ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT SAYS NOW IS TIME TO UNITE AGAINST TERRORISM; CAUTIONS THAT HUMANITARIAN AID TO AFGHANISTAN MUST CONTINUE

ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT SAYS NOW IS TIME TO UNITE AGAINST TERRORISM;

CAUTIONS THAT HUMANITARIAN AID TO AFGHANISTAN MUST CONTINUE

Following is the text of the statement by the President of the General Assembly, Han Seung-soo (Republic of Korea), following the Assembly debate on international terrorism:

The General Assembly of the United Nations, in its resolution 56/1 adopted immediately after the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001, condemned those acts of terrorism in the strongest terms and called for international cooperation to bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers, and sponsors of the outrages.  During the General Assembly debate on “Measures to eliminate international terrorism”, held last week with an unprecedented number of Member States participating, we voiced our unequivocal view that international terrorism constitutes a threat to international peace and security, as well as a crime against humanity.

The Security Council also adopted resolutions on this issue, which condemned the terrorist attacks as a threat to international peace and security, while reaffirming the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence as recognized by the Charter of the United Nations.  I understand that the current military action now being undertaken is predicated on these norms.

In my concluding statement to the General Assembly last week, I reiterated that international terrorism is one of the most formidable challenges to the international community in the twenty-first century.  I believe now is the time for the whole world to unite in the fight against terrorism and to pool our wisdom and resources to eradicate this dire threat.

At the same time, I urge Member States to extend or continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.  The fight against terrorism should not be directed against any ethnic or religious group, nor against the Afghan people who are suffering from the actions of the terrorist elements in their country that are beyond their control.

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