United Nations

S/PV.5446
Provisional

Security Council
Sixty-first year meeting Tuesday, 30 May 2006, 10 a.m. New York

5446th

President: Members:

Mr. Ikouebe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Congo) Argentina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Denmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ghana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Greece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Qatar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Russian Federation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Slovakia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . . . . . United Republic of Tanzania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . United States of America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Mayoral Mr. Zhang Yishan Ms. Løj Mr. De La Sablière Mr. Christian Mr. Vassilakis Mr. Oshima Mr. De Rivero Mr. Al-Bader Mr. Churkin Mr. Burian Sir Emyr Jones Parry Mrs. Taj Ms. Wolcott Sanders

Agenda
Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts

This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the interpretation of speeches delivered in the other languages. The final text will be printed in the Official Records of the Security Council. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room C-154A.

06-36518 (E)

*0636518*

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The meeting was called to order at 10.10 a.m. Adoption of the agenda The agenda was adopted. Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts The President (spoke in French): I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Austria, Cuba, Israel, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Ukraine in which they request to be invited to participate in the consideration of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the consideration of the item, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided. At the invitation of the President, the representatives of the aforementioned countries took the seats reserved for them at the side of the Council Chamber. The President (spoke in French): In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council's prior consultations, I shall take it that the Security Council agrees to extend invitations under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Ambassador César Mayoral, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities; Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), concerning counter-terrorism; and Ambassador Peter Burian, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). It is so decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. I wish to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/2006/276, containing the text of a letter dated 4 May 2006 from the Chairman of the

Counter-Terrorism Committee transmitting the Committee's nineteenth 90-day work programme from April to June 2006. At this meeting, we will hear briefings by the Chairmen of the 1267 Committee, the 1373 Committee and the 1540 Committee. I now give the floor to Ambassador César Mayoral, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities. Mr. Mayoral (spoke in Spanish): I am delivering my 120-day briefing to the Council as Chairman of the Committee pursuant to paragraph 16 of resolution 1617 (2005). Since my previous briefing to the Council, four individuals have been added to the list, and the Committee has also approved a number of other changes to the list. The Committee is resolved to improve the quality of the list -- that has been one of my chief concerns since I took over the chairmanship -- and to that end a number of measures have been introduced. With regard to dialogue with States and visits to selected States, between 28 April and 8 May we visited selected countries pursuant to paragraph 15 of resolution 1617 (2005). We visited Qatar, Yemen and Saudi Arabia -- the latter two of which have suffered from attacks by Al-Qaida. All three countries expressed, through their authorities, their commitment to support the work of the Committee and the implementation of relevant sanctions measures. Furthermore, I believe that all three countries have made significant contributions to the fight against AlQaida, which further illustrates their concerted efforts to combat international terrorism. Qatar is actively engaged in the work of the Committee and offers us a clear insight into areas which are of specific concern to Islamic States. The visit to Qatar provided an opportunity for us to learn more about its efforts to counter international terrorism and its desire to work in the Committee to further improve the sanctions regime. Yemen, too, is an important country in the fight against Al-Qaida, given that several individuals on the list are nationals of that country. As the Council knows, a number of listed individuals and entities also come from Saudi Arabia.

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Many governmental officials from all three countries expressed concerns about certain aspects of the Committee's work. One area discussed was the need for greater consultation with relevant States prior to placing any individual on the list. They expressed the view that such consultations would not only improve compliance by Member States but also serve as a way of obtaining sufficient identifiers. Another area addressed concerned Al-Qaida's use of the Internet. Many officials commended the Committee's Monitoring Team for having organized meetings of heads and deputy heads of security and intelligence agencies to discuss that issue and took note of the suggestions that resulted from those meetings. Recently, the Monitoring Team of the Committee submitted a paper on Al-Qaida's use of the Internet, which is currently under consideration in the Committee. In addition, the officials considered Al-Qaida's ideology to be the greatest long-term threat within those countries. In that regard, we also learned about efforts to counter that ideology and to draw a majority of the people away from it. In Saudi Arabia in particular, these efforts were seen as directly linked to attempts to dispel the preconceived notions existing in some Western media that identify Islam with terrorism. Needless to say, we fully agree that there is a need to fight such prejudice, and I invited the Saudi authorities to brief the Committee directly about that project. Since my most recent briefing to the Council, the members of the Monitoring Team have visited Africa, Asia and Europe to discuss issues related to the effective implementation of the sanctions regime. An expert member of the Team also accompanied me on my recent trip to Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and the Team has participated in further meetings of chiefs and assistant chiefs of security and intelligence services from a group of Islamic countries. Recently, the Monitoring Team held a meeting with chiefs of security and intelligence services from the region to address the specific threat posed by Al-Qaida-related groups in Somalia and the problem of effective implementation of the sanctions regime. On 30 March, the Committee issued a press release in which it recalled paragraph 14 of resolution 1617 (2005) and invited States to send representatives to discuss relevant issues with the Committee in greater depth. Upon approval by the Committee, representatives of Germany, Sweden and Switzerland

attended the Committee meeting held on 15 May to present the joint efforts of the three Governments to increase the effectiveness of the sanctions. Their efforts are based on a paper written by the Watson Institute for International Studies. The three Governments' representatives referred to that document and emphasized the legal and political difficulties -- including listing and delisting procedures -- posed by sanctions targeting individuals. That presentation and the subsequent discussion were useful for the Committee, particularly as it is preparing to consider revising its listing and delisting guidelines and procedures. The presentation also enabled the Committee to become informed about certain problems that States may experience when dealing with sanctions-related issues, particularly in the absence of transparent procedures. The Committee continues to place great emphasis on improving the transparency of its work, which includes stepping up the dialogue between the Committee and Member States. That effort is reflected in, inter alia, the notes verbales sent to States on 25 April. The first note (SCA/2/06(9)), recalling resolution 1452 (2002), specifically reminded States of the exceptions provided for in the sanctions regime, particularly with regard to the freezing of assets. It emphasized that States can release funds -- even for basic needs -- only if they previously inform the Committee of their intention to do so. Another note (SCA/2/06(8)) clarified the Committee's procedures concerning deceased individuals whose names appear on the Consolidated List. With regard to requests for the delisting of such persons, the Committee decided that it would consider such requests by States on a case-by-case basis; the requesting State should send to the Committee the name of the deceased person on the List, together with a statement of case justifying the delisting request. That will usually require a death certificate or a similar official document confirming the death. Furthermore, the Committee considered it important to stress that the requesting State should also determine whether any legal beneficiary of the deceased person's estate, or any joint owner of his or her assets, also appears on the Consolidated List and to inform the Committee accordingly. The clarifications provided in both notes are an example of the Committee's determination to address issues that Member States have identified as important for improving their implementation efforts.

