PRESS BRIEFING ON MEETING BETWEEN UN, REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Stressing that a “crisis of confidence” had developed in the multilateral system’s ability to cope with today’s security challenges, Amre Moussa, Secretary-General the League of Arab States, told correspondents at a Headquarters briefing today that the international community must strive for change and renewal.

Reading from a joint statement drawn up by the Sixth High-Level Meeting between the United Nations and Regional and Other Intergovernmental Organizations, held from 25 to 26 July, Mr. Moussa said the United Nations World Summit in September would provide an unparalleled opportunity to address those challenges, including that of strengthening the partnership between global and regional organizations.

“The Summit should recognize that neither any individual State nor the United Nations could effectively respond alone to the challenges to peace and security”, he said, quoting the statement.  “Regional and other intergovernmental organization are increasingly important, even key partners, for ultimate success.”

Mr. Moussa was joined by Ibrahim Gambari, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Florence Mugasha, Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Secretariat, and Karel Kovanda, Deputy Director-General for External Relations of the European Commission.

Of all those challenges, terrorism was an increasing menace to global and individual security, which must be collectively combated, the statement said.  In so doing, the international community must address its root causes, protect human rights, respect diversity, and generate a true partnership among civilizations.

The international community must also more effectively address post-conflict peacebuilding through such mechanisms as the proposed United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, according to the statement, while paying equal attention to conflict prevention.  Organizational capacities in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding should be developed at the regional and subregional levels, including through the proposed 10-year capacity-building plan for the African Union.

In strengthening global and regional cooperation, participating organizations agreed to conclude agreements of appropriate kinds between the United Nations and regional and other intergovernmental organizations; convene a high-level meeting annually, to coincide if possible with meetings held by the Security Council with regional organizations; and establish a Standing Committee of not more than 10 organizations to initiate ideas, generate political consensus, and monitor implementation of decisions.

During the two-day session, a statement was also adopted by the Sixth High-Level Meeting between the United Nations Secretary-General and heads of regional and other intergovernmental organizations on a “Partnership among Civilizations”.  Reading from that statement, Ibrahim Gambari said participants had agreed on the need for a “partnership of civilizations”, which would draw on all stakeholders -- governments, intergovernmental organizations and civil society.  Noting that the partnership would represent a powerful response to those who fed on exclusion and arrogantly claimed sole ownership of truth, the statement said a new “narrative” was needed when old paradigms of international relations were increasingly questioned.

Asked about the Arab League’s definition of terrorism, Mr. Moussa said all people were in the same boat when it came to combating international terrorism, a plague that sowed havoc in societies and killed innocent civilians.  Adding that the Arab League would support any definition that helped save innocent lives, he said the question of foreign military occupation and resistance was another story, which should be avoided in considerations of terrorism.

To another query about Arab representation on the Security Council, he said the Arab world -- a vast area -- should not be excluded from any new plan to increase Council membership.  Of the two proposals for expansion that had been proposed, he favoured the option to expand the Council to 24 members, which would increase the possibility of an Arab seat.

When questioned by another correspondent about the recent attacks on Arab diplomats in Iraq, Mr. Moussa said the Arab world should have representatives in Baghdad, but that special circumstances and dangers were currently making that difficult.

Another correspondent asked about the “intensity of the heat” the Arabs were feeling from the United States to be present in Iraq, and from the insurgents to leave the country.  Mr. Moussa said the Arab presence in Iraq had nothing to do with the United States, but rather with Iraq’s membership in the Arab world, and the wishes of Arab countries.

To another question about terrorism and religious groups, Mr. Moussa said accusing Islam of producing terrorists was steering attention away from the real problem -- frustration and anger at persistent ills, including foreign military occupation, as well as abuse directed at the Palestinians and many Muslim societies.  Some expressed their anger in extreme fashions, such as terrorism, he said.

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