Security Council

4413^th Meeting (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS ON ALL STATES TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS

TO ELIMINATE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Resolution 1377 (2001) Adopted Unanimously; Council

Hears Statements by US Secretary of State, 14 Foreign Ministers

Declaring that acts of international terrorism constitute one of the most serious threats to international peace and security in the twenty-first century, and that such acts further constitute a challenge to all countries and all humanity, the Security Council this morning called on all States to intensify their efforts to eliminate international terrorism.

It took that action at the end of a ministerial meeting this morning, when it unanimously adopted resolution 1377 (2001).  By other terms it affirmed that a sustained, comprehensive approach, involving the active participation and collaboration of Member States was essential to combat international terrorism.

The Council stressed that continuing international efforts to broaden the understanding among civilizations and to address regional conflicts and the full range of global issues, including those related to development, would contribute to international cooperation and collaboration, which themselves were necessary to sustain the broadest possible fight against international terrorism.  States were also called on to become parties as soon as possible to the international conventions and protocols relating to terrorism.

The text further called on States to take urgent steps to fully implement resolution 1373 (2001), and to assist each other in doing so.  It also underlined the obligation of States to deny financial and all other forms of support and safe haven to terrorists and the supporters of terrorism.

On 28 September, the Council adopted resolution 1373 (2001) -- a wide-ranging comprehensive resolution with steps and strategies to combat international terrorism.  By that text, the Council established a Committee to monitor the implementation of the resolution and called on all States to report on action they had taken to that end no later than 90 days from 28 September.  Among the steps and strategies were calls for suppressing the financing of terrorism and improving international cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism activities.

By other terms of today’s resolution, the Council expressed its determination to proceed with the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) in full cooperation with the whole United Nations membership, and welcomed the progress

made so far by the Counter-Terrorism Committee to monitor implementation of the resolution.

Further by this morning’s text, the Council recognized that many States would require assistance in implementing all the requirements of 1373 (2001), and invited such States to inform the Counter-Terrorism Committee of areas in which they required support.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the United Nations was uniquely placed to facilitate cooperation between governments in the fight against terrorism.  That fight must begin with ensuring that the existing instruments on international terrorism under United Nations auspices were signed, ratified and implemented without delay by all States.  It was also important to obtain agreement on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism.  He emphasized the need for moral clarity and said there could be no acceptance of those who sought to justify the deliberate taking of innocent civilian life regardless of cause or grievance.

“Action is needed and action is needed now”, United States Secretary of State Colin Powell said.  His country was taking the fight directly to the terrorists and their supporters.  The swift action of the Council had made clear that the perpetrators and their supporters would be held accountable.  Resolution 1373 (2001) was a mandate to fundamentally change how the international community responded to terrorism -- but to be effective, it required a new resolve.  States must now work together bilaterally and multilaterally. 

For many, he said, implementation of the resolution would involve complicated and difficult challenges to their legal systems and require changes on many levels.  The United States was ready to provide technical assistance in areas ranging from aviation security to the tracking measures used by law enforcement.

Also this morning the Security Council expressed its sympathy to the families of the 246 people who had died aboard the American Airlines aircraft, which crashed this morning in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York.  Condolences were also expressed to the United States Government over the tragic event.  A moment of silence was then observed.  Individual speakers in their statements all expressed condolences and sympathy.

The Foreign Ministers of China, Colombia, France, Ireland, Mauritius, Norway, Russian Federation, Singapore, Tunisia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Mali and Bangladesh also made statements today.

Today’s meeting was presided over by the President of the Council,

K.D. Knight (Jamaica) who also spoke in his national capacity.

The meeting, which began at 11:35 a.m., was adjourned at 1:29 p.m.

Background

The Security Council held a ministerial-level meeting this morning to discuss threats to international peace and security caused by international terrorism.

Following the 11 September terrorist acts in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., the Council met on 12 September, and in a departure from tradition, all members stood to unanimously adopt resolution 1368 (2001).  By that text, the Council unequivocally condemned the terrorist acts and expressed its deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims and their families and the Government of the United States.  Council members also expressed their readiness to take all necessary steps to respond to the attacks of 11 September and to combat all forms of terrorism in accordance with Charter responsibilities.