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For several weeks, the Committee has considered the recommendations contained in the fourth report of the Monitoring Team (S/2006/154), and it will soon submit a report to the Security Council on its position regarding them. Consideration of the Team's recommendations always gives the Committee an opportunity to think about how to further improve the sanctions regime. The Monitoring Team continues to provide professional assistance to the Committee in the form of effective support for the monitoring of sanctions implementation. The Team has presented various proposals to the Committee on issues related to the Committee's current work on its guidelines and has suggested further improvements to the Consolidated List and to the Committee's website, which are now under consideration. Following the submission of its fourth report to the Committee, in accordance with the provisions of annex 1 (c) of resolution 1617 (2005), the Monitoring Team has contributed to and participated in all the Committee's discussions on the 38 recommendations contained in the report. Here, I wish to clarify that the Monitoring Team has cooperated very closely with me throughout this period. Its work is very important, and I believe that all members of the Committee value that work. At the same time, at the Committee's request, the Monitoring Team has been compiling the checklists submitted by States in accordance with paragraph 10 of resolution 1617 (2005) and will be presenting its preliminary analysis to the Committee. I wish to clarify that six checklists have been submitted to date. Finally, in conformity with annex 1 (c) of resolution 1617 (2005), the Monitoring Team must submit its fifth report to the Committee by 31 July 2006 at the latest. It must also help the Committee to prepare an updated written assessment of the steps taken by States to implement the sanctions measures described in paragraph 1 of resolution 1617 (2005), also by 31 July 2006. The Team has continued to strengthen its links with international and regional bodies by enhancing its productive relationship with Interpol and by establishing new areas of cooperation with the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other relevant United Nations bodies, in coordination with the efforts of the Counter-Terrorism

Executive Directorate. The Team has also continued to coordinate its travel plans with the Directorate, and in April this year a member of the Team participated in a Counter-Terrorism Working Group conference with the Directorate and the group of experts of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). The Monitoring Team has also continued to work closely with the Executive Directorate and the experts supporting the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), to examine ways to assist the 31 States that tend to be late in reporting, or that do not report at all, to the three Committees. At the same time, the Team has made some proposals, which are currently under consideration by the Committee, on how to assist the 44 States that have not yet submitted to the Committee their reports under resolution 1455 (2003). At the Committee's request, the Team has also provided significant assistance to the Government of Afghanistan to ensure that its national reconciliation programme takes full account of the sanctions regime against former senior members of the Taliban. The Team has continued to work with the Government of Afghanistan with regard to requests for the exclusion of members of the Taliban from the consolidated list. With regard to the future work of the Committee and the Monitoring Team and emerging challenges, the Committee will focus its work in the immediate future on the following activities. First, in the context of revising its guidelines, the Committee will take up the matter of its procedures for the listing and delisting of names. That will be a very difficult and arduous task for the Committee, but it is nevertheless a very important one. The Committee is aware of the great expectations that have emerged on the part of States with regard to the revision of procedures. Some of the Member States on the Committee have already received some ideas, and those will be discussed in June. At the same time, the Committee would like to believe that the revised listing and delisting procedures will certainly benefit implementation measures taken by States. Secondly, with regard to further improving the quality of the list, the consolidated list plays a very important deterrent role, despite its current imperfections. Nevertheless, its completeness and accuracy are essential for the success of established sanctions measures. We therefore encourage all

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Member States to submit the names of individuals and entities that should be included on the list as a result of their association with Al-Qaida and the Taliban. For its part, the Committee should consider without delay the best way to assist States in their implementation efforts in cases when the identity of an individual is not certain due to the lack of sufficient identifying information on the list. Thirdly, the Committee will focus on completing its consideration of the recommendations contained in the fourth report of the Monitoring Team and will submit to the Security Council a report reflecting the Committee's position in that regard. Fourthly, the Committee will review the report expected from the Monitoring Team regarding the checklist referred to in annex II of resolution 1617 (2005). The checklist is a newly introduced tool to monitor adherence to sanctions on the part of States. Its effectiveness has not yet been ascertained. The Committee will also continue to discuss, in cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the 1540 Committee, how to enhance cooperation, including as regards Committee reports. The Committee has before it various issues of great complexity and urgency. The Committee's agenda also continues to grow, which has required it to revisit certain matters several times in order to ensure that there is no omission. As Chairman of the Committee, I would like to assure everyone here that I will spare no effort to intensify the work of the Committee in order to make as much progress as possible in our work. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate the Committee's determination to make further progress in our work. I would therefore like to encourage the members of the Committee to continue to take a proactive and creative approach to our responsibilities. I would also like to repeat my invitation to Member States to benefit from the opportunity provided by resolution 1617 (2005) and to send representatives to the Committee to discuss in greater depth matters relating to sanctions. As stated by the SecretaryGeneral in his recent report on a global counterterrorism strategy, we can only combat the threat of terrorism successfully when we are unified and persistent in our efforts. Before I conclude, I would like publicly to thank the authorities of Qatar, Yemen and Saudi Arabia for

their kindness to me and the members of the Committee and the Monitoring Team who visited those countries. The President (spoke in French): I thank Ambassador Mayoral for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj, Chairperson of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), concerning counter-terrorism. Ms. Løj: As Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), I would like to review the Committee's activities since the Committee's last report to the Council, in February 2006. I will inform the Council about the Committee's nineteenth work programme, for the current three-month period ending 30 June 2006. Before I begin, I would like to thank the head of the Committee's Executive Directorate (CTED), Mr. Javier Rupérez, and his team, as well as the Secretariat staff, for their valuable support. Based on the recommendations from the Council's comprehensive review of the CTC Executive Directorate last December, the Committee decided to focus its work for the first part of this year on three areas, namely, on how to revise the reporting regime, how to enhance dialogue with Member States in need of technical assistance, and how to deepen the Committee's relations with international, regional and subregional organizations. I would like to give the Council an update on the progress we have made on those issues, and to explain what the Committee sees as the main upcoming challenges. First, with regard to the reporting regime, many States have, on various occasions, raised the issue of "reporting fatigue". The seemingly endless requests to report to the Council on counter-terrorism -- which, to be fair, come mostly from the CTC -- have led States to ask what the purpose of reporting is. The point has been made that the extensive requests to report have taken away essential resources that could otherwise have been spent on implementation. In that regard, the Committee will also continue to discuss, in cooperation with the 1540 and the 1267 Committees, how to enhance cooperation, including with regard to reporting. But let me point out that, while I do understand those concerns, the many reports that the CTC has received from States have created a solid

