Statement by Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN at the Security Council Debate on Threats to International Peace and Security

19th October, 2004

Mr. President,

I would like to join other members of the Council in thanking Ambassador Denisov, Chairman of the CTC for presenting the thirteenth 90 day work programme of the CTC and for his briefing on the work of the Committee during the last quarter. We greatly appreciate his leadership of the CTC. I would also like to thank Ambassador Ruperéz, Executive Director of CTED, for his report to the Council today.

  1. We appreciate this opportunity offered by our today’s meeting to reflect on the course of action that we have taken so far in countering terrorism and to plan for the future.


Mr. Preseident,

  1. Pakistan remains committed to fight against terrorism. Terrorism continues to pose serious challenges to every one of us. The increase in terrorist incidents in different places in the world in recent months, including terrorist attacks in several Pakistani cities, shows that the terrorist threat is pervasive and it is real.


  2. We have noted the work done during the last three months and the Committee’s plans for the next three months. We share the Chairman’s view that the fight against terrorism needs to be ‘sustained effectively and with dynamism’. We also share his view that it requires a ‘consolidated and wide ranging multinational response’.


  3. In the context of our discussions today, I would like to first offer a few comments on the work of the CTC.


    • Firstly, we urge that reports be submitted by all States whose reports are outstanding.


    • Secondly, we have noted the CTC’s commitment to promote transparency in its work. We would like to underline that it would remain important for the CTC to find ways and means to associate non members of the Security Council and of the committee with the work of the CTC.


    • Thirdly, the Committee we believe should remain committed to enhancing the capacity of States to counter terrorism. We are encouraged that the 13th work programme says and I quote, ‘facilitation of the provision of technical assistance….will remain one of the fundamental commitments of the CTC’. Such technical assistance should be relevant to the needs of each country. We hope that the CTC will play a more active role in generating support for such technical assistance which so far has remained mostly bilateral in nature.


    • The proposed visits to States, with their consent, under resolution 1535 (2004) should focus not only on promoting cooperation and dialogue but mainly on facilitating provision of technical assistance to states which may require it.


    • We have noted that the CTC is continuing consultations with the interested regional and international organizations. Mr. Ruperéz has listed some of these organizations. We would suggest that cooperation should also be closely established with the Organization of the Islamic Conference. We believe such cooperation would be mutually beneficial.


    • Mr. Ruperéz has also reported on efforts to ensure full operational status for the Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED). We hope that staffing for the Directorate would be on as wide a geographical basis as possible as provided for in paragraph 4 of resolution 1535 (2004). The Directorate, in our view, should particularly seek out experts from the Islamic countries.

  4. A few comments on Resolution 1566:


    • Firstly, we believe that the consensus adoption of resolution 1566 (2004), initiated by the Russian Federation, sent a clear signal of the unity of the Council in the fight against terrorism. We need to maintain and to build on this unity.


    • Secondly, The counter terrorism measures to be considered by the Working Group under paragraph 9 of resolution 1566 (2004) should be in conformity with the principles of international law, human rights and international humanitarian law. Measures, in our view, could be considered and imposed, on a case by case basis, on those involved in terrorism.


    • Thirdly, we also note that paragraph 3 of the resolution lists certain acts “which constitute offences as defined in, and within the scope of, international conventions and protocols related to terrorism". A legal and internationally agreed definition of Terrorism still needs to be evolved and this we hope will be done by the United Nations General Assembly.


    • As the UN has decided, in the past, a distinction should be maintained between terrorism and right of peoples to self-determination. The United Nations should not, and cannot, reverse its historical support for peoples and nations struggling for liberation from foreign occupation and alien domination.


    • We also welcome the reference in preamble of resolution 1566 to the underlying causes of terrorism. This provides a good basis for evolving a long term strategy to broaden our focus in the fight against terrorism. Such a strategy should focus on the root causes of terrorism such as political injustice, non-resolution of long standing disputes, and denial or violation of human rights including the right of self-determination and pervasive poverty and socio-economic injustice which provide a fertile breeding ground for terrorism.

  5. We would recommend a United Nations study on the root causes of terrorism and the development of a long term strategy to address this scourge.


  6. In this context, we would like to draw attention to the strategy of Enlightened Moderation, which has been outlined by President Musharraf of Pakistan to avoid the danger of a clash of cultures – and to promote socio-economic renaissance and political justice for all peoples especially for the peoples of the Islamic world.

I thank you, Mr. President.