On 28 September, the Council met again on the issue and reaffirmed its unequivocal condemnation of the 11 September terrorist attacks, in addition to adopting a wide-ranging comprehensive resolution (1373 (2001)) with steps and strategies to combat international terrorism.  By that text, the Council also established a Committee to monitor the implementation of the resolution and called on all States to report on action they had taken to that end no later than 90 days from 28 September.  Among the steps and strategies were calls for suppressing the financing of terrorism and improving international cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism activities.

Statement by Secretary-General

KOFI ANNAN, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said he was delighted that the determination shown by the Council in resolution 1373 (2001) to carry the fight against terrorism forward was reflected at the most senior level of the governments of Council members.  The “Counter-Terrorism Committee” had produced a work programme which set out the focus of the Committee’s work in the first 90-day period and established mechanisms for States to report progress on implementing the resolution.  Those reports would be indispensable in identifying and cataloguing existing policies and instruments.  They should provide the benchmark for the international community as it assessed its ability to combat international terrorism.  He encouraged all States to ensure the full implementation of resolution 1373 and to submit their replies by late December.

He had recently established a Working Group to identify the longer-term implications and broad policy dimensions of the issue of terrorism for the United Nations.  The Organization was uniquely placed to facilitate cooperation between governments in the fight against terrorism.  That fight must begin with ensuring that the existing instrument on international terrorism under United Nations auspices were signed, ratified and implemented without delay by all States.  It was also important to obtain agreement on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism.  He emphasized the need for moral clarity.  There could be no acceptance of those who sought to justify the deliberate taking of innocent civilian life regardless of cause or grievance.

“We must now strengthen the global norms against the use or proliferation of weapons of mass destruction”, he said.  The international community must also strengthen controls over other types of weapons that posed grave dangers through terrorist use.  That meant doing more to ensure a ban on the sale of small arms to non-State groups; making progress in eliminating landmines; improving the physical protection of sensitive industrial facilities, including nuclear and chemical plants; and increased vigilance against cyber terrorist threats.

While the international community’s resolve to fight terrorism was a welcome development, it risked treating terrorism as a single phenomenon.  The reality was that terrorism was immensely complicated, with multiple objectives and causes, a multitude of weapons and agents and virtually limitless manifestations, he said.  The only common denominator among the variants of terrorism was the calculated use of deadly violence against civilians for political purposes.  That common denominator, however, provided the United Nations with a common cause and a common agenda.  Ultimately, success would be measured in terrorist acts thwarted and lives saved, but he was confident that the unity born of 11 September could be sustained in the months and years ahead.

(For the full text of the Secretary-General’s statement, see Press Release SG/SM/8021 of 12 November.)

Statements

K.D. KNIGHT, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Jamaica, said the meeting today was a strong message on the intent of the Council to address terrorism.  The fight, however, would not be won by single acts of the Council but by the determination of the international community to act together.  Jamaica, therefore, fully recognized and supported the premise that the only response to terrorism was full cooperation at the international level.  The United Nations was the only forum that could address the scope of such a challenge. 

He said the Security Council had taken the lead in manoeuvres aimed a defeating the forces of terrorism through its resolutions 1368 (2001) and 1373 (2001).  The latter was decisive in setting out the range of comprehensive measures for Member States to undertake in combating terrorism.  It had also stressed that any support for terrorism was contrary to the Charter of the United Nations.

While the international community faced challenges, it must not be prevented in moving forward in the fight to defeat terrorism.  Full implementation of the measures contained in resolution 1373 must be carried out if success was to be ensured.  Not all States, however, had equal capacity to effectively implement the measures of resolution 1373.  The international community was, therefore, obliged to provide the necessary resources to those States, which did not have the capability.  Regional and subregional organizations, must also play a part, he added. 

He said there must be renewed commitment to address efforts on issues that gave rise to terrorism.  While no cause could justify reprehensible acts, deprivation, poverty, lack of development and basic rights provided a cover for those who perpetrated terrorist acts.  Jamaica, he underscored, was fully committed to the fight against terrorism.

