We favourably assess the work of the 1540 Committee, which currently enjoys all the requisite authority and expert capabilities for the resolution’s implementation. We attach great significance to the establishment of contacts and cooperation between that body and the CTC and other international non-proliferation and expert oversight mechanisms.

We believe that the practice of holding such Security Council meetings as today’s on the work of its subsidiary counter-terrorism bodies must be pursued.

We are taking only the initial steps to coordinate the work of the Committees. The Council’s ongoing attention will be instrumental for overseeing and facilitating this important process.

I note that my statement took exactly five minutes.

The President

I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for using only five minutes.

Mr. Vassilakis (Greece)

I too hope to follow the rule that you have set, Mr. President. I will distribute a longer written version of my statement.

At the outset, I would like to thank you, Sir, for organizing today’s meeting, and I would like to express our satisfaction at today’s joint briefing by the Chairs of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), the Al-Qaida/Taliban sanctions Committee and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). I thank them very much for their precise and most informative presentations of the work of their respective Committees.

Greece fully associates itself with the statement to be made later in the debate by the Permanent Representative of Luxembourg on behalf of the European Union.

Briefings such as today’s reinforce interaction and cooperation among the three Committees and their groups of experts and provide information and transparency with respect to their work, thus enhancing the Security Council’s legitimacy in the fields of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

Greece strongly supports the development of a comprehensive United Nations strategy to combat terrorism that ensures strict consistency with international law, due process and human rights standards and that addresses all factors that contribute to terrorism. Furthermore, the adoption by the General Assembly of a comprehensive convention against terrorism that contains a definition of terrorism would help worldwide efforts to combat terrorism in a most effective manner. The General Assembly’s adoption this month of the Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (General Assembly resolution 59/290) is, in our view, a strong political signal from Member States that the General Assembly is the most appropriate forum for the elaboration of consensual legal standards for the global fight against terrorism.

The Al-Qaida/Taliban sanctions Committee has recently made many efforts to improve the sanctions regime, and we believe that Member States should fully cooperate with the Committee and its Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, in particular through the submission of reports and new names of individuals and entities to be added to the Committee’s list. In our view, the names of individuals and entities should be placed on the Committee’s list only if they are accompanied with identifying information and background information demonstrating that those individuals and entities are associated with Osama bin Laden or with members of Al-Qaida or the Taliban, as noted in resolution 1526 (2004).

Greece welcomes the new Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj, and wishes her every success in carrying out her most demanding and difficult task. We also express our gratitude to the previous Chairman of the Committee, Ambassador Denisov, for the outstanding job he did during his chairmanship.

Over the past three months, the CTC has carried out some new activities aimed at improving implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) by means of an enhanced direct dialogue with Member States. On-site visits have already been initiated by the CTC Executive Directorate (CTED), pursuant to Security Council resolution 1535 (2004), with the consent of the States concerned. Those visits are an important way of assessing the further needs of the visited State in its implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). The first such visit, to Morocco, was a most useful one. In that respect, we are thankful to the Executive Director, Mr. Rupérez, and to his team for all their work and efforts. We would also like to thank the Moroccan authorities for their openness and cooperation with the CTED.

Another positive development in recent months has been the CTC’s elaboration of new methods to determine the technical assistance and other needs of States in order to improve their counter-terrorism capacity. We support the Committee’s programme of work for the next three months (S/2005/266) and the priorities that it sets out.

The proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) reinforces the non-proliferation regime and aims at preventing non-State actors from gaining access to nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery.

We support the quarterly programme of work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) and the activities that it sets out. In that respect, we welcome the recent recruitment of four experts of the Committee, who will begin examination of the first State reports.

Mr. Oshima (Japan)

First allow me to thank you, Mr. President, for the kind words of sympathy and condolences that you expressed at the start of the meeting, and on behalf of Council members, in connection with the tragic train accident that occurred yesterday in western Japan. Your words and the words of Council members will be conveyed to my Government and to the families affected.

My delegation would like to express its appreciation to you, Mr. President, for convening this important meeting for a joint briefing, and I thank Ambassador Mayoral, Ambassador Løj and Ambassador Motoc for effectively guiding their respective Committees. I also wish to express our appreciation to Ambassador Denisov for the important contribution he made as the Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) through March of this year, as well as to his staff.

Today, the scourge of terrorism is a matter of increasing concern to the entire international community. The threat of terrorism continues to grow, as does the awareness of the need to fight it effectively. Hence the importance of a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy. In that connection, Japan welcomes the strategy outlined in the Secretary-General’s speech in Madrid, described succinctly as the five “D”s. We also welcome the General Assembly’s 13 April adoption of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (General Assembly resolution 59/260). We expect that Member States will join and implement all the related international conventions and protocols, which now total 13, as soon as possible.

Recalling the numerous tragedies caused to date by Al-Qaida and the Taliban, we fully support the work of the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee. My Government appreciates the various activities undertaken by the Monitoring Team led by Mr. Richard Barrett, including the submission of its reports. We have actively participated in the work of the Committee to find ways and means of establishing more effective sanctions measures, and we intend to continue our active involvement. In particular, it is important that the contents of the consolidated list prepared by the Committee be expanded and improved so that the list can be of greater practical use to Member States in implementing sanctions measures.

One year after the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) was established, my delegation would like to express its hope that it will become fully operational under its Executive Director, Mr. Javier Rupérez, with the completion of the selection of qualified experts as soon as possible. We wish to take this opportunity to extend our appreciation to all those experts who have contributed a great deal to the work of the CTC to date and who have recently departed from the Committee.

Visits to Member States by the CTC — the first was to Morocco in March — represent progress in the work of the Committee, and we welcome that. Such visits are useful in strengthening the dialogue between the international community and the visited States, particularly for counter-terrorism capacity-building. We hope that more States will agree to receive visits by CTC missions in the future.

The role of the CTED as a clearing house for the provision of technical assistance should be strengthened. We hope to see, for example, the further development of cooperation between the CTED and the Counter-Terrorism Action Group of the Group of Eight.

Preventing terrorists from gaining access to weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery is a matter to be tackled with urgency, and Member States need to put in place or strengthen the appropriate domestic legislation and law enforcement systems in implementation of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004).

National reports submitted to the Committee provide important materials to gauge the state of implementation in each State, and we welcome the fact that the Committee has begun its work in a substantive way by examining the national reports. Those Member States which have not yet submitted their national reports are called upon to do so as soon as possible. Technical assistance should be extended to those Member States, as required, in order to implement the resolution. My Government is engaged in focused efforts to strengthen the non-proliferation system in the Asian region through various cooperation and dialogue initiatives, such as export controls seminars and the Asian Senior-Level Talks on Non-Proliferation. We intend to continue to strengthen such efforts.

It is important to ensure that there is good coordination among the three counter-terrorism Committees in their respective activities, such as visits to Member States and needs assessments for technical assistance. This joint briefing today is therefore a welcome step.

My Government also attaches importance to cooperation with the working group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004) under the chairmanship of Ambassador Baja. Japan is determined to continue to extend full cooperation in this critically important area.