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foundation for the Committee's ability to advice and assist States in their implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). Without reports, therefore, we cannot do our work. That having been said, the Committee also recognizes the need to look into revising the reporting regime. As a first step, the Committee has decided to base its discussions on a thorough analysis of individual States' accomplishments in the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). To that end, the Committee has adopted an analytical tool -- the socalled preliminary implementation assessment -- that provides a systematic and transparent way to monitor the extent to which States have implemented the obligations and provisions laid down in resolution 1373 (2001). It is the Committee's hope that such a systematic overview will deepen the Committee's discussions on how best to advise and assist States in implementation, including if States do not yet meet the requirements of resolution 1373 (2001). That analytical tool is still being tested. However, it is my hope that, once we have gained some experience with it, the Committee can use that tool as a basis for improving our dialogue with States on setting priorities for their respective ways forward, including areas where there are needs for assistance. While the introduction of that tool should ease the reporting burden on States, States will regularly have to update the Committee on developments in their implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). In those cases in which the Committee finds that the most efficient way to get such information is through reporting, then such reports will be solicited, but I can assure the Council that the Committee will continue to seek ways to ease the reporting burden on States and to allow more resources to go towards enhancing implementation. Before I move on, I would also like to mention that the Committee has again contacted all States which are behind in their reporting to the Committee. I hope that those States will take some comfort in the Committee's updated working methods and that they will re-establish dialogue with the Committee. I would also urge States that might need assistance in preparing the report to let us know. Without a report, it is not possible for the Committee to identify priorities for further implementation, including possible needs for

assistance, or to play a facilitating role in ensuring that such needs are filled. CTC's continuing visits to Member States, upon their consent, remain an important tool in our work. We continue to enhance our cooperation with the G8led Counter-Terrorism Action Group. Since I last reported to the Council, CTED has visited the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. I would like to express the Committee's gratitude to the Government in Skopje for its hospitality and spirit of cooperation. Also, the Committee has approved more country visits, and CTED is currently working with the States concerned regarding the preparations. I would like to thank those Governments for welcoming us. It is the Committee's hope and intention that those visits will prove helpful to States that are already engaged in the fight against terrorism. A key to success continues to be thorough follow-up to the visits. During the past months, the Committee has taken stock of the first visits and discussed what more can be done to ensure that the visits lead to concrete, measurable results. I have already touched upon some aspects of the Committee's ongoing work to facilitate technical assistance. As I informed the Council at the last briefing, the Committee has prepared policy guidance and adopted CTED's implementation plan in that regard. CTED, in turn, is now working on creating results through fulfilling the implementation plan. The Committee looks forward to hearing from CTED that the efforts have led to concrete, measurable outcomes. In the meantime, the Committee appreciates CTED's outreach to potential donors to establish who would be willing and interested in providing assistance, and in which area. Besides discussions with potential donors in New York, the practice has also been established of CTED's meeting with potential donors specifically in connection with visits to States. I would like to encourage all potential donors to engage with CTED on those issues. The Committee will continue to discuss what more can be done to strengthen cooperation with donors, including through organizing an informal meeting with donors and assistance providers. As I mentioned at the beginning of my briefing, the Committee is also looking into how to strengthen cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations. First of all, the Committee

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has begun efforts to strengthen its relationship with several African regional and subregional organizations, as well as with the Caribbean Community. We have also embarked on preparations for the next and fifth special meeting of CTC with international, regional and subregional organizations. The goal is to ensure that the meeting will be results-oriented. Also, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Pacific Island Forum for inviting me to participate in the recent meeting of its working group on counter-terrorism, which took place in Auckland, New Zealand, at the end of April. It was very interesting for me to hear the participants explain the successes and challenges they had encountered in implementing resolution 1373 (2001). I was impressed to learn how much those States -- many of them among the smallest Members of the United Nations -- have accomplished in recent years in their fight against terrorism. While many of those States are behind on reporting to the Committee, that has certainly not led to a halt in implementation. With the help of donors, the region is now making a concerted effort to ensure that most of the Pacific Island Forum members bring their reporting to the Committee up to date before too long. That type of regional cooperation is very fruitful and I hope that other regions can be inspired by such cooperation, but I would also like to stress the corresponding commitment made on behalf of the Committee to the Pacific States that, if they update on reporting, the CTC will use that information to assist them in identifying priorities in their implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and to facilitate assistance in areas where we have mutually agreed that there are such needs. The Committee counts on the cooperation of potential donors to achieve those results. The Committee is continuing its discussions on how to take into account, in the course of its activities, the fact that States must ensure that any measure taken to combat terrorism complies with all their obligations under international law, and that States should adopt such measures in accordance with international law, in particular human rights law, refugee law and humanitarian law. I would like to inform the Council that the Committee has now agreed on guidance for CTED in that regard. Before I conclude, let me take stock of the challenges ahead for the Committee.

First of all, the Committee will spend some time testing its newly-developed analytical tool, both in and of itself and as a basis for enhanced dialogue with States on implementation. The goal is twofold -- first, to ensure systematic, transparent and effective monitoring of States' implementation of resolution 1373 (2001), leading to the targeted and prioritized enhancement of States' implementation of the obligations and provisions in the resolution; and secondly, to ensure that requests for further reporting will be targeted, with a view to easing the reporting burden on States. Secondly, the Committee will continue to discuss how the visits to States can be more results-oriented, including through the design of a thorough follow-up process. Thirdly, the Committee will continue its discussions on how to ensure that we achieve concrete, measurable results through the facilitation of assistance, leading to results in enhanced implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). Finally, the Committee will begin its analysis of States' reporting on resolution 1624 (2005) in light of the requirement to report to the Council within a year of the adoption of that resolution -- in other words, by 14 September 2006. I encourage all States that have not yet submitted a report on their 1624 implementation to do so as soon as possible in order to ensure that the analysis provided to the Security Council is based on as extensive reporting as possible. The implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) remains crucial in the international community's fight against terrorism. Developments since I reported last have shown once again that the Committee's main task remains vital and urgent. Support from and cooperation with Member States remains invaluable. I would therefore like to thank Member States for their important contribution. That concludes my statement in my capacity as Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. I would now like to make the following statement in my national capacity. As members know, the Chairmen of the three counter-terrorism committees rarely speak in their national capacities at these briefings. I choose to do so today to reiterate a point which is very important to Denmark: the question of due process guarantees in the

