-1< 1< 1< 1< 1< 1< 1< ~2010.es * * 1< ** Delegation of the Eu.ropean Union Permanent Mission of Spain to the United Nations INTERVENCION EN NOMBRE DE LA UNION EUROPEA PRONUNCIADA POR EL EMBAJADOR REPRESENTANTE PERMANENTE DE ESPANA EXCMO. SR. D. JUAN ANTONIO YANEZ-BARNUEVO COMITE ESPECIAL ESTABLECIDO POR RESOLUCION DE LA ASAMBLEA GENERAL 511210, DE 17 DE DIClEMBRE DE 1996 (MEllIDAS PARA ELIMINAR EL TERRORISMO INTERNACIONAL) aciones Unidas Nueva York 12 de abrH 2010 - Cotejar con version definitiva STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE EUROPEAN UNION BY THE AMBASSADOR PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SPAIN HE MR. JUAN ANTONIO YAl\TEZ-BARNUEVO AD HOC COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 51/210 OF 17 DECEMBER 1996 (MEASURES TO ELIMlNATE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM) United Nations New York 12 april 2010 - Check against delivery Mr. Chairman, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia and the fonner Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Armenia align themselves with this statement. Let me first warmly welcome you, Mr. Chairman, and the other members of the Bureau. We are confident that you will guide the discussions of the Ad Hoc Committee, so relevant to the importance of its work, in a very competent and efficient manner. \Ve would also like to thank the facilitator, Maria Telalian, for her tireless efforts over the past years in organizing consultations among delegations towards reaching a consensus on the outstanding issues of negotiation. Mr. Chairman, Terrorism is one of the most serious concerns that the international community currently faces and constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, as well as to the development and functioning of democratic institutions. The EU categoncally condemns all terrorist acts as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. The international community needs to unequivocally state that there can be no justification for terrorism in any fann. The ED stresses that the fight against telTorism should be in compliance with international law, in particular, international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law and that all measures against teITorism should respect the rule of law. Mr. Chailman Terrorism has developed into a global threat that will only be defeated by a collective response from the international community. The ED believes that we need to intensify efforts to reach a final agreement on tbe Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism or. at the very least, bring positions, which currently remain opposed. closer, with a vie\~ to reaching the agreement we are seeking. That is why we must resume genuine negotiations as soon as possible and address the core of the outstanding issues. The EU firmly believes that the UN Conventions and protocols against terrorism. and their implementation and application, play a fundamental role in the fight against teITorism. The ED calls on all States to consider becoming parties without delay to the existing international conventions and protocols against terrorism. We highly commend the importance assistance provided by UNODC and its Terrorism Prevention Branch in this regard. The conclusion of the Comprehensive Convention would be an important addition to the activities of the UN aimed at combating terrorism. Mr. Chairman, The EU has sided with active multilateralism as a means to counter terrorism and believes that the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy constitutes a valuable instrument against the global threat of terrorism. We congratulate the Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force for its most valuable work and welcome the wide spread support for the Task Force and its institutionalization which led to the adoption by consensus of GA resolution 64/235 at the end oflast year. In the same spirit, we need to take a step forward to adopt the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in order to facilitate legal cooperation on a global level and we remain fmnly committed to achieving consensus on this subject in the UN. As to the issue of convening a high-level UN conference on counter-terrorism, our position remains unchanged. This issue should be tabled following the agreement on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. I thank. you, Mr. Chairman.