Mr. Baali (Algeria)

I would like to thank Ambassador César Mayoral, Ambassador Ellen Løj and Ambassador Mihnea Motoc for their excellent briefings, and to commend them for their efforts as Chairs of their respective Committees. And I would say that my delegation fully subscribes to the objectives of the three Committees, whose efforts are making an undeniable contribution to freeing mankind from the fears generated by terrorist threats.

With respect to the Al Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee, I would like to once again point out the dynamic leadership of Ambassador César Mayoral and his team in accomplishing the mandate of the Committee. We would also like to commend Richard Barrett and his team, as well as the other members of the Secretariat for their work and for the assistance that they have provided to the Committee.

We agree with Ambassador Mayoral that States that have not yet submitted their reports should do so as soon as possible.

We are pleased that the Committee has begun an in-depth analysis of recommendations contained in the second report of the Monitoring Team (S/2005/83, annex), and that some of these will, I am sure, find their way into the new draft resolution, whose objective will be to further strengthen the current sanctions regime.

We support the Committee in implementing its mandate and in carrying out the tasks before it. We encourage it to pursue dialogue with Member States to ensure that the sanctions regime is implemented. In this regard, Ambassador Mayoral should make full use of the effective tool of visits to selected countries to bring about this high-level dialogue.

We would also like the new draft resolution, which will probably be adopted next July, to take into consideration the recommendations of the Monitoring Group, so long as they are in conformity with the Committee’s mandate.

With respect to the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), I would like to commend Ambassador Løj for the proactive way in which she has conducted the work of the Committee. I would like to take this opportunity also to thank the Executive Director of the CTC Executive Directorate (CTED), Ambassador Javier Rupérez, his team and the other members of the Secretariat for their support to the work of the CTC. We note that the CTC has taken some positive actions, including the following: strengthening dialogue with Member States; introducing new methods to determine States’ needs for technical assistance, the first letters in which regard have been examined by Subcommittee C, which I chair; engaging in the dialogue with international, regional and subregional organizations; making efforts to strengthen the practical capacity of the Executive Directorate; and initiating best practices relative to the issue of the financing of terrorism.

We note that, in spite of the sizeable number of reports presented, 75 States are late in submitting their reports due to a lack of technical capacity, or, it must be said, to “report-fatigue”. We urge the CTC to pursue its dialogue with these States and to continue to be proactive with respect to increasing the awareness of the regional organizations to which those countries belong. Here, we are pleased that the first visit of the CTED was to Morocco, our neighbouring country. Other visits are scheduled in the near future for Kenya, Albania and Thailand.

In this respect, we hope that States members of the Council, and thus of the CTC, will invite the CTED to visit their countries, because, in our view, these visits are an important tool for assessing implementation of the provisions of resolution 1373 (2001) by States.

We support the fifteenth work programme of the CTC (S/2005/266); we would be very pleased to see the Executive Directorate fully operational as soon as possible so that it better carry out the missions entrusted to it.

Considerable progress has been made since the adoption of resolution 1540 (2004) in terms of the international community’s efforts to confront the threat posed by the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction by non-State actors. The measures proposed by that resolution are an effective response that can save us from the proliferation of such weapons. We are nonetheless convinced that the most effective way to deal with the problem is to completely eliminate weapons of mass destruction.

The establishment of the 1540 Committee and its three subcommittees, as well as the adoption of guidelines for its procedures and for the preparation of national reports, are accomplishments which testify to the momentum in implementing resolution 1540 (2004).

My delegation is pleased that States have expressed their support for the process initiated by the resolution by submitting national reports under paragraph 4 of the resolution. We hope that countries which have not yet submitted their reports will be able to do so as soon as possible. In this connection, it would be a good idea for the Committee to begin to consider the possibility of providing assistance to States that request it in complying with the provisions of the resolution.

We also welcome the Committee’s decision to recruit eight experts to assist it in meeting the mandate given to it; and we will give them our full support and our full cooperation.

Finally, we are pleased that the General Assembly has adopted by consensus the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (General Assembly resolution 59/290), and we hope that a draft comprehensive convention will be adopted, also by consensus as soon as possible.

My delegation supports the draft presidential statement that will be adopted at the end of today’s meeting.

Mr. Adechi (Benin)

I thank you, Mr. President, for having organized this public meeting, which gives us an overview of the activities of the Security Council in the fight against terrorism. It indicates the cooperation that exists among the Council Committees that are following up the Council’s resolutions regarding terrorism. This cooperation is necessary in order to coordinate the work undertaken by the Council. Exchanges among the Committees for the pooling and sharing of information and of experiences could indeed contribute to improving the coherence of the Council’s action, which is indispensable to ensure the effectiveness of the fight against terrorism.

I want to thank Ambassadors Mayoral, Løj and Motoc for their briefings, which clearly show that concrete action has been undertaken in that direction, and that it will continue in order to enable the United Nations to remain in the forefront of the fight against terrorism.

Among the initiatives taken by the Council, the visits by Committee Chairmen to Member States are, in our opinion, a very productive practice. We favour the continuation of such visits, and we appreciate the careful planning efforts being made by the Chairmen of the Committees in coordination with the Permanent Missions of Member States.

We urge the Committees and their expert teams, in particular the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, to step up efforts with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of measures aimed at drying up the sources of terrorist financing and at preventing weapons, especially weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, from getting into the hands of terrorists. There can be no doubt that the acquisition and use of such weapons by terrorists could have incalculable consequences for the entire international community.

It is essential that all States become involved in the Council’s work, especially with regard to the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Whether or not they possess weapons of mass destruction, all States should contribute to preventing the acquisition or the production of such weapons and their delivery systems by non-State actors. International cooperation in this area as well remains the best way to fight terrorism.

Regular contact among Council Committees should also facilitate the granting of appropriate assistance to Member States that need it in order to strengthen their national counter-terrorism capacities. In the vast majority of cases, that means helping them to draft appropriate national legislation and to establish national structures to monitor implementation. Such measures can represent a real challenge for some countries in terms of human resources, equipment and investment.

In addition to the individual mobilization of States, Council action to promote cooperation in the fight against terrorism must extend to regional and subregional organizations and specialized agencies, such as Interpol, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, whose activities are decisive if our objectives are to be achieved.

We welcome the advances that have been made in this domain. They will make it possible for the Council to broaden its field of vision, as well as its capacity to mobilize the international community and keep it in a state of constant alert in the face of the persistent threat posed by terrorism.

In this context, we support the effective implementation of the Declaration and Plan of Action adopted at the fourth special meeting on cooperation with regional organizations in the fight against terrorism, held at Almaty in January 2005.

From another perspective, the global crusade against terrorism must not be carried out to the detriment of humankind’s achievements in the field of human rights, which our Organization has a responsibility to defend and promote. In this regard, we strongly support the proposal made by the Secretary-General in his recent report on United Nations reform (A/59/2003) to appoint a special rapporteur on the question of the compatibility of counter-terrorism measures and the international obligations of States with respect to human rights.

In this context, it is important that the various counter-terrorism Committees continue with and step up the implementation of clear and transparent guidelines in carrying out their mandates, in order to ensure increased credibility.

The Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) should, for its part, apply clear and objective criteria in handling the list of individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida and the Taliban as regards the inclusion and removal of names, as well as the impact on the list of legal decisions taken by Member States. That is indeed the substance of the question of listing and delisting — a question that arises in general terms with regard to the implementation of targeted sanctions established by the Security Council. It is important that that question be further considered at the proper level in order to rationalize Council practice in that regard.