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1267 Committee. Before I proceed, however, I would like to fully associate Denmark with the statement of the European Union to be delivered shortly by the representative of Austria. In the fight against terrorism we often get the sense that we are walking on a razor's edge to strike the right balance between preventive and swift action against terrorists and adequate safeguards for the individual, not least for those unjustly targeted. Getting this balance right strengthens the legitimacy of the sanctions regime and thereby, in the view of Denmark, its efficiency. The Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions regime remains as important as ever in the international fight against terrorism. But on various occasions States have expressed concern that it does not meet fundamental due process standards, thus indicating that the Council may not be getting the razor's edge balance exactly right. This issue demands the immediate attention of all members of the Security Council. In the view of Denmark, the Council could strike a better balance by taking a close look at both its listing and delisting procedures. Denmark has focused particularly on delisting. We presented a proposal in the 1267 Committee last year to establish an independent review mechanism -- an ombudsman -- to which individuals and entities on the Committee's list would have direct access. When petitioned, or on its own initiative, this mechanism would make independent recommendations to the Committee for its consideration. As is the case today, the Security Council will maintain its prerogative to decide on any delisting. At the same time, our proposal will provide listed individuals and entities with the right to access the mechanism directly, without a State as an intermediary. It would also provide for a review independent of the Committee. Denmark very much looks for forward to discussing this and other interesting proposals in the 1267 Committee shortly, and we are ready to engage constructively in order to try to live up to the Chairman's expressed wishes for early results. The President (spoke in French): I thank Ambassador Løj for her briefing as Chairman of the 1373 Committee.

I now give the floor to Ambassador Peter Burian, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). Mr. Burian: I have the honour to brief the Security Council on the most recent activities undertaken by the 1540 Committee and to outline its future efforts to promote compliance by all States with resolution 1540 (2004) through the achievement of the implementation of its requirements. As members are aware, on 27 April, the Security Council examined the report of the Committee which addressed the status of implementation of resolution 1540 as of April 2006. The same day, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 1673 (2006) and emphasized the importance of all States fully implementing resolution 1540 (2004). With resolution 1540 (2004), the Security Council adopted the first international instrument which deals with weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and related materials in an integrated and comprehensive manner. The main objective of the resolution is to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and related materials, and to deter non-State actors from gaining access to such items and from illicit trafficking in them. It establishes binding obligations for all States regarding non-proliferation and is aimed at preventing and deterring illicit access to such weapons, their means of delivery and weapon-related materials. The resolution requests all States to report on measures they have taken or intend to take to implement their obligations under the resolution. Continuous monitoring of and support for the efforts of all States to fully implement the provisions of the resolution require a lasting effort by the Council. It therefore decided to extend the mandate of the Committee for a period of two years, until 27 April 2008. It also decided that the Committee shall intensify its efforts to promote the full implementation by all States of resolution 1540 (2004) through a work programme which shall include the compilation of information on the status of States' implementation of all aspects of resolution 1540 (2004): outreach, dialogue, assistance and cooperation. The Council also decided that the Committee's work programme shall address, in particular, all aspects of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of resolution 1540 (2004).

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As of 30 May 2006, 129 States Members of the United Nations and one organization have submitted first national reports to the Committee; 62 Member States have yet to submit their first report. In response to the examination of the first national reports by the Committee, 83 States provided additional information. Facilitation of reporting and conduct of outreach activities to promote States' reporting and implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) will remain among the top priorities of our future work. With respect to reporting, the Committee intends to approach again all United Nations Member States that have yet to submit a first report. Based on its previous experience of examining national reports submitted by States, the Committee decided to assist the national authorities of those States in the preparation of a first report on the implementation of the resolution. I will also continue the practice of reaching out to the members of all regional groups in New York to discuss issues relating to reporting as well as implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) generally. The Committee, with the support of Member States and the United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs, will continue its other outreach activities to promote States' implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), consistent with resolution 1673 (2006). Three regional seminars aimed at raising awareness about proliferation problems worldwide, facilitating further reporting and advancing the implementation process will be organized in the second part of this year in China, Ghana and Peru. Within existing resources, the Committee also will continue its practice of informing organizations outside the United Nations about its work at relevant meetings and conferences. I will make full use of these opportunities to address, in particular, issues of reporting and implementation. As part of the Committee's efforts to promote information-sharing concerning States' implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), I am also pleased to announce that on 19 May 2006, the Committee decided to publish a legislative database on its official website. This database contains links to public sources of relevant information about national legislative and other regulatory measures of States which have submitted reports on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). The Committee developed the database to provide additional information on laws, regulations and other measures related to States' implementation of

resolution 1540 (2004) and to facilitate the exchange of information on the implementation efforts of States. The Committee will regularly update the database. It will encourage States to make appropriate use of the background information provided through the database, as well as of legislative advice provided by international organizations, when enacting national implementation laws and measures. The Committee will interact and cooperate with relevant international, regional and subregional organizations in order to facilitate the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). The 1540 Committee will maintain close cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the 1267 Committee. The Committee's experts will continue to work closely with their colleagues, making every effort to maximize synergies between and among the experts of the three Committees. As part of those efforts, the Committee's experts have been working with the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the 1267 Committee Monitoring Team to develop proposals for improving reporting and addressing the problem of late submission of reports in a coordinated manner. We also are making use of country visits by the CTC and the 1267 Committee in order to raise the issue of reporting. The Committee, through its experts, will continue to act as a clearing house on assistance, including by collecting up-to-date information on the issue and by informally contacting States to inquire whether they might be interested in receiving information on offers and requests for assistance. In its future work on the examination of national reports, the Committee, through its experts, will identify national practices in implementing resolution 1540 (2004) that might be used in providing further general and specific guidance, upon request, to States seeking legislative assistance in implementing the resolution. The Committee will also invite those States that offer assistance and those that request assistance to take a proactive approach on a bilateral basis, including making use of offers by international organizations, in order to contribute to capacitybuilding. In this regard, the Committee looks forward to the results of the donor conference on assistance for the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), which will be organized by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in Geneva on 6 and 7 June 2006.

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A draft programme of work, which will cover a 12-month period, is currently under consideration by Committee members. The programme will be based on the provisions of resolution 1540 (2004) and resolution 1673 (2006). It also will reflect the recommendations contained in the Committee's report to the Council of 25 April 2006 (S/2006/257). On behalf of the Committee, I look forward to the cooperation of all States as the Committee goes forward with its future work. The President (spoke in French): I thank Ambassador Burian for his briefing. I now give the floor to Council members who wish to make statements. Mr. Vassilakis (Greece): We thank the Chairmen of the three counter-terrorism Committees for their informative briefings today. Such briefings give the wider United Nations membership the opportunity to be informed and updated on the efforts made by the three Committees to build on the effectiveness of the United Nations system of targeted sanctions, counterterrorism and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Greece associates itself with the statement to be made later on behalf of the European Union by the Permanent Representative of Austria. The fight against terrorism remains vitally important, as terrorism is one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, as well as to the security of our citizens and our societies. This is obvious in the light of the many devastating terrorist attacks worldwide that have inflicted mass casualties involving thousands of people. The scale of destruction, however, would be much worse if terrorists succeeded in getting access to weapons of mass destruction. This means that terrorism can be effectively defeated only through a global response, with the United Nations playing a leading role, and through the adoption of a comprehensive and action-oriented counter-terrorism strategy. In this respect, we support the Secretary-General's report of 27 April 2006 (A/60/825), which is centred on elements and recommendations that can assist the United Nations in addressing and confronting the phenomenon of terrorism in a more effective and coordinated manner.

