Summary: July 19, 2004: STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE EUROPEAN UNION BY H.E. MR. DIRK JAN VAN DEN BERG, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE. Security Council - Threats to International Peace and Security caused by Terrorist Acts (New York)
Mr. President,
I have the honor to take the floor on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Croatia[1] , the Countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Norway and Iceland, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.
The European Union wishes to express its appreciation for the briefing provided to us this morning by Ambassador Konuzin, the new Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, whom we greet and congratulate at his election. We are confident that, with Russia as Chair effective coordination of the CTC will continue. Furthermore, we are pleased to greet the new Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, Ambassador Javier Ruperez. The European Union also thanks Ambassador Arias (Spain)
for his able chairmanship of the CTC during the 13 months of its work.
Mr. President,
The European Union attaches great importance to these periodic Open Debates and we are happy that this tradition is continued under the new leadership and management. The regular Open Debates help maintaining and strengthening the general acceptance and legitimacy of the CTC within the UN-family. Also we are pleased to note that Ambassador Konuzin has continued the informal briefings for member-states, the first one took place on the 2nd of July. This possibility for direct "Q&A" is much
appreciated. The Chairman was perfectly right when affirming that transparency should continue to be a hallmark of the work of the Committee.
Mr. President,
Today's meeting deals with the Committee's work programme for the twelfth 90-day period, which covers the months from July to September 2004. The European Union welcomes this document as part of the process of revitalization of the CTC pursuant to Security Council resolution 1535.
The Executive Director will soon submit the organizational plan for the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate. It is good to learn from the Work Programme that this will happen through the Secretary-General. This is important to show that the revitalization process should honor the Secretary-General in his role as the chief administrative officer of the Organization.
As the European Union considers the respect for human rights and rule of law to be a fundamental condition for overcoming the scourge of terrorism, we hope to see a human rights expert included in the Executive Directorate. Furthermore, the European Union welcomes the further strengthening of co-operation between the Counter Terrorism Committee and the Committee established under Security Council resolution 1267, concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban. We also hope that such a strengthening of
co-operation will extend to other parts of the UN-system involved in counter-terrorism, in particular the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
Mr. President,
The European Union supports your call to all States who have not submitted their reports on time to do so as soon as possible. The number of 71 States missing deadlines means that more than one third of the membership is lagging behind. We must maintain the universality and the speed of the response which resolution 1373 (2001) requires.
Mr. President,
We encourage the Committee and its Executive Directorate to enhance their dialogue with Member States with a view to approaching our common goal to fully and universally implement resolution 1373. The European Council is squarely behind those efforts and has appointed an EU counter-terrorism coordinator. Combating terrorism is now fully integrated into external relations policy of the EU and a key element in the EU political dialogue with other States. Particular emphasis is put on
ratification, without reservation, and effective implementation of the relevant international conventions and protocols related to terrorism, preventing the financing of terrorism. Emphasis is also put on addressing other factors, which may contribute to the fight against terrorism such as non-proliferation and arms control. We applaud the new energy the CTC is willing to put into this effort, to make universal, relevant conventions and protocols and we look forward to enhancing its results by
our own contribution. The CTC objectives in this field are our own.
Mr. President,
The European Union understands that the CTC is in transition and that this has led to a slow-down in the review of reports. We hope and trust that, i.a. with an extended staff of experts, the CTC will be able to accelerate its work. More staff should also allow for better assessing the assistance needs of such countries which have the sincere political will to fully implement resolution 1373, but lack the proper tools to do so. We share the Chairman's view that review and remedy should be more
effectively linked.
In this context, the European Union would welcome a more proactive role of the CTC in the field of technical assistance. We would welcome more direct dialogue and information exchange with both the States in need of assistance and the donor community, including close dialogue and cooperation with the Counter Terrorism Action Group of the G-8.
Direct dialogue and information exchange on the implementation of resolution 1373 as such are also essential and we are convinced that such dialogue and exchange could be enhanced by in-country visits made by the CTC to States with the concerned State's consent. The first such visit by the CTC to a State- with its consent, as envisaged in the new work program, is important to mention in this respect.
We commend the fact that the League of Arab States has offered to co-host, jointly with the CTC, the fourth special meeting with international, regional and sub-regional organizations on the implementation of resolution 1373 in Cairo later this year. A focused and action-oriented dialogue at this event should provide a useful follow-up to the three previous similar meetings.
Finally, Mr. Chairman allow me to make a pitch for the seminar that the EU Presidency is planning to organize on the 22nd of September in Brussels on ways to combat the financing of terrorism. We will concentrate on various issues such as alternative remittance systems, money laundering and national and regional implementation of Security Council resolution 1373. We stand ready to inform those interested.
Thank you, Mr. President.
[1] Croatia continues to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process
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