In defining its action, the international community cannot disregard the urgent need to resolve problematic and dysfunctional situations within the international system that serve as a pretext for terrorism, because they are an obvious source of frustration. The international community must tackle social inequality, injustice, underdevelopment, dire poverty and conflict, which fuel violence and extremism.

At this time of debate about United Nations reform, those questions must be accorded particular attention as we assess threats whose elimination is necessary if we are to arrive at genuine collective security based on the rule of law in the service of human dignity, peace and sustainable development of all.

Mr. Mahiga (Tanzania)

I should like, at the outset, to pay tribute to Ambassador Andrey Denisov on the completion of his term of office as Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). Despite the brief time that we worked with him in the CTC, we benefited greatly from his able leadership. We congratulate Ambassador Løj on her assumption of the chairmanship of the CTC.

We also welcome the comprehensive briefing of Ambassador Motoc, Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), and that of Ambassador Mayoral, Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999).

We are meeting following the adoption, two weeks ago, by the General Assembly of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (General Assembly resolution 59/290). We believe that that is another giant stride in our effort to deny terrorists access to the most dangerous of all weapons of mass destruction. That action confirms the importance of multilateralism and the collective response to shared threats and challenges in the international community.

The task ahead of us is demanding. It will be long and daunting. But we must persevere together in order to prevail in the war against terrorism. We are in total agreement with the Chairpersons of the CTC and the 1540 Committee on the need to finish the process of the hiring of experts. It is imperative that the Secretariat, working in close cooperation with the 1540 Committee, should give that matter the urgent attention that it deserves and ensure that it is given the necessary human resources to enable it to perform its work, bearing in mind that the mandate of the 1540 Committee expires in 12 months’ time.

We are in agreement with the Chairpersons of the three Committees that cooperation at various levels is of the utmost importance and should be encouraged. Just as cooperation with Member States is important in the war against terrorism, cooperation between Member States and the Committees, as well as between Member States and international organizations, is important and necessary in this endeavour.

It is gratifying to note that the 1267 Committee is exploring diverse ways of combating terrorism by enlisting the expertise of other institutions to complement the work of the United Nations. My delegation commends the current initiatives by the Committee to develop cooperation with Interpol in order to synchronize related collective strategies and the exchange of information in dealing with the scourge of terrorism.

Transparency is the key to any meaningful cooperation between the Committees and Member States. In this context, I would like to stress the need for concerted efforts to make the work of the Committees as transparent as possible, compatible with operational requirements. Briefings by Committee Chairpersons to Member States should continue and, whenever possible, should be held jointly, as was the case recently. We are also mindful of the need to safeguard and respect human rights and civil liberties while pursuing the war against terrorism.

In the case of the 1267 Committee, Member States have benefited immensely from regular interaction with the Committee’s Monitoring Team, particularly in the preparation of their submissions and, to a certain extent, in reducing reporting fatigue. Dialogue should be maintained and technical assistance extended so as to ease bottlenecks and delays in reporting obligations.

Let me hasten to point out that the visit last February of the Monitoring Team of the 1267 Committee to my country was extremely important and helpful. The visit enhanced the operational effectiveness of many Government departments and their officials whose responsibilities include combating the menace of terrorism. Such visits should be encouraged in future for the purpose of building the capacity of Member States, as clearly demonstrated by the recent Monitoring Team visit to Tanzania.

As a victim of terrorism in recent years, Tanzania is committed to fighting that scourge. The Government has enacted legislation that conforms with resolution 1373 (2001) regarding the prevention and suppression of the financing of terrorist acts. In that respect, we support the adoption, as a set of best practices, of the special recommendation on terrorist financing of the Financial Action Task Force.

The President

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as representative of China.

The Chinese delegation wishes to thank Ambassadors Mayoral, Løj and Motoc for their briefings on the work of the three Committees. We appreciate their efforts to advance the work of their Committees. On this occasion, I wish to make the following comments.

First, over the past few months, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerning counter-terrorism and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) have made positive progress in their respective fields and have played irreplaceable roles in ensuring the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions. We express to them our appreciation for that. At present, the international fight against terrorism still faces an enormous task. As the Security Council’s main mechanisms in the fight against terrorism, the 1267 Committee and the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) are entrusted with important mandates. We support the strengthening of the Security Council as the main forum for international cooperation against terrorism.

Secondly, with regard to the next phase of our work, we believe that, since the mandates of the three Committees, though different, converge in some areas, they should enhance their coordination and cooperation in areas such as collecting, exchanging and sharing information. We encourage the Committees to continue their dialogue with the relevant international and regional organizations and to improve their interaction and communications with the working group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004) in a joint effort to enhance international counter-terrorism cooperation.

Here, I wish to thank Ambassador Denisov for his contributions as CTC Chairman and to congratulate Ambassador Løj on her assumption of the chairmanship. I am confident that, under her leadership, the CTC will achieve even greater accomplishments.

We welcome the adoption of the CTC’s fifteenth 90-day work programme (S/2005/266). We expect the CTC to finish as soon as possible its consideration of the reports submitted by Member States, to assist Member States — particularly developing countries — in carrying out capacity-building measures, to formulate specific practical measures and to undertake targeted actions to meet the needs of Member States.

It must be pointed out that, although more than a year has passed since the adoption of resolution 1535 (2004), the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) has yet to complete all its preparations and to become fully operational. That situation should change as soon as possible. We urge the Secretariat to accelerate the relevant processes.

Thirdly, resolution 1540 (2004) is of great significance in the promotion of international non-proliferation efforts. To date, more than 110 countries have submitted their initial reports. That fully reflects the importance that countries attach to the resolution as well as their resolve to implement it. We expect the 1540 Committee to step up its consideration of the reports submitted by Member States and to study ways and means to provide assistance to those Member States that need it to implement the resolution. China will continue to take an active part in the work of the three Committees, and we are prepared to join other members in a constant effort to enhance the comprehensive and effective implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions.

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

As a measure to optimize the use of our time, I will not individually invite speakers to take seats at the Council table or invite them to resume their seats on the side of the Chamber. When a speaker is taking the floor, the Conference Officer will seat the next speaker on the list at the table. I thank members for their understanding and cooperation.

The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Luxembourg, to whom I give the floor.

Mr. Hoscheit (Luxembourg)

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The acceding countries Bulgaria and Romania, the candidate countries Croatia and Turkey, the countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the European Free Trade Association countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

The European Union welcomes with satisfaction this first joint briefing by the Chairpersons of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerning counter-terrorism and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). We attach great importance to open Security Council debates on the issues of counter-terrorism and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction — particularly on the Committees’ work in those areas. Such debates help to strengthen the general acceptance of the Committees by members of the United Nations family and help to enhance the Committees’ legitimacy in their eyes.

Although the three Committees have different mandates, the European Union believes that they can further strengthen their cooperation — particularly at the expert level — in monitoring the implementation of their respective Security Council resolutions, in sharing information and in coordinating visits to Member States. Contacts should also continue with the working group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004).