What is also frightening about terrorism is not only that it poses a threat against our lives, but that it also undermines the very values and principles on which our societies are founded: freedom, democracy and the rule of law. That is why we need to fight and defeat terrorism -- without, however, compromising our values and principles. We must ensure that counterterrorism measures are in conformity with international law, including human rights, international humanitarian and refugee law. The sanctions regime established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1267 (1999) remains a critical tool in the fight against terrorism. We welcome the continuous efforts of the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee to bring further improvements to this regime, and particularly to its Consolidated List and to its guidelines on issues related to listing and delisting procedures. The recommendations put forward by the Monitoring Team in its fourth report (S/2006/154, enclosure) provide valuable assistance and guidance to the Committee, and we support their early adoption. We believe, however, that the Committee should further address concerns regarding the need to establish procedural fairness and an effective remedy within the current system of listing and delisting procedures. The establishment of such fair and clear procedures will, in our view, enhance the effectiveness and credibility of sanctions and will reduce their negative effects on innocent individuals. As regards the issue of procedural fairness, we are of the view that targeted individuals and entities should be notified of their listing and should be allowed to have direct access to the Committee's delisting procedures. Likewise, we believe that a review mechanism should be in place in order to consider delisting requests in case of wrongful application of a targeted sanction. In that respect, we welcome the initiatives taken by Denmark and France, each aimed at addressing, respectively, the two aspects of that problem. Likewise, we commend Germany, Sweden and Switzerland for sponsoring the recent academic study of the Watson Institute on strengthening targeted sanctions through fair and clear procedures, which we see as a new process regarding the improvement of targeted sanctions and their implementation. The paper contains

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useful suggestions that should be thoroughly studied by the sanctions Committee. We commend the work carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and its Executive Directorate (CTED), and we fully support the three areas in which the Committee has decided to focus its future activities. The revision of the reporting system, the enhancement of the dialogue with Member States and the deepening of cooperation with international and regional organizations are key elements for better implementation of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). Making visits to Member States is another important tool of effective monitoring and, if properly used, can be of great help in that respect. We attach great importance to proper follow-up to these visits. We also support the Committee's efforts to facilitate and coordinate the provision of technical assistance to Member States. Lastly, we welcome the recent adoption by the Committee of policy guidance for the CTED on how the Directorate should take into account human rights concerns in the course of its activities. We expect that the CTED will continue to effectively implement these guidelines in its day-to-day interaction with Member States. We are certain that these measures will enhance the counter-terrorism policy of the sanctions Committees. Greece firmly supports the work carried out by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), given the seriousness of the threat that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and related material poses to humankind. The recent adoption of resolution 1673 (2006), which extends the mandate of the Committee for another period of two years, is a positive development that will enable the Council to focus on the full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in all its aspects. In that respect, we urge States which have not submitted their reports to do so, in order to allow the Committee to carry out its most demanding task. Finally, I would like to stress the importance of facilitating the provision of technical assistance to States which lack the capacity to fulfil their obligations under resolution 1540 (2004). Sir Emyr Jones Parry (United Kingdom): I should like to start by thanking the three Committee

Chairmen for their detailed briefings and for their and their Committees' work throughout the year. I should like also to thank the experts and staff members who support the Committees. I wish also to associate myself with the comments to be made later by the representative of Austria on behalf of the European Union. Terrorism continues to constitute one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. Substantial progress has been made on the counterterrorism agenda over recent years, but the international community must continue to stand together and to do more. Only by helping all States to strengthen their capacity to tackle terrorism can we hope to succeed in the medium and the longer term. Let me begin with the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), whose work is an essential element in the international non-proliferation effort. The analysis provided in the recent report is particularly useful, and we welcome the recent extension of the Committee's mandate, as set out in resolution 1673 (2006). The work of the Committee so far has been a major achievement, but, as we have heard, there is still a great deal to do. We particularly welcome the chance for the Committee to tackle the issue of outreach. The Committee has an essential role to play in promoting bilateral and multilateral assistance programmes both between States and with international and regional organizations. That will allow individual States to develop effective action plans and to learn from good practice. It will increase access to technical assistance and will ultimately steer all States towards achieving full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). I should like to move on to the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC). Following the Council's recommendations last December, the United Kingdom welcomes the development and use of new analytical tools which allow States and the Committee to move away from the never-ending reporting cycle and shift to a tailored dialogue. Those tools also allow for consistency in analysis. We also value the country visits made by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and attach great importance to timely and accurate follow-up to those visits. The Committee will be judged by the concrete results that derive from all those visits.

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The United Kingdom particularly supports a strong focus on technical assistance. The issue has been under discussion for some time, and there is now an opportunity to move more quickly. Thus, we look forward to seeing substantial results in the form of the assistance delivered and the resulting improvement in the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). Assistance is critical to the success of counterterrorism efforts. We need to be more consistent in agreeing on what is needed, more aware about what is already being provided, and more coherent and committed in how we get assistance delivered. Now let me say a few words about the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee, established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999). The very productive programme of visits, particularly by the Monitoring Team, and the efforts with the Government of Afghanistan are very encouraging. The United Kingdom fully supports the reconciliation process in Afghanistan, and we hope that the Committee will do all it can to aid that process. We encourage the Committee to maintain and increase its progress on listing and delisting. This is an important issue whose resolution is overdue, and which last year's world summit asked us to address. Now we must make rapid progress on it. The recent paper by the Watson Institute for International Studies should help inform the Committee's discussions. We also look forward to hearing the Committee's views on the recommendations contained in the fourth report of the Monitoring Team. We should like also to urge States to submit their checklists to the Committee, as called for in resolution 1617 (2005). The focus should be on the quality of each list, ensuring that the Committee and Member States have as much information as possible. We look forward to the continued coordination of work and close cooperation among the three Committees. We remain committed to working on the issue of reporting to make sure we have the right balance in the reporting requirements of the Committees and the consequent burden on States. At the most recent open briefing to the Council (see S/PV.5375), we expressed our desire to encourage other States to submit information requested under resolution 1624 (2005) concerning incitement, by taking a proactive approach and voluntarily submitting information. The United Kingdom, for its part, submitted its reply to the CTC earlier this month. We

