UN READY TO BE MECHANISM FOR GLOBAL MOBILIZATION AGAINST TERRORISM, SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS SUMMIT OF PEACEMAKERS IN EGYPT
Press Release
SG/SM/5921
UN READY TO BE MECHANISM FOR GLOBAL MOBILIZATION AGAINST TERRORISM, SECRETARY-GENERAL TELLS SUMMIT OF PEACEMAKERS IN EGYPT
19960313 Following is the text of Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's statement at the Summit of Peacemakers held today at Sharm Al-Sheikh, Egypt:A war is taking place. Terror and terrorism have declared war against peace and security.
All of us at this conference have known the pain and horror of terrorist acts against our families, our friends, our nations.
Terror is not confined to this region alone. Terror can strike in America, in Africa, in Europe or in Asia. No person, no people, no part of the world any longer can feel beyond the reach of terror or terrorism.
The fight against terror and terrorism has gone on for years. Many brave men and women have worked to prevent terror, to find the terrorists, to break up their empire of fear.
But more must be done.
Why? Because terror and terrorism have become a global phenomenon; because terrorists receive arms and funds from abroad; because terrorists travel abroad to be trained; because terrorists receive instructions from abroad; and because terrorists take refuge abroad after committing their crime.
The globalization of terrorism is sustained, because when terror takes place in a far-away land it often is easy to be indifferent; because countries may be legally limited in what they can do; because countries may use terrorists to advance their aims; because the media give terrorists the publicity they seek; because drugs and terror are globally linked; and because unilateral -- and even bilateral -- action is not enough to deal with a threat that is global.
The United Nations is the forum where a foundation for global action is being built.
- 2 - Press Release SG/SM/5921 13 March 1996
At the first-ever Summit of Security Council members, in 1992, and at the special commemorative session of the General Assembly, in 1995, heads of State and government agreed to act together to defeat terrorism.
The nations of the world, by resolution of the General Assembly in 1994, adopted the Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism, a concrete and comprehensive action plan.
And terrorism has been condemned by the nations of the world last December, by the General Assembly of the United Nations.
These commitments are important, and they are global. But they are still only declarations. The task before us is to take this normative foundation as our platform for rapid and decisive action.
The United Nations is ready to serve this cause -- ready to serve as a mechanism for mobilization on a global scale. The United Nations awaits your instructions.
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