We are deeply concerned that a number of countries are late in meeting their obligation to submit reports to the three Committees. We strongly urge those Governments that have not yet done so to finalize their reports and to request help if necessary. In that connection, the European Union invites the Committees to explore in a coordinated manner the issue of technical assistance and assistance needs assessment. I should also like to recall the importance of a broad and sustained dialogue with Member States and with international, regional and subregional organizations in order to strengthen counter-terrorism capacities. The European Union, for its part, is actively pursuing its relations with third countries — including through visits and direct dialogue — and is considering, inter alia, possible technical assistance.

The European Union welcomes the efforts undertaken to improve the sanctions regime against Al-Qaida and the Taliban and encourages Member States to cooperate fully with the 1267 Committee and its Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, particularly by providing information and names to add to the consolidated list. If it is to be credible and operational, the list must be precise and based on the proper indicators. At the same time, the European Union is convinced that there is an urgent need to review the delisting procedures in order to improve them.

The European Union unreservedly supports the fifteenth 90-day work programme of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) (S/2005/266), particularly with regard to formulating a set of best practices to help States implement the provisions of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001) related to the financing of terrorism and to other important aspects of the resolution. We are particularly pleased that the Committee made its first visit to a Member State — with the participation of the European Union — in March and that three more visits are planned in the near future. We strongly urge all components of the United Nations system to act swiftly so that the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate can become fully operational.

Given that terrorists have declared their willingness to acquire nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, the European Union underlines the crucial importance of resolution 1540 (2004). In that context, we welcome the fact that the 1540 Committee’s first four experts have now been recruited and that the first reports submitted by Member States are currently being considered. The European Union supports the Committee’s quarterly work programme and, in particular, the Committee’s interaction with international, regional and subregional bodies in the area of non-proliferation with a view to strengthening the international non-proliferation regime.

Before concluding, I wish to make two more general observations.

As the Secretary-General rightly points out in his recent report entitled “In larger freedom”, terrorism is a threat to all the values that the United Nations stands for, and our strategy to combat that phenomenon must be comprehensive and multifaceted and encompass the whole United Nations system.

The European Union fully supports the Secretary-General’s call on Member States to agree, by the end of the sixtieth session of the General Assembly, on a comprehensive convention that includes a definition of terrorism. The recent adoption of the Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism represents an important step in the right direction. The European Union hopes that it will be signed and ratified without reservation by as many States as possible.

The EU is convinced that efforts to combat terrorism must respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. Counter-terrorism actions must at all times be accompanied by the respect of due process and the rule of law. There can be no trade-off between human rights and effective security measures. Indeed, respect for human rights must remain an integral part of any global counter-terrorism strategy.

The EU also believes that, in order to be effective in the long run, our response to terrorism must also address its root causes.

Allow me to conclude by commending the Chairpersons of the three Committees on their work and by reiterating that the European Union remains firmly committed to combating the continued threat of terrorism through a comprehensive and integrated approach that involves strengthening both national and international cooperation, in accordance with the principles on which the European Union is founded.

The President

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

Mr. Muñoz (Chile)

Mr. President, allow me first of all to congratulate you on your conduct of the work of the Security Council during this month and on your initiative to present jointly the reports of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004), respectively. This is an excellent sign of transparency and coordination in the fight against terrorism.

I believe that there is also agreement on the importance of the contribution that can be made by the Working Group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004), and I extend my best wishes to Ambassador Baja with respect to the work that has just begun.

I wish to express my appreciation for the kind words about the work that I did in chairing the Al-Qaida Committee for a period of nearly two years. As I said before, this was not an individual effort, but, rather, a question of teamwork, since the members of the Committee and an efficient and professional Secretariat team made a vital contribution to the Committee’s success, and valuable assistance was also rendered by the Monitoring Team.

I also extend my best wishes for success to the Ambassador of Argentina, César Mayoral, and his team. I am sure that they will continue to perform with dedication the demanding work called for in resolution 1526 (2004). I wish to reaffirm my own personal commitment and that of the Chilean Mission to support him in any way needed.

As you can well imagine, I wish to refer first to the Committee on sanctions against Al-Qaida and the Taliban.

It should be recalled that, with the adoption of resolution 1526 (2004), the Committee was given a much more demanding substantive and conceptual structure for the performance of its tasks. For the first time, new methods and a new modus operandi were introduced in the area of finances. Progress was made in terms of definitions, the provision of data and identification, and strengthened monitoring of the implementation of sanctions in order better to understand the needs and problems of States as well as the challenges facing them and to more effectively assist them in their work.

Visits to States by the Chairman of the Committee provided opportunities for learning about realities on the ground and for improving dialogue with countries, clarifying doubts, and establishing ties of confidence and communication with States. I am therefore pleased to hear of the forthcoming visit to be made by my successor to Europe and the Middle East.

I noted with satisfaction the holding of the first meeting with a Member State earlier this year, in accordance with the provisions of operative paragraph 11 of resolution 1526 (2004). I believe that this is the beginning of a process of dialogue that can grow in strength through the participation of an increasing number of countries.

We must take into account, as has already been stated here, that in June the Security Council will have to reflect on the future mandate of the Committee. I should therefore like to mention a number of points that, in my delegation’s view, must be taken into account.

First, we must continue to urge States to observe international codes and norms for combating the financing of terrorism. Individual States, regional organizations and financial institutions such as the Financial Action Task Force have created a pool of international best practices, codes and norms that can be helpful and that should be taken into account.

Second, more decisive action is needed to prevent the abuse of non-profit organizations and of charitable organizations, and to monitor informal or alternative systems for the sending of remittances, perhaps by moving from recommendatory to mandatory language.

Third, it is essential adequately to address other new methods of financing for terrorist purposes, such as the trans-border movement of foreign currency. It would therefore be useful if States were required to establish criteria and procedures for monitoring the transport of currency.

Fourth, I believe that it is important to strengthen the element of due process with respect to persons on the list without detracting from the efficiency of the implementation of sanctions. In that regard, I should like to recall the offer made by Switzerland of technical assistance in the form of software for the immediate freezing of the financial assets of persons and entities once the appropriate decisions are taken.

Fifth, it would be useful to explore the possibility of creating incentives to increase the number of individuals and entities included in the list. It is evident that the 437 individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaida or the Taliban that appear on the list represent a small fraction of those that should be included. This should also be accompanied by qualitative improvement, including, as the Ambassador of Argentina mentioned, the status of deceased persons who are still on the list.

Sixth, I believe that it is also necessary to take into account the valuable recommendations made by the Monitoring Team in its two reports last year and to take into account many of the recommendations made by the Secretary-General in his report entitled “In larger freedom”, including the need to reach a consensus definition of terrorism.

Seventh, it would be useful to have a strategy for requesting selective and specific reports, with a view to achieving greater effectiveness and preventing fatigue on the part of States due to excessive demands for reports.

Lastly, it is essential to address the vacuum that exists regarding what to do with individuals who, despite being on the list and the object of sanctions, move freely within certain countries even though they are wanted for terrorist acts in other nations. I think that it is important to consider the advisability of not granting political asylum to such individuals and to cooperate in bringing them to justice before the competent authorities in the countries in which they are wanted.

I wish to associate myself with those who have underscored the excellent leadership provided to the Counter-Terrorism Committee by Ambassador Denisov and his team and also to wish Ambassador Løj success in her new functions.