should like to call on all other States to do the same without delay. That will allow the CTC to have the basis for the best possible information to report to the Council in September, as called for in that resolution. The issue of incitement to terrorism remains a central one for the British Government; we must take steps to tackle it. The United Kingdom legislative programme for preventing terrorism and pursuing terrorists and those who support terrorist organization has been under review, not least on that issue of incitement. Most notable among the new legislation is the Terrorism Act 2006, which contains a comprehensive package of measures designed to ensure that the police, intelligence agencies and courts all have the tools they require to tackle terrorism and bring perpetrators to justice. There has been much discussion in recent weeks of the Secretary-General's proposal for a counterterrorism strategy for the United Nations. The United Kingdom wholly and wholeheartedly supports the Secretary-General's idea. Its operational focus is exactly right, and it sends a strong message that terrorism can never be justified, no matter what the context. We also welcome its pragmatic approach and its focus on capacity-building and on maintaining counter-terrorism work throughout the United Nations system. We welcome particularly the fact that the whole United Nations membership is engaged in this discussion of how to tackle a threat which aims to undermine the values and principles of the Organization, and we hope that the membership will all be able to come together and quickly agree on a strong strategy building on the areas in which we are all able to reach agreement. International terrorism has been and will continue to be a grave problem for the global community. The best way to tackle it is together. That requires a real commitment from us all: in the Security Council and outside it. Mrs. Taj (United Republic of Tanzania): We thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this debate, and we appreciate the work of the three Committees. We are grateful to Ambassador Mayoral, Ambassador Løj and Ambassador Burian for their well articulated briefings. My delegation is pleased to see a well coordinated modus operandi and interconnectedness and complementarities among the three Committees.

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We note in particular that the Monitoring Team of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the panel of experts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) are pursuing a common approach on reporting to Member States. The Committees have found ways to minimize travel costs by arranging joint trips to Africa, Asia and Europe and have been jointly considering the sanctions regimes and effective measures for their implementation. At the same time they have been helping reporting and non-reporting States, coordinating technical assistance to States and addressing issues that Member States have identified as important for their implementation efforts. The visit to my country by the CTED delegation, led by Mr. Javier Rupérez, from 13 to 17 February, is a case in point. The delegation was composed of a 1267 Committee member and representatives from other relevant international organizations, which included Interpol, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Maritime Organization. The CTED had useful discussions with Tanzanian stakeholders on how best to implement resolution 1373 (2001), including through enhanced reporting obligations for other Committees and exchange of information on international terrorism. Tanzania is encouraged by the report on how the Committees intend to work with relevant international and regional organizations with a view to helping Member States in discharging their responsibilities under other resolutions, namely, resolutions 1455 (2003), 1540 (2004) and 1624 (2005). We highly commend the CTC's comprehensive technical assistance implementation plan, the 1267 Committee's partnership in sanctions implementation and the decision by the 1540 Committee to publish on its website a legislative database. We believe that the efforts made by those Committees will improve the capacity of Member States in the implementation of resolutions 1267 (1999), 1540 (2004) and 1373 (2001). Regarding the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee, my delegation wishes to commend the Committee for courageously embarking on the process of addressing the thorny issue of listing and delisting through the revision of the Committee's guidelines. Of equal importance and concern is the lack of adequate identifiers on the Consolidated List. There is

a need to expedite the ongoing exercise of refining the list. Tanzania is committed to implementing all relevant resolutions, with the help of the partners and friends of the United Nations. We fully recognize the exemplary work and professionalism displayed by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which has developed a database for documents and information. We were gratified by the useful interventions made by the Governments of Sweden, Germany and Switzerland during the 1267 Committee meeting with a view to improving the quality of the Committee's Consolidated List. The Committee benefited as a result of the combined efforts to make the targeted sanctions more effective. We recognize the important coordination role played by the 1540 Committee in preventing the acquisition by non-State actors of weapons of mass destruction or related materials and their means of delivery. The Committee's coordination with the CTC and the 1267 Committee should be highly commended. The Committee should be encouraged in its plan to use its expertise and, in collaboration with the CTC and the 1267 Committee, to act as a clearing house, contacting Member States in need of information and inviting States offering assistance and those needing it to take a proactive approach, on a bilateral basis or through international and regional organizations, in order to contribute to capacity-building. In this context, the Committee should strive to increase States' awareness of the availability of such bilateral and international assistance facilities, in the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Mr. Al-Bader (Qatar) (spoke in Arabic): I should like at the outset to express my thanks to Ambassador Mayoral, Ambassador Løj and Ambassador Burian for their briefings on the activities of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004). Those Committees play an important role in our efforts to combat terrorism. There is a need for cooperation between the AlQaida and Taliban sanctions Committee and Member States -- hence the visit organized by the Committee to my country, during which the Chairman was able to hear Doha's views about the Committee's work and the need to continue to implement its activities, which are

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of the utmost importance to Qatar. The Committee also examined the various legislative and legal measures that are in place in Qatar aimed at combating terrorism in a firm and realistic manner through the rule of law, the promotion of democracy and full respect for human rights, as well as domestic legislation to combat terrorism. Sanctions remain an important tool for the Security Council, but we understand that there is a need to move from comprehensive sanctions to targeted sanctions. However, such sanctions must be imposed with a view to achieving a clear objective. They must be implemented objectively, effectively and in a balanced number. Some believe that the imposition of sanctions is a political tool of the Security Council. However, we must be clear in stating that the imposition of sanctions is also a legal tool; the Security Council must take into consideration both the legal aspect and human rights, which must not be violated. More than 50 States have pointed out the need for the Committee to ensure legality and transparency when listing or delisting names. At the moment, many cases are being put forward by individuals on the Committee's list and by domestic courts alleging that the United Nations is violating human rights in listing names. In this regard, my delegation would like to stress once again the need for checks and balances when including the names of individuals and entities on the list. Our methods must be effective and accountable. Implementation must be monitored and sanctions must be transparent. The listing and delisting of individuals and entities must be fair and transparent. Sanctions must also be implemented in an accountable manner. Radicalism must be combated in a number of ways, most importantly by creating societies that are free from and extremism and hatred of others. We should recall that resolution 1624 (2005) stresses the continuing need for international efforts to promote dialogue and wider horizons for cooperation between societies in order to prevent hatred of others. We also recall the international appeal for a dialogue among civilizations and for coexistence among peoples, as well as the need to prevent extremism. We call on the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) once again to take up that issue very firmly and to call on States not to distort religion.