TANG JIAXUAN, Foreign Minister of China, expressed his country’s deepest sympathy to the United States and the families of those who had lost their lives this morning on the American Airlines crash.  He said terrorism was a brazen challenge to and the common enemy of all humanity.  All countries should adopt political, economic and judicial measures to intensify the punishment of terrorism; seriously implement relevant Security Council resolutions; actively conduct international cooperation in counter-terrorism; and accede to all related international conventions at an early date.  The strike against terrorism should be clearly targeted and should also avoid injuring innocent people.  “We oppose linking terrorism to a specific religion or ethnicity”, he added.  China believed that there should be no double standards in terms of counter-terrorism.

He said the international community had to take a resolute stand against all forms of terrorist acts, condemn them and carry out a resolute fight against them.  That fight would be protracted, complicated and arduous.  Measures should be taken to address both the symptoms and the root causes of terror.  The proper solutions to global issues such as poverty, regional conflicts and sustainable development would not only be conducive to the promotion of peace and development in the world but also to strengthening international cooperation against terrorism as well as eradication of terrorist acts.  China, like many other countries, supported the United Nations and its Security Council continuing to play a leading role in the fight against terrorism.

He said the priority for the next stage by the Council should be to give full play to the role of the Counter-Terrorism Committee.  It should also adopt timely measures to coordinate and promote the international counter-terrorism endeavour.  It should also be pointed out that terrorism not only threatened the United States.  Many other members of the Council had also suffered deeply from the scourge, including China.  The East Turkestan forces, for example, had long received training, financial aid and support from international terrorist groups.  They had launched various kinds of terrorist activities in the Xinjiang region of China and other countries and brutally slaughtered innocent people.  Obviously that terrorist faction was a part of the international terrorism threat and should also be resolutely fought.

China, he continued, had always stood against terrorism and had adopted a series of administrative, judicial, economic and security measures in that regard. Of the existing 12 international counter-terrorism conventions, his country had acceded to nine.  Not long ago, China also completed the domestic legal procedures for joining the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings and would soon become a signatory to the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.  “We have also stepped up counter-terrorism consultation and cooperation with the countries concerned and established various forms of counter-terrorism cooperation mechanisms”, he said.

GUILLERMO FERNANDEZ, Minister for Foreign Relations of Colombia, said that since the Council had first addressed the problems following the terrorist acts of 11 September, Colombia had unhesitatingly supported the decisions taken by the Council.  The fight against terrorism was the responsibility of all countries without exception.  The success achieved in that fight would depend on the degree to which the international community made the principle of shared responsibility effective.  It was essential to control and dismantle the sources of financing for international terrorism.  The existence of banking and tax havens translated into a method by which the criminals accumulated illegal resources to finance murder.   The international community should not lose sight of the harm caused by the world market in illicit drugs.  The bulk of the money raised through drug trafficking went for the purchase of weapons and to support terrorism. 

He said his country had taken significant steps towards implementing resolution 1373 (2001). It had passed advanced criminal legislation to confront and punish acts of terrorism.  It had subscribed to the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and hoped to accede to five more conventions, which would make Colombia a party to 12 of the conventions called for by the Secretary-General. 

He went on to say that Colombia would continue to make a resolute contribution in the Committee against Terrorism created by the Council and on the Committee on Sanctions against Afghanistan.  The Organization of American States (OAS) would be beginning discussion on an inter-American convention against terrorism.  His Government reaffirmed its rejection of all acts of terrorism, whatever their origins or motives.  Colombia would continue to commit itself with the fullest determination to resolution 1373 (2001) and other measures adopted by the Council on that matter.

HUBERT VEDRINE, Minister for Foreign Affairs of France, said the attacks of 11 September were a major challenge to peace and democracy.  The United States had undertaken an armed response against Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda and the Taliban system which supported him.  France fully supported that response.  The United Nations had a major role to play.  It must seek to deprive terrorists of all sources of finances and to provide no refuge to those who supported them.  He favoured the mobilization of the international community to facilitate the entry into force of the Convention for the Suppression of the financing of Terrorism.  But mobilization meant an increased cooperation among States.

He said it was essential to guarantee coherence among the initiatives of different regions and the United Nations.  Acts of terrorism posed a threat to international peace and security that the Security Council must combat robustly.  France was determined to go forward and face up to complex aspects of the long and complex campaign.