We acknowledge the work that has been done to complete the process of revitalization of this Committee, especially the progress made towards ensuring that the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate is fully operational. We appreciate the work done by Ambassador Rupérez in the Committee, for example, in identifying and tackling the problems encountered by States in the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and in contributing to improving States’ counter-terrorism capacities, as well as towards an increase in the number of accessions to and ratifications of international conventions and protocols.

We attach particular importance to the work being done by the CTC in the area of technical assistance to States. I have frequently noted the urgent need for such cooperation.

The Counter-Terrorism Committee has also set an example in terms of its ties with international, regional and subregional organizations.

With the adoption of resolution 1540 (2004), the Council decided that all States should establish national controls to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in particular for terrorist purposes. This newest of the three Committees, under the capable chairmanship of Ambassador Motoc, has responded well to the demands of its mandate, and we wish it all the best. We agree that the Committee is complex and sensitive in nature, as it is operating in a relatively new field. I commend the Committee on the number of reports it has received and for the review currently being carried out by the Committee experts.

In closing, I wish to reiterate my satisfaction with the work done by the three Committees to implement their mandates, and in particular with the excellent spirit of cooperation they have demonstrated. Lastly, I would like to say that in the fight against terrorism, success in achieving objectives and the effectiveness of sanctions ultimately depend upon the States Members of the Organization. I think it will be a long struggle. Unfortunately, terrorist attacks are dramatic reminders that we must do much more through collective action and cooperation to defeat terrorism.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Morocco.

Mr. Bennouna (Morocco)

First of all, I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. We believe that the Council’s deliberations will be successful thanks to your experience and widely acknowledged wisdom. I would also like to express our appreciation to the Permanent Representative of Brazil for the excellent manner in which he presided over our Council’s work last month. I say “our” Council because it is the Council of the Organization, of which we are a part.

Morocco attaches great importance to the work of the Committees established by the Security Council through resolutions on the subject of terrorism. We are truly pleased with the President’s initiative to hold this public meeting. That initiative now has a higher profile thanks to the recent publication of the Secretary-General’s report entitled “In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all” (A/59/2005), in which the Secretary-General emphasizes the need for the international community to coordinate its efforts at all levels in order to confront international terrorism in all its aspects. In that connection, allow me to thank Ambassador Ellen Løj of Denmark, Chairperson of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, Ambassador César Mayoral of Argentina, Chairperson of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), and Ambassador Mihnea Motoc of Romania, Chairperson of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), for the dynamism and inspiration they have brought to the work of their respective Committees since taking up their responsibilities.

We are mindful of the very serious threats posed by international terrorism to international peace and security — “new threats”, as they have been called. In that regard, my country has always been resolutely and unambiguously committed to combating terrorism, which we condemn fully and regardless of its forms, manifestations or motivations. Any deliberate attack against innocent civilians that seeks to destabilize any socio-political system or specific country cannot be justified in any manner and must be condemned by the international community and must be punished.

On 16 May 2003, my country was victim of serious and barbaric terrorist acts that cast a pall over the city of Casablanca and the entire Kingdom. Those attacks did not shake our firm conviction to pursue the building of a united and democratic society based on solidarity and imbued with the values of tolerance and respect for fundamental human rights. We are convinced that those who wrought terror in Casablanca, New York, Madrid and Riyadh are all of the same ilk. Terrorism feeds on xenophobia, intolerance and other forms of fanaticism. Terrorism is not unique to any single country, religion or culture. However, the very extent to which this new scourge has been organized through a transnational network makes it necessary to confront it in a spirit of solidarity, by pooling our information and uniting our efforts.

Combating international terrorism requires determined action by the entire international community, to which every country must contribute actively. Only cooperation among States will make it possible collectively to combat this scourge by implementing a multifaceted and comprehensive strategy. While States’ individual efforts to combat terrorism indeed represent serious achievements, they are nevertheless quite insufficient. Morocco has therefore decided to build upon its national efforts by adopting and strengthening a regional approach that includes Euro-Mediterranean partners from our region, sub-Saharan African countries and countries of the nearby Middle East. Our approach to combating terrorism converges with the approaches taken by all of our other partners and strategic allies. It is built around the concept of comprehensive security and respect for shared values and international law.

We believe that, with its universal composition and the jurisdiction conferred upon it by the Charter, the United Nations remains the appropriate venue to marshal energies to combat terrorism. I therefore believe that the United Nations is irreplaceable. It is the appropriate framework to express the consensus of the international community and to develop a coordinated response by all States in the fight against terrorism while respecting the purposes and principles of the Charter.

My country, which has the privilege of presiding over the General Assembly’s Sixth Committee, welcomes the Assembly’s consensus adoption of the draft International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (General Assembly resolution 59/290). That adoption reaffirms the Assembly’s important role in developing norms of international law, and thus strengthens respect for the primacy of law. We also hope that there will soon be agreement on the definition of the scourge of terrorism, so that we can adopt a comprehensive convention on terrorism as soon as possible.

With its unwavering commitment to international legality, Morocco has acceded to almost all international legal instruments on terrorism. We have also taken a series of measures to give form to the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, in particular resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1373 (2001), taking appropriate measures to incorporate them as an integral part of our national legislation. In that context, Morocco has complied with all the provisions of the resolutions and has cooperated fully with the mechanisms established to oversee their implementation. Morocco has now submitted four reports to the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), on 27 December 2001, 19 July 2002, 15 December 2003 and 20 October 2004. We also submitted a report to the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) on 24 July 2003, as well as a report to the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), on 28 October 2004. In accordance with resolution 1526 (2004), my country has also provided the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) with all the information requested in a list addressed to the Committee.

We have always fully and promptly cooperated with the Committees, whose missions may differ but whose objectives are the same. Indeed, on two occasions, from 31 October to 4 November 2004 and 3 to 5 April 2005, Morocco received experts from the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team that reports to the 1267 Committee. Furthermore, pursuant to resolution 1535 (2004), the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), led by Ambassador Javier Ruperez, whom I welcome here today, conducted its first assessment visit to Morocco from 14 to 19 March 2005. It is a fact that, by choosing our country as the destination of its first mission, the CTC sought to pay tribute not only to Morocco’s successful efforts to finalize its legislation and strengthen its administrative counter-terrorism machinery, but also to our openness to international cooperation in that field. In that regard, the Moroccan authorities were gratified by the professionalism and rigor which the CTED experts demonstrated throughout their mission.

My country is satisfied with the mission’s assessment of the reliability of the Kingdom’s commitment to combating terrorism and our significant efforts in that area, undertaken within the framework of a comprehensive and integrated strategy for the social and economic development of our country. We are, moreover, determined further to improve the effectiveness of our administrative and legislative system, with the support of the international community. On behalf of my country, I affirm that we are at the disposal of the Directorate and the Committee.

We thank the Executive Director, Ambassador Javier Ruperez, and his team for the success of the assessment mission and we encourage more such visits, which we believe to promote direct and in-depth dialogue between the Committee and the national authorities of the countries visited, as well as the assessment of their needs for technical assistance.