The most important aspect of the fight against terrorism is the defence of human rights. States must ensure that any measures they take to combat terrorism conform with their obligations under international law in that regard. In the fight against terrorism, specific rights cannot be restricted under any circumstances or at any time. We believe that the United Nations should have a comprehensive strategy to ensure respect for human rights in the fight against terrorism. My delegation shares the positive view of the progress being made in the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). We believe that the Committee must continue to consider the reports submitted by States. My delegation welcomes the fact that many States have submitted national reports. We call upon non-reporting States to do so now, and we call upon the Committee to provide the technical assistance requested by States to make further progress against the threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). The Committee must proceed cautiously in ensuring the non-proliferation of WMDs by State or non-State actors. At the same time, non-proliferation measures cannot be selective. Finally, I call upon all three Committees to coordinate and cooperate closely with a view to achieving the greatest possible effectiveness in the fight against terrorism. Mr. Oshima (Japan): Allow me to express my deepest sympathy and condolences to the Government and the people of Indonesia as well as to the families of those who were killed or injured in the devastating earthquake which hit the southern coast of Java on 27 May. I thank the respective Chairs of the three counterterrorism-related Committees for their briefings this morning, in which they detailed progress being made and challenges ahead. We found the briefings to be very informative and useful. In expressing our thanks to the three ambassadors, Ellen Løj, César Mayoral and Peter Burian, let me also state that we welcome the resumed practice of ad hoc briefings by the Committees to inform Member States of their activities on a more frequent basis. We also highly appreciate the excellent and dedicated work of the members of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), the experts on the Monitoring Team of the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee, the experts on the 1540 Committee and the Secretariat.

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Today's meeting offers an opportunity for Council members not only to be briefed on the progress made in the work of the three Committees, but also to hear the views of Member States on that work. This is important because, in the ongoing debate in the General Assembly on a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy, comments and opinions have been expressed by Member States about the manner in which the three Security Council Committees do their work. It is also relevant in the context of the currently debated mandates review and of the follow-up to the 2005 World Summit Outcome (resolution 60/1). One of the areas in which rationalization will be required in the work of the Committees -- and about which many States have voiced concerns -- relates to the easing of the reporting burdens on some Member States. While emphasizing that reporting by Member States is of central importance for the effective work of the Committees, the three Chairs expressed their understanding of the need to take action on the problem of the burdens arising from reporting obligations. Japan supports consideration by the Council of the possibility of consolidating reports to the greatest extent possible to ease that burden where necessary. For those non-reporting States that have the will but lack the capacity to prepare reports, it is necessary to consider the possible provision of assistance. We appreciate, in that regard, the efforts by Ambassador Løj and Ambassador Mayoral to hold dialogue with several regional groups, including the Pacific Islands Forum and members of the Caribbean Community. We also encourage the expert groups of the three Committees in their efforts to consolidate the questions addressed in a single questionnaire. We hope that such a questionnaire will be agreed and put into practice as swiftly as possible. Another rationalization measure worth undertaking would be to consolidate Committee visits to Member States, although the manner in which such visits should be consolidated would obviously require careful consideration, and in some cases adjustment, given the fact that all of the Committees have related but distinct purposes derived from their respective mandates. It seems to us that there is ample room for the coordination and consolidation of visits. We believe that, among the three Committees, the Counter-

Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the Al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee in particular should be encouraged to coordinate the timing of their visits so that they can be conducted jointly, while respecting the requests of States to be visited. Such a step would also enhance the effectiveness of the dialogue with State authorities and improve the gathering and sharing of information. At the same time, we understand that there may be cases in which separate visits will be necessary. When individual visits are required, it is indispensable to share with the other Committees the outcome of those visits so that the findings are fully utilized. Such considerations aimed at rationalizing visits would not only help relieve the burden of the visited States, but also create the kind of enhanced cooperative relationship between the Committees and the visited States that we hope to see. The CTED's responsibility to identify the specific assistance needs of States on the basis of information obtained through State reports and State visits continues to be one of its important duties. To that end, we expect that the development of closer cooperation between the Directorate and the Group of Eight's Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG) will be achieved through such efforts as participation in local CTAG meetings, where relevant, during CTC and CTED visits abroad. Japan expects the CTED to play a clearinghouse role in matching identified needs for assistance with actual donor support. In that regard, we note and appreciate the fact that the CTED has recently begun to engage in active dialogue with potential donors. We hope that such proactive efforts on the part of the CTED and the work of the CTC will begin to produce concrete results and that the needed assistance will begin to reach those States requiring it. The Japanese Government wishes to share its experience and information in that regard as both a donor and a CTC member. In that connection, my Government has established a new funding facility -- grant aid for cooperation on counterterrorism and security enhancement -- providing approximately $70 million for the current fiscal year, beginning in April. Other matters that have been raised are the listing and delisting of individuals and entities on the Consolidated List of the Al-Qaida/Taliban Sanctions Committee and the issue of due process, which is also of great interest and concern to many Member States. Unfortunately, a final conclusion has yet to be reached

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in the Committee. It is essential that sanctions measures be fully implemented and that terrorist activities be effectively prevented. To that end, it is necessary to expeditiously find a solution to the issue of listing and delisting and to enhance confidence in the Consolidated List. It is therefore encouraging that serious discussion on this matter has resumed in the Committee. We expect that that will soon result in a fairer and more transparent procedure that takes into consideration the various proposals put forward by the Monitoring Team, Member States, think tanks and others. Finally, we welcome the two-year extension of the 1540 Committee's mandate in a decision taken in April through resolution 1673 (2006). Under that resolution, the submission of additional information by Member States will continue to be required as one of the pillars of the implementation of the resolution, while enabling the Committee to assist Member States more proactively in fulfilling that goal. It is important to enhance the implementation of the resolution through multiple means, including through the provision of technical assistance, outreach activities and the holding of seminars. The Committee has just embarked upon a discussion regarding the work programme for the coming 12 months. We regard that work programme as highly important as a guideline for the activities of the Committee. We intend to contribute constructively to the discussion. In conclusion, the three Committees must not only continue to pursue their respective practical activities; they must also achieve substantive results in the improvement of procedural matters, as has repeatedly been pointed out by Member States. Our intention is to continue to play an integral role in advancing the work and reform of the three Committees while giving full support to their respective Chairpersons and members. Mr. Christian (Ghana): I wish to begin by thanking the Chairpersons of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), the 1267 Committee and the 1540 Committee -- Ambassadors Ellen Margrethe Løj, César Mayoral and Peter Burian, respectively -- for their comprehensive briefings. We note with satisfaction that the CounterTerrorism Committee has decided to focus its work for the first part of this year on the revision of the reporting regime, how it should enhance dialogue with