BRIAN COWEN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland, said that in confronting international terrorism, the world would find no better certainty of success than in looking to the United Nations.  There was already a range of international conventions against terrorism, which must now be urgently ratified by all States that had not yet done so.  In addition, early agreement must be reached on the draft comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.  Further, Council resolution 1373 offered a blueprint for action in how to remove permanently the capacity of international terrorism to operate by targeting, among other things, its funds and resources.

“The United Nations represents the foundation of international law, the focal point of international endeavour, the place where we come together to assert universal ideals and to look to new horizons of joint action”, he said.  It could not be used by the international community, or any State, only in bad days and disregarded in good days.  It was needed more than ever before in a world that was becoming increasingly economically integrated but with truly dangerous fissures in those structures.  The wider conditions that allowed terrorism to survive and flourish must be tackled.  There were many challenges to be met in building a fairer international system.

ANIL KUMARSINGH GAYAN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mauritius, said the recent terrorist acts in the United States were a challenge to the whole international community.  There was broad consensus that the time for sympathy had passed and that the time for action had arrived.  There was now an urgency attached to taking action since the terrorists would also be taking their own actions to counter the terms of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001).

“We should not quibble about the definition of terrorism”, he said.  The senseless killing of innocents was not justifiable.  Terrorism resulted in unspeakable suffering and strapped economies the world over.  The international community must send a clear signal about its determination not to be intimidated by terrorist acts.  Terrorism was the enemy of the fundamental values of the United Nations, the Commonwealth and other regional organizations.

He said that winning the war against terrorism was an absolute necessity. The alternative was too frightening.  Terrorists were embarking on a propaganda campaign aimed at putting a veneer on their acts, winning support and “infecting others”.

He said, “We also cannot afford to lose track of the developmental issues that could rescue poor countries from the depths of despair.  African leaders had met in Dakar this year on terrorism, also confirming their resolve to address the issue.  His country had put in place procedures for the implementation of Council resolutions 1368 (2001) and 1373 (2001).  It had also signed the Convention on the suppression of terrorism yesterday and would press to have it ratified as soon as possible.  Mauritius also supported the draft to be adopted at the end of this meeting.

JAN PETERSEN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway, said the immediate aim was to prevent further terrorist attacks, and to bring the guilty to justice.  The international community's actions were directed against a group of extremists who were exploiting a world religion for their own evil aims.  They committed their crimes under the cover of fighting for legitimate causes. 

International terrorism was complex and multi-faceted, he said.  It could only be defeated through a sustained and comprehensive approach.  At the same time, the international community did its utmost to bring humanitarian assistance to those who were caught in between, those who had long suffered at the hands of terrorists and their supporters.  It was important to get to the breeding grounds of terrorism.  All means available must be employed –- political, legal, military and financial.  The United Nations must take the lead in hammering out a long-term comprehensive strategy for combating international terrorism.  The Secretary-General could find it useful to appoint a Special Representative to support his efforts to that end.

Mr. Petersen said political leadership was urgently needed in the battle against international terrorism.  There were no easy solutions.  The international community must explain that unless it followed its decisions and actions through, it would be playing into the hands of the terrorists.  The international community also must continue to demonstrate that it was fighting terrorism on its own terms, upholding the very values, the rights and the freedoms that the terrorists so despised.

He said the Security Council had acted swiftly and decisively in the face of terrorist attacks.  Resolution 1368 made it clear the attacks constituted a threat to international peace and security, and triggered the right to self-defence.  The pursuit of terrorists and their backers in Afghanistan was carried out in the exercise of that right.  Resolution 1373 was aimed at those who financed terrorism.  In implementing the resolution, the international community had already taken a number of concrete steps to eliminate potential economic sources for the terrorists. 

Norway actively took part in the work being done in the Security Council Counter Terrorism Committee, he said.  It was considering how it could best support countries that needed assistance.  Terrorism was a global threat to peace and security and had to be countered as such.  That was why the Security Council must remain at the centre of the response.  That was why this meeting was both important and timely.  That was why Norway would continue its active role in the Council's work against international terrorism.

