Summary: February 12, 2001: Ad Hoc Committee established by General Assembly Resolutuion 51/210 (Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism). Statement by Director Bo Hedberg, Head of Delegation of Sweden on behalf of the European Union (New York)
Mr President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Central and Eastern European Countries associated with the European Union (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia) and the associated countries Cyprus and Malta have aligned themselves with this statement.
Mr President,
We welcome you back in the chair for this meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee. Our common goal to prevent and suppress international terrorism will benefit from your competence on this issue. We also welcome the efforts made by the delegation of India in presenting new draft texts for discussion.
Almost every day we are reminded that acts of terrorism continue to create great suffering among innocent people. Terrorism is a serious threat to democracy and the rule of law and thus the functioning of our societies.
The European Union unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of motive or origin. Nevertheless, in its legitimate efforts to suppress terrorism the international community must always respect human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The work in the 6th Committee remains fundamental for the further development of norms on counter-terrorism and the continued establishment of effective instruments to combat terrorism at national and international levels. There must not be any safe havens for terrorists or impunity for their acts.
In order to combat terrorism, we must arm ourselves with effective instruments for co-operation, without compromising human rights and humanitarian law, fighting to put an end to the political and human tragedies that act as factors for instability on which terrorist groups thrive.
Following the adoption by the General Assembly of resolution 55/158 of 12 December last year, the Ad Hoc Committee will now continue its work on the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. The European Union remains committed to contribute actively and constructively to this important endeavour. It seems important not to lose momentum but rather to concentrate on issues where prospects for progress are the best.
The European Union remains of the opinion that the "acquis" of the existing international conventions on terrorism, taken as a whole, is a considerable achievement which must be preserved. In our view, any Comprehensive Convention
should therefore avoid creating legal overlaps with the existing body of counter-terrorism conventions and should represent an added value in relation to the previous conventions.
The scope of the comprehensive convention - and in particular the relation to the previous conventions - remains a key issue. An agreement regarding draft art 2 (or its equivalent) could facilitate the solution of other issues.
The General Assembly decided that the Ad Hoc Committee also shall continue its efforts to resolve the outstanding issues relating to the elaboration of a draft International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. The European Union favours an early conclusion of such a convention and affirms once more that it is willing to examine constructively an acceptable compromise solution.
Furthermore, the General Assembly decided that the Committee shall keep on its agenda the question of convening a high-level conference under the auspices of the United Nations to formulate a joint organised response of the international community to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The European Union reiterates its readiness to discuss such a project insofar as it could lead to a strengthening of international co-operation in combating international terrorism.
The EU and the associated countries look forward to the discussions in the days before us and wish you every success as Chairman of our Ad Hoc Committee.
Thank you, Mr President.
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