Member States in need of technical assistance and deepen its relations with international, regional and subregional organizations. In connection with the reporting regimes, we support the introduction by the Committee of the analytical tool, referred to as the preliminary implementation assessment, to monitor the extent of States' implementation of their obligations under resolution 1373 (2001). We wish to reiterate the call made by my delegation in February 2006 for the 1373 Committee, in consultation with the 1267 and 1540 Committees, to work on the consolidation of the three reporting regimes, as recommended in the 2005 World Summit Outcome document (General Assembly resolution 60/1). With regard to technical assistance to States in need, we are appreciative of consultations being undertaken by the Committee with Member States and with potential donors, and hope that the ongoing dialogue will yield fruitful results. The emphasis of that consultation should be on a regional and subregional approach, which appears to be the most cost-effective method to channel assistance to as many countries as possible in a region or subregion. My delegation wishes to stress that cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations should be an integral part of the Committee's work. In that regard, we hope that the fifth special meeting of the CTC with international, regional and subregional organizations, which is scheduled for later this year, will focus on how best to utilize regional institutions as a medium to facilitate and strengthen the capacities of States, particularly in developing regions, to meet their obligations under the regime established by resolution 1373 (2001). With regard to the Al-Qaida/Taliban sanctions Committee, my delegation considers country visits by the Chairman and the Monitoring Team as one of the key pillars by which the implementation of the sanctions regime can be evaluated. It is through that interaction between the Al-Qaida/Taliban sanctions Committee and Member States that implementation can be monitored, and practical steps taken, to correct weaknesses in the sanctions regime. We wish to raise the issue of recent court challenges to the listing decisions of the Committee in some countries. That raises a fundamental issue: Is a decision of the Security Council taken under Chapter

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VII subject to judicial review in a Member State? It appears we have an essentially political process conflicting with the judicial norms of some member countries. That problem will persist until the issue of which system should have primacy is resolved, with the potential to undermine the credibility of the Committee. We are particularly grateful to the Governments of Sweden, Switzerland and Germany for sponsoring a paper by the Watson Institute for International Studies that has made a thorough study of that delicate legal problem and come up with interesting proposals. My delegation supports the option of a review mechanism distinct from the 1267 Committee as an approach to pre-empting that problem. The unanimous adoption of resolution 1673 (2006) in April 2006, renewing the 1540 Committee's mandate for another two years, is an unambiguous affirmation of the Council's determination to live up to its cardinal responsibility to maintain international peace and security. The coming two years will be a critical period for the 1540 Committee as it seeks to achieve universal reportage and to examine, monitor and assist in the implementation of operative paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of resolution 1540 (2004), as was lucidly affirmed in operative paragraph 5 of resolution 1673 (2006). Due to the current position on the submission of first and additional reports by States, we find merit in the intensification and widening of outreach activities to sensitize, encourage and offer States the necessary guidance to implement the provisions of resolution 1540 (2004). My delegation's wholehearted support for that decision informed Ghana's favourable consideration of the request to host the outreach programme for Africa, which regrettably is the region with an appreciable number of countries that are yet to submit their first reports. Another important element that needs to be strengthened is the Committee's role in the provision of resources and assistance in the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), especially to most developing countries. The political will and commitment of those countries are undermined by the absence of the requisite national capacity, particularly with respect to the technical sphere. Although bilateral arrangements are generally welcomed, international cooperation is

imperative, and the Committee has a critical role to play by acting as a clearing house on that issue. Given the ever-evolving nature of terrorism, an intensification of cooperation among the three Committees and their experts would definitely enhance the international community's effort to address that scourge. By extension, cooperation between the three Committees and regional and subregional organizations, as well as international financial institutions and multilateral bodies, should be enhanced if we are to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable solution to that menace. Mr. Zhang Yishan (China) (spoke in Chinese): The Chinese delegation would like to thank Ambassador Mayoral, Løj and Burian for their briefings on the work of the 1267 Committee, the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the 1540 Committee, respectively. China would like to make the following comments, and express its hopes, with regard to those Committees. The visit by the Chairperson of the 1267 Committee has enhanced understanding and cooperation between Member States and the Committee. In conjunction with the consideration of the fourth report of the Monitoring Team and through letters by its Chairman, the Committee has enhanced understanding and attention on the part of Member States as concerns the implementation of sanctions. It is our hope that, in the next phase of its work, the Committee will focus its priorities on an extensive, indepth and practical exploration of the quality of the sanctions and its listing and delisting procedures, so as to reach a common understanding on ways to refine the list at an early date. Along with improving the quality of the list, efforts should be made to ensure that the procedure is fair and transparent and to avoid double standards. Only in that way will we ensure that the Committee's work is respected and supported by the vast majority of Member States. And only in that way will it be generally conducive to the promotion of international cooperation against terrorism. The Counter-Terrorism Committee has increased its technical assistance and coordination, strengthened its dialogue with Member States and begun to discus ways and means of deepening its relationships with international, regional and subregional organizations. In the future, the CTC should accelerate its

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implementation of resolution 1624 (2005), for there is not much time left before it must submit its report. The relevant recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) have an important role to play in counter-terrorism financing. China supports the appropriate dissemination of those recommendations by CTC. At the same time, the representation of developing countries on the FATF should be increased. Only thus can it play a greater role in counterterrorism. China welcomes the seamless extension by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) of its mandate. We hope that the Committee will establish a comprehensive and balanced programme of work as soon as possible, in accordance with resolution 1673 (2006) and the recommendations contained in the Committee's report. In July 2006, with the joint support of the United Nations, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway and Australia, China will host a seminar in Beijing on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in the Asia-Pacific region. We believe that the meeting will achieve results. We also hope that the three committees will continue to strengthen coordination and cooperation on the current basis. As to the consolidation of country reports, China believes that the three committees have different responsibilities and focus on different areas of work, although those do overlap to a certain extent. At the same time, the Committees all place heavy reporting requirements on Member States, bringing considerable pressure to bear. China encourages the three committees and their respective experts to continue to coordinate among themselves and to adopt appropriate measures to streamline their work, reduce the reporting burden on Member States, and assist them in finding solutions to their difficulties and thereby more efficiently and effectively to implement the relevant resolutions. Looking back over the past three months, we can see that terrorist activities have remained rampant and that the fight against terrorism remains a long and arduous task. As the common enemy of the international community of humankind, all terrorist activities constitute a serious threat to international peace and security, regardless of their motivation, timing and location and the identity of the perpetrators. In the fight against terrorism, we should not exclusively focus on and combat those terrorist

organizations and individuals that threaten ourselves, while being permissive and ambivalent towards those that do not pose a direct threat to us and our allies; much less should we fail to respond to the legitimate requirements of other countries or even raise obstacles on the basis of other motivations. If that should occur, it would be difficult to