In conclusion, Morocco attaches great importance to strengthening cooperation among the Security Council committees working on the various aspects of counter-terrorism. We welcome the progress made in that area, and in that respect subscribe fully to the provisions of resolution 1566 (2004), which explicitly requests the 1267, 1373 and 1540 Committees to enhance cooperation among themselves. Morocco trusts that the working group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004), chaired by Ambassador Lauro Baja of the Philippines, will be able to have a positive and synergistic impact on the three Committees.

The United Nations global strategy for fighting terrorism, outlined in Madrid on 11 March, must be further strengthened in order to meet the challenge of the new threats confronting the international community, and to do so — as we will continue to insist — in full respect of international law and universal norms on the protection of human rights.

The President

I now call on the representative of Spain.

Mr. Yáñez-Barnuevo (Spain)

Allow me at the outset, Sir, to express my pleasure at addressing the Council on behalf of Spain in this important debate under the presidency of China, a country for which we have great admiration.

I endorse the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Luxembourg on behalf of the European Union. My remarks should therefore be considered to be complementary to that statement.

I join in the congratulations offered to the Chairpersons of the Security Council Committees — Ambassadors Løj, Mayoral and Motoc — who, at this meeting, have for the first time provided joint briefings on the excellent work they are doing. I assure them of Spain’s complete cooperation, whenever it is needed, as they pursue their important functions.

Spain attaches the utmost priority to the fight against terrorism within the framework of the United Nations. That priority was underscored once again by the fact that Madrid was the venue, from 8 to 11 March — precisely one year after the terrible terrorist attacks in our capital — of the International Summit on Democracy, Terrorism and Security. The conference, organized by the Club of Madrid — an entity composed of over 50 former heads of State and Government of democratic countries — sought as its main objective the specific goal of promoting a democratic and coordinated response to the global threat of terror.

In Madrid, with the assistance and participation of heads of State and Government, high officials — including the Secretary-General of the United Nations — and other important personalities, as well as experts from throughout the world, the so-called Madrid Agenda was unveiled. While drafted under the exclusive responsibility of the Club of Madrid, that document constitutes a call to action on political leaders worldwide and a programme of action for Governments, institutions, civil society and citizens, based on the inalienable principles at the very heart of the United Nations Charter and democratic societies. The recommendations of the Madrid Agenda are a powerful tool for raising awareness of and commitment to counter-terrorism. They deserve to be incorporated into and to enrich international debate and action led by the United Nations.

The Madrid Agenda, the distribution of which Spain has requested as an official document of the General Assembly and the Security Council, has also been incorporated into the agenda of the Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies, to be held late this month in Santiago, Chile. The Secretary-General expressly chose the Madrid Summit as the occasion to outline the basic principles of the United Nations global strategy for fighting terrorism, in line with the suggestion made by the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change in its report entitled “A more secure world”. In our view, the Madrid strategy should be at the core of efforts to contribute, inter alia, to improving the effectiveness and coordination of agencies and organs of the United Nations system, allowing an integrated approach to the United Nations fight against terrorism.

In that regard, we believe that the current momentum in the process of United Nations reform should be exploited to take concrete and practical steps.

We believe that, pending a restructuring of the subsidiary bodies of the Security Council, it would be appropriate to take the initial step of unifying the administrative support structures of the three Committees. The Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, when adequately strengthened, could be responsible for providing all three Committees with the necessary assistance, taking care in each case to act in accordance with the mandate of the Committee concerned.

In a few months, the Council must consider the renewal of the mandate of the sanctions Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999). We believe that would be the right moment for the Council to request from the Committee a report identifying the obstacles it has encountered, things that could be improved and gaps in the Committee’s work in order to improve and revitalize the Committee’s functioning, thus enhancing its effectiveness.

Technical assistance in that area should be strengthened because, we must not forget, many Member States face serious difficulties in fulfilling their obligations under the Council’s resolutions, not due to any lack of political will but, in many cases, simply as a result of a severe lack of resources. In that context, we regret that the recent report of the Secretary-General entitled “In larger freedom” (A/59/2005) did not take up the recommendation of the High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change to provide such technical assistance through the work of the Executive Directorate.

We should also briefly mention the importance of resolution 1566 (2004), which remains to be promptly and thoroughly implemented. With respect to the working group established pursuant to that resolution — to whose Chairman, Ambassador Baja, we offer our fullest cooperation — we request that due priority be given to providing the working group with the technical support it requires. That task could also be given to the Executive Directorate.

Finally, but most important, I cannot fail to refer to the challenge described by the Secretary-General: to pay greater attention to the victims of terrorism and to ensure that their voices are heard. The international community’s recognition of the victims and their families and its solidarity with them must be one of the pillars upon which the United Nations bases its strategy as it works actively for the adoption of international measures and mechanisms for protection and assistance. It is also necessary to work to strengthen civil society’s engagement in the fight against terrorism by promoting the participation of civil society groups, in particular victims associations, at the national and international level. Making that duty of solidarity with the victims of terrorism a reality has already been suggested by the Security Council in its resolution 1566 (2004) and by the Secretary-General when he stressed that urgent measures must be taken in that regard. It is our fervent hope that this will be acted upon.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein.

Mr. Wenaweser (Liechtenstein)

I thank you very much, Mr. President, for this opportunity to hear briefings on the work of the three Security Council Committees dealing with the issue of terrorism. Our thanks also go to the three Committee Chairs who briefed the Council and the membership as a whole this morning.

The recent adoption by the General Assembly of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (General Assembly resolution 59/290) is but one sign that the work of the United Nations in the area of counter-terrorism has gained new momentum. Over the next few months, we have to work hard to preserve and further develop that momentum in the intergovernmental process. At the same time, it is important to continue strengthening the operational capacities of the United Nations bodies involved. In that regard, we note with satisfaction recent developments in all three Committees, in particular the increase in expert capacity and operational activities. While we join others in calling for greater discipline by Member States in reporting, we also underline that this must be accompanied by quick and thorough expert analysis of the reports once they are submitted in order to preserve the relevance of the dialogue.

In the current discussions in preparation for the summit in September, the fight against terrorism clearly figures among the most prominent issues. We believe that last week’s discussions on the clusters of issues proved that there is strong momentum in that respect.

We share the sense of urgency felt by many with respect to the need to further strengthen our counter-terrorism framework, and we have welcomed the strategy of the five “D”s outlined by the Secretary-General. Progress is necessary in particular in the negotiations on a comprehensive convention on terrorism designed to fill the gaps not addressed by the 13 sectoral conventions.

At the same time, we are concerned that due process, human rights and humanitarian concerns are not addressed in an equally urgent and thorough manner. We have consistently held that the procedures regarding the listing and delisting of individuals on sanctions lists as well as procedures for humanitarian exceptions must be reviewed in the light of international legal standards of due process. That implies a minimum degree of transparency and independent review for decisions affecting the rights and the obligations of individuals, depending in particular on the gravity of the deprivation of rights. Improving those procedures will, in our view, greatly facilitate implementation of Security Council sanctions by Member States and strengthen the legitimacy of sanctions regimes. As a means of transparency, we have therefore requested that the list of pending requests for humanitarian exemptions in accordance with resolution 1452 (2002) be made accessible to all Member States.