IGOR IVANOV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, said the Security Council, bearing the main responsibility for stability in the world, should urge the United Nations General Assembly to adopt at its current session the first treaty in the history of the Organization aimed at combating terrorism that used weapons of mass destruction.  One could not wait until new, even more monstrous crimes of terrorists, opened the eyes of those who had not yet realized the importance of an early completion of the work on that document -- the international convention for the suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism.

The more efficiently the Security Council fulfilled its task to prevent and resolve regional conflicts, which quite often nourish various sorts of extremists, the more successfully the world would be able to counteract the terrorist threat, he said.  Therefore, it was necessary to enhance significantly the peacekeeping capacity of the United Nations and equip it with up-to-date instruments for efficient crisis management.  It was also obvious that efforts to prevent and settle conflict situations could only be successful if channels for external fuelling of conflicts were effectively blocked.  What was important here was to develop a complex strategy which should also be developed within the framework of the Security Council.

A comprehensive approach to eradication of international terrorism presupposed the use of the whole range of measures of a political, economic, financial and humanitarian nature.  Military means alone were not sufficient.  After all it was poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and the absence of equal access to the benefits of science and technology that forced destitute people to join the ranks of extremists.  The United Nations and leading financial and economic organizations and institutions should double their efforts to provide a better-balanced non-discriminatory environment for global economic and social development.

S. JAYAKUMAR, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, said the consternation following the plane crash this morning demonstrated the extent to which the events of 11 September still affected one’s life.  Countering the threat of terrorism was a central global priority.  The perpetrators of the crimes must not go unpunished so that others would be discouraged from committing such crimes.  He emphasized, however, that the war in Afghanistan was not a fight against the people of Afghanistan but a fight for civilization and a fight that must be won.  The international community must gear itself for a long battle.  Only a determined, united, comprehensive and sustained global strategy would enable the containment of the terrorist forces.

He said there was a clear condemnation of terrorism and a resolve to make common cause against it.  The challenge, however, was to translate rage into resolve and coordinated action.  The Council had passed three landmark anti-terrorism resolutions which established a basic foundation of international action against terrorism.  They would also serve to strengthen the international legal framework.

There was still a long road to travel, he said.  He called for cooperation between professional law enforcement agencies in all countries.  Some countries had passed new legislation, and that was a positive development but it made international cooperation all the more important.  Various forums had called for an international conference to discuss the next step in the fight against international terrorism.  An essential element in the preparatory meetings for such a conference would be to call together law enforcement agencies from different countries to meet to harmonize practices and suggest ways to create a new international mechanism dedicated to the fight against terrorism.  Regional efforts could be the building blocks for coordinating the fight against terrorism.

HABIB BEN YAHIA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tunisia, said his country had drawn attention to the dangers of terrorism since the early 1990s and had called for the establishment of a legal framework to combat that phenomenon.  On the national arena, Tunisia had found efficient solutions through the implementation of a comprehensive strategy in the political, economic, social, cultural and educational areas, as well as through strengthening the rule of law.  Thanks to that strategy, Tunisia had definitely moved away the threats of terrorism and violence.

He said it was time for the international community to cooperate and coordinate efforts to elaborate a rigorous plan of action to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.  In that regard, Tunisia was determined to continue to participate and cooperate at all levels with the international community to define a comprehensive and consensual code of conduct to combat terrorism and to set up an adequate mechanism to achieve that goal.

All States should commit themselves genuinely and explicitly not to provide any direct or indirect assistance, including granting asylum to individuals whose actual or tacit participation in terrorist acts had been proven, he said.  All States should also cooperate to deprive those terrorist networks, using the cover of civil society organizations, of the means to work.  Nations should be very vigilant and alert to the exploitation of modern information technology to spread the culture of extremism, violence and provocation.

ANATOLIY ZLENKO, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, recalled the assassinations of a number of national leaders in history.  If world leaders had decided on those occasions to assemble, most of them would have insisted on giving terrorism top priority on their agenda.  Unfortunately, they did not.

Now, he said, the international community could not afford to remain

ill-prepared and ill-equipped in the face of new threats, because the next move by terrorists might result in a catastrophe of global proportions.  There was now a unique opportunity for human civilization to show its maturity and unity.  Ukraine had identified its place in the ongoing global efforts to combat international terrorism.  Its stance was reaffirmed at the recent international Conference of Warsaw, when Ukraine endorsed the plan of action adopted and considered it a powerful contribution to the worldwide struggle to eradicate terrorism.  He said his Government intended to continue to provide all possible assistance to the multinational anti-terrorist coalition.

The Council had taken its first step on terrorism by adopting resolution 1373 (2001) but that was only one among many complex tasks that confronted the United Nations.  He said there were also the related elements such as arms smuggling, drug production and trafficking, and money laundering. 

The international community had to eliminate hatred and ethnic and religious intolerance that continued to constitute a breeding ground for numerous conflicts.  Also, it had to resolve the problems of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery and related technologies.  All of those issues assumed additional significance in the aftermath of recent events.

JACK STRAW, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, said yesterday marked two months since the terrorist attacks on the United States.  One third of the nations of the world had lost their own nationals in that one single attack.  Terrorism was not something new.  In the last 30 years his country had itself lost over 3,000 people as victims of terrorist acts.

He said his Government’s simple message was that terrorism was criminal, and there was no political, religious or ideological cause that could justify the use of such indiscriminate violence.  The terms set out by the resolution to be adopted today were the unequivocal condemnation of such acts.  The implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) was also a priority for every Member State of the United Nations, he stressed.

He said the United Kingdom had strengthened its own domestic terrorism laws, and was considering Security Council resolution 1373, whose measures were right now before the British Parliament.  His country had also ratified the 12 existing United Nations conventions on terrorism and urged other States to accelerate their work to do so.  It was the United Kingdom’s view that terrorism had to be actively confronted, along with the financing of it, the drug trade that helped it and the States that harboured terrorists.

He said that while the news of the military advances in northern Afghanistan was welcome, it was only one step towards the liberation of the whole country and the establishment of a broad-based multi-ethnic State and a world free of the scourge of terrorism.

COLIN POWELL, Secretary of State of the United States, offered thanks for the expressions of solidarity and sympathy made by the members of the Council this morning following the crash of an American passenger plane today.  He said that, so far, reports indicated that the crash had been an accident.  He stated that the majority of passengers were Dominicans, and he offered special condolences to the representatives of the Dominican Republic. 

“Action is needed and action is needed now”, he said.  Two months ago, citizens of many of the nations seated in the Council room were victims of the terrorist attacks in New York.  Yesterday, United States President George W. Bush, Secretary-General Kofi Annan and others had commemorated the lives of over 500 citizens from the various countries of the United Nations.  No one could defend the heartless acts against innocent people.

He said the United States was taking the fight directly to the terrorists and their supporters.  His country had declared war on all terrorist organizations with a global reach.  It needed the help of international police organizations and banking services around the world in the effort to root out the terrorists and their systems of support.  He was grateful that so many nations and international organizations had responded.  The swift action of the Council had made clear that the perpetrators and their supporters would be held accountable.  Resolution 1373 (2001) was a mandate to change fundamentally how the international community responded to terrorism.  For many, implementation of the resolution would involve complicated and difficult challenges to their legal systems and require changes on many levels. 

The Council had gotten off to a successful start, he said.  States were starting to work together to eliminate the resources that were the oxygen of the terrorist groups.  To be effective, resolution 1373 (2001) required a new resolve.  States must now work together bilaterally and multilaterally.  The United States stood ready to provide technical assistance in areas ranging from aviation security to the tracking measures used by law enforcement.  The fight against terrorism must consider the integrity of international transmission systems such as the mail system, the Internet and telephone systems.  Inaction could have grave consequences.  In the actions against terrorism there was a role for the United Nations and individual countries to play.  No greater threat to international peace and security existed in the world today. 

MODIBO SIDIBE, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mali, said his Government categorically condemned the acts of terrorism directed at the United States and conveyed its solidarity with that country.  His country was also responding to the need to combat terrorism in all its forms decisively and comprehensively.  No one was immune from such acts, and that in itself necessitated working together in a consensual manner.

He said all acts directed against innocent civilians were crimes because they undermined human rights and the values and principles of the United Nations. He welcomed the substantive progress made so far by the General Assembly in elaborating a comprehensive convention against terrorism. 