Today’s meeting addressing the work of all three relevant Security Council Committees is a clear sign that our efforts are moving in the right direction, in particular regarding coordination among the three Committees and their experts. It is also a welcome step towards a more comprehensive, transparent approach. In that respect, we express our appreciation for the scheduling of a meeting of the working group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004) on 27 April — this Wednesday — providing interested States with an opportunity to share their views on the future work of the working group. Indeed, the inclusion of a broad range of Member States in the Security Council’s work on counter-terrorism is a crucial element for more effective decision-making and better implementation of its decisions. We thus look forward to continuing cooperation on this matter with the Council and its subsidiary organs.

The President

I call next on the representative of Cuba.

Mr. Requeijo Gual (Cuba)

My delegation wishes to thank the Chairpersons of the Committees established pursuant to Security Council resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004) for the information they provided at this meeting.

However, while we are here analysing actions to fight international terrorism, Luis Posada Carriles, one of the most monstrous terrorists of this hemisphere, is in Miami, in the United States of America. The lawyer representing him has even requested political asylum for his client, given the services that he performed for the United States for more than 40 years as a member of the Central Intelligence Agency and the United States armed forces.

In the name of the “war on terror”, the United States Government has unleashed unilateral wars of aggression, in violation of the Charter and the principles of international law, in which thousands of people have died and continue to die, including more than 1,500 American young people.

Since last 11 April, the President of the Republic of Cuba has publicly provided abundant and reliable information on the criminal background of the terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, on the means he used to enter United States territory, and on those who, carrying out instructions of the terrorist Cuban American National Foundation, facilitated his voyage on board of the shrimping boat Santrina from Islas Mujeres in Mexico to Miami.

Therefore, my Government cannot understand why the United States Government has not taken action and has failed to conduct an in-depth investigation of the most recent voyage of the Santrina, and why it did not immediately detain and interrogate those who, like the well-known terrorist Santiago Álvarez Fernández Magriña, known as a Miami resident, know Posada Carriles’s whereabouts and who helped him in his illegal entry into the United States.

United States law is clear: to provide entry into the United States of an avowed terrorist, particularly someone as notorious as Luis Posada Carriles, is one of the most serious crimes that can now be committed in the country that was victim of the atrocities of 11 September 2001.

Resolution 1373 (2001), adopted by the Council on the proposal of the United States, is also clear in invoking Chapter VII of the Charter, categorically establishing the obligation of all States to take effective measures to prevent the transit of terrorists, to deny refuge not only to terrorists, but also to those who protect them, and to exchange information leading to their detention.

Moreover, on 26 August 2003, the President of the United States of America said: “If you harbour a terrorist, if you support a terrorist, if you feed a terrorist, you are just as guilty as the terrorists”.

Posada Carriles is not unknown to Washington. He was trained and used by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to carry out terrorist actions against Cuba for more than 40 years. He caused the in-flight sabotage of a Cubana de Aviación civil aircraft, in which 73 persons were killed, and a string of Havana hotel bombings in 1997, causing the death of the Italian tourist, Fabio Di Celmo. He has also planned many assassination attempts on President Fidel Castro; he was tried for one of them in Panama, but was fraudulently pardoned by then President Mireya Moscoso on 26 August 2004.

My delegation calls upon the United States Government, particularly its President, as President Fidel Castro has repeatedly been doing since last 11 April, to say whether or not it is aware of the presence of the terrorist Posada Carriles on United States territory, and to state the measures it is taking to locate his whereabouts in Miami.

We would consider it very serious, both for the actions being carried out by the United Nations against terrorism, and for the credibility of the United States Government in its self-proclaimed “war on terror”, if Washington were to decide to harbour Posada Carriles or were to resort to cunning legal arguments to permit him to remain in the United States. Allowing this avowed terrorist to move freely, enjoying total impunity, while imposing long and unjust sentences on five Cuban youths fighting terrorism, is immoral and greatly irresponsible. It is an insult to all victims of terrorism the world over and their relatives.

United States authorities are facing a serious dilemma. Either they definitely align themselves with terrorism by protecting this person, or they strike a powerful blow, in compliance with their legal obligations, by arresting Luis Posada Carriles and extraditing him to Venezuela, where he escaped from prison in 1985.

My Government reaffirms its willingness to cooperate with the administration of justice by handing over all the information it has on this terrorist and urges the international community to remain alert to the possibility that Posada Carriles might quit United States territory with impunity or that he might be eliminated by internal forces in the United States to “solve” the dilemma in which he has dragged the Government of that country by his presence. We do not wish this man’s death. We only want justice to prevail, and for him to pay for the horrendous crimes that he has committed during his long terrorist career.

Once again, my Government reiterates its request to the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) to evaluate the information submitted by my country, inter alia, in documents S/2002/15 and S/2004/753, in the hope that its work can lead to putting an end to the impunity enjoyed in the territory of the United States by those who have committed, and still commit, terrorist acts against Cuba.

The President

I now give the floor to the representative of Viet Nam.

Mr. Nguyen Duy Thien (Viet Nam)

I shall deliver a shortened version of my statement. The delegation of Viet Nam highly appreciates the efforts made by the 1267 Committee, the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the 1540 Committee in discharging the mandates entrusted to them by the Security Council in order to enhance the effectiveness of international cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

Pursuant to the relevant provisions of the resolutions concerned, Viet Nam has already submitted four reports to the CTC, one report to the 1267 Committee and one report to the 1540 Committee, providing necessary information relating to the efforts undertaken by Viet Nam in combating terrorism. We wish to assure the three Committees of Viet Nam’s continued support and cooperation.

My delegation reaffirms the position of Viet Nam, which is to denounce every act of terrorism. Given the nature of present terrorist acts, more than ever the fight against terrorism requires a comprehensive approach, collective efforts and international cooperation, in which the United Nations should play a key role, with due attention paid to the root causes of terrorism.

To be effective this fight should be conducted in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. Viet Nam is a party to eight international instruments on counter-terrorism. Necessary steps are being taken in preparing for accession to the other instruments with the support of the CTC and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Last November, Viet Nam successfully organized a national workshop on accession to and implementation of international instruments on counter-terrorism. The competent authorities of Viet Nam are in the process of completing internal procedures for Viet Nam’s accession to two other international conventions, the International Convention against the Taking of Hostages and the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings.

Viet Nam is continuing its cooperation on counter-terrorism in both bilateral and multilateral forums, including within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations, the Asia-Europe Meeting, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum. It joined the General Assembly consensus in adopting the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism on 13 April 2005.

Once again, my delegation would like to reaffirm Viet Nam’s commitment to fully cooperate with the international community in general, and the Security Council and other relevant United Nations bodies in particular, in our common fight against terrorism.

The President

The next speaker is the representative of Venezuela, on whom I now call.

Ms. Núñez de Odremán (Venezuela)

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in speaking today on the subject of terrorism, would like to reiterate its condemnation of that perennial global scourge. We have expressed our categorical condemnation of such acts, whether acts of State terrorism or other types of terrorism committed by non-State actors. Likewise, we have made clear our firm position of making a distinction between terrorism and the legitimate resistance of peoples to invasion and foreign occupation.

In accordance with our resolute commitment to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has ratified many multilateral, regional and bilateral agreements on the subject, and has implemented resolutions adopted in the framework of the United Nations.