“Combating terrorism also compels us to fight all that gives rise to it with an international strategy”, he said.  That included assistance to developing countries to enhance their capacities to fight terrorism.  Mali wished to reiterate its support for resolution 1373 (2001), which was comprehensive and highlighted the issue of cooperation among States.  His delegation was ready to do all that was necessary to implement those measures.

His country had also ratified all other United Nations conventions on terrorism, while African leaders had expressed their commitment to make Africa a continent free of any acts of terrorism.  He called for the convening of an international conference on terrorism as soon as possible.  The resolution to be adopted today would compliment existing measures that had been adopted before.

REAZ RAHMAN, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, said terrorism had posed a threat to international peace and security as well as to global economic stability.  In the context of that ominous development, an additional responsibility had been added to the agenda of the Council.

Following the events of 11 September, it had become all the more necessary for the Council to play its role in a balanced, creative and proactive manner, in line with its Charter obligations.  It was true that the Council could authorize action against the perpetrators, and while doing so could also define the parameters of such actions in a way so that innocent people did not have to pay for the crimes of others.  In the common struggle against terrorism, it was extremely important that the Council remain united and effective.  To achieve that, perhaps a mechanism could be explored to coordinate the work of the Council with that of the Assembly in that important area.

He said he supported actions to bring the perpetrators to justice.  At the same time, it was equally important to ensure that the interest and well-being of the innocent civilian population were protected in pursuing that objective.  The international community, including the Council, had repeatedly emphasized the need to protect the interests of civilians in conflict situations.  He strongly urged the Council to remain alert to address that situation with care and compassion.

Action on Draft

The Council then unanimously adopted resolution 1377 (2001), the full text of which reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Meeting at the Ministerial level,

“Recalling its resolutions 1269 (1999) of 19 October 1999, 1368 (2001) of

12 September 2001 and 1373 (2001) of 28 September 2001,

“Declares that acts of international terrorism constitute one of the most serious threats to international peace and security in the twenty-first century,

“Further declares that acts of international terrorism constitute a challenge to all States and to all of humanity,

“Reaffirms its unequivocal condemnation of all acts, methods and practices of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, in all their forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomever committed,

“Stresses that acts of international terrorism are contrary to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and that the financing,

planning and preparation of as well as any other form of support for acts of international terrorism are similarly contrary to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

“Underlines that acts of terrorism endanger innocent lives and the dignity and security of human beings everywhere, threaten the social and economic development of all States and undermine global stability and prosperity,

“Affirms that a sustained, comprehensive approach involving the active participation and collaboration of all Member States of the United Nations, and in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and international law, is essential to combat the scourge of international terrorism,

“Stresses that continuing international efforts to broaden the understanding among civilizations and to address regional conflicts and the full range of global issues, including development issues, will contribute to international cooperation and collaboration, which themselves are necessary to sustain the broadest possible fight against international terrorism,

“Welcomes the commitment expressed by States to fight the scourge of international terrorism, including during the General Assembly plenary debate from 1-5 October 2001, calls on all States to become parties as soon as possible to the relevant international conventions and protocols relating to terrorism, and encourages Member States to take forward work in this area,

“Calls on all States to take urgent steps to implement fully resolution 1373 (2001), and to assist each other in doing so, and underlines the obligation on States to deny financial and all other forms of support and safe haven to terrorists and those supporting terrorism,

“Expresses its determination to proceed with the implementation of that resolution in full cooperation with the whole membership of the United Nations, and welcomes the progress made so far by the Counter-Terrorism Committee established by paragraph 6 of resolution 1373 (2001) to monitor implementation of that resolution,

“Recognizes that many States will require assistance in implementing all the requirements of resolution 1373 (2001), and invites States to inform the Counter-Terrorism Committee of areas in which they require such support,

“In that context, invites the Counter-Terrorism Committee to explore ways in which States can be assisted, and in particular to explore with international, regional and subregional organizations:

--  the promotion of best-practice in the areas covered by resolution 1373 (2001), including the preparation of model laws as appropriate,

--  the availability of existing technical, financial, regulatory, legislative or other assistance programmes which might facilitate the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001),

--  the promotion of possible synergies between these assistance programmes,

“Calls on all States to intensify their efforts to eliminate the scourge of international terrorism.”

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