At the national level, we have developed a broad set of laws to combat terrorism and created a special administrative institution, as the national authority in this field, headed by the Deputy Minister of Citizen Security, within the Ministry of the Interior and Justice. We have done so in order to fulfil the commitments undertaken by the Republic to combat terrorism.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is participating in today’s Security Council meeting in order to highlight one act of terrorism that shocked the world, in particular the people of Latin America and the Caribbean: the shooting down in 1976 of a Cubana de Aviación aircraft. As we know, that crime was committed against 70 young Cuban athletes and people of other nationalities. They boarded the flight in Venezuela, but never reached their final destination, Cuba, because they fell victim to a terrorist attack. Many years have passed since that horrendous act, yet one of those responsible — Luis Clemente Posada Carriles, a Venezuelan national — remains unpunished. The Venezuelan justice system found that terrorist, Luis Clemente Posada Carriles, guilty of homicide, arms production and treason. He escaped from the Venezuelan prison where he was serving his sentence, later resurfacing in the Republic of Panama. The Government of Venezuela requested his extradition, but to date it has been denied by the Panamanian Government. Subsequently, after having been pardoned in 2004 by that Government, the terrorist left the country.

Now, statements to the press made by the terrorist’s lawyer, Eduardo Soto, make it clear that the terrorist is in the United States of America and that he has requested political asylum from the United States Government. Providing political asylum to that terrorist is not permissible under international law. It would also constitute non-compliance with paragraphs 2(c) and 3(g) of resolution 1373 (2001) of 28 September 2001, which prohibits States from offering refuge to those who commit acts of terrorism and which does not recognize political motivation as grounds for refusing requests for the extradition of terrorists.

The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela hopes that the extradition requests made by our Government will be given due attention and processed by the Government of the United States, in accordance with the extradition treaty between the United States and Venezuela and in conformity with all other applicable norms of international law. In this regard, we hope that justice will be done with regard to the handing over of Luis Clemente Posada Carriles to the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, so that he can continue to serve his sentence in accordance with the Venezuelan penal code.

Mr. Dauth (Australia)

I learned a long time ago that it was a very dangerous thing to come between Security Council members and their lunch, so I will be very brief.

This meeting gives us a valuable opportunity to highlight the importance of the three Committees operating in a coordinated manner, given the interconnected and complementary nature of their work.

The tasks facing the Committees reflect the serious challenge that the international community faces in addressing the threat to our peace and security from both terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as the very real danger of a terrorist attack involving chemical, biological, nuclear or radiological devices. The General Assembly’s adoption earlier this month of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (General Assembly resolution 59/290) is a welcome and concrete response to one aspect of that threat. It is a further example of the important role that multilateral instruments and regimes play in underpinning global counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation efforts.

In the face of a persistent and evolving — and I stress “evolving” — terrorist threat, it is absolutely vital that Member States, United Nations bodies and other international institutions work together to meet the challenge. Australia welcomes, in this context, the Secretary-General’s comprehensive strategy on fighting terrorism and its recognition of the need to harness various elements of the United Nations machinery to address terrorism, including its chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological dimensions, in a coordinated and strategic way. Australia encourages ongoing efforts to ensure that the relevant United Nations mechanisms are best configured and equipped to meet this challenge, and to maximize the contribution that Member States can make nationally and regionally to countering terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Cooperation and capacity-building at the regional and bilateral levels are crucial to international counter-terrorism efforts. Australia is active in its own region, including in taking forward the outcomes of the February 2004 Bali Regional Ministerial Meeting on Counter-Terrorism. Co-chaired by Australia and Indonesia, the meeting established working groups on law enforcement and legal issues to promote practical counter-terrorism cooperation among Governments of Asia and the Pacific. It is a model. The legal issues working group is doing important work to promote and assist implementation of United Nations counter-terrorism instruments and more effective international legal cooperation. The Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement — another Australia-Indonesia initiative — was opened in July 2004 and is already proving to be a valuable resource, developing regional capacities to fight terrorism and transnational crime.

The Counter-Terrorism Committee, the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) can be assured of Australia’s continuing strong support in their coordinated efforts to confront terrorism and address the threats posed by the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

The President

There are no further speakers inscribed on my list.

After consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council.

“The Security Council welcomes the briefings by the Chairmen of the Al-Qaida/Taliban sanctions Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), the Counter-Terrorism Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) on the work of the three Committees.

“The Security Council reaffirms that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivations, whenever and by whomsoever committed.

“The Security Council also reaffirms that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as their means of delivery, constitutes a threat to international peace and security, as stressed in resolution 1540 (2004). The Security Council recalls its grave concern at the risk posed by non-State actors that attempt to develop, acquire, manufacture, possess, transport, transfer or use nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery.

“The Security Council welcomes the adoption by the General Assembly on 13 April 2005 of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, by consensus.

“The Security Council stresses the different mandates of the three Committees. The Security Council reaffirms its call for enhanced cooperation among the Committees, as well as their respective groups of experts, in monitoring States’ implementation of provisions of the Security Council resolutions relevant to the three Committees, and invites the Committees, including their respective groups of experts, further to strengthen their cooperation through enhanced information sharing, coordinated visits to countries and other issues of relevance to all the three Committees. The Security Council also invites the three Committees to continue cooperation with the working group established pursuant to resolution 1566 (2004).

“The Security Council recalls the obligation of Member States to report to the three Committees in a timely manner on steps they have taken or intend to take to implement resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004) and related resolutions, and encourages the three Committees to consider, if appropriate, how to deal with late submission of reports to these Committees in a coordinated manner.

“The Security Council reaffirms that the responsibility for implementing the Security Council resolutions relevant to the mandates of the three Committees, including preparation of reports to the respective Committees, rests with the States. The Security Council encourages international, regional and subregional organizations to enhance their efforts to further their members’ implementation of these Security Council resolutions, and further encourages such organizations, as well as States, where appropriate, to provide technical assistance to enhance the capacity of States to implement these resolutions.

“The Security Council welcomes the important contribution made by relevant international, regional and subregional organizations in the fight against terrorism and to ensure that non-State actors do not develop, acquire, manufacture, possess, transport, transfer or use nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery. The Security Council encourages the three Committees to further strengthen the cooperation with such organizations.

“The Security Council further welcomes the important contribution made to the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1526 (2004) in application of its mandate annexed to that resolution; to the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) by its experts; and to the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) established by resolution 1535 (2004), and notes with satisfaction the completion by the CTED of its first field mission to a Member State as contemplated by resolution 1535 (2004).

“The Security Council invites the CTC to pursue its agenda as set out in the work programme for the CTC’s fifteenth 90-day period (S/2005/266). It encourages all parts of the United Nations to do their utmost to ensure that the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate becomes fully operational in the shortest possible time.

“The Security Council also invites the 1540 Committee to pursue its undertakings as provided in its first trimestrial programme of work, approved by the Committee on 22 April 2005. The Security Council welcomes the submission by 113 Member States of reports so far on steps they have taken or intend to take to implement resolution 1540 (2004) and calls upon States that have not yet submitted such a report to do so as soon as possible. The Security Council welcomes the recruitment of experts of the Committee and notes that they have begun to support the Committee in the consideration of the first reports submitted by Member States pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004).

“The Security Council invites the three Committees to continue reporting on their activities at regular intervals and, where appropriate, in a coordinated manner.”

This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2005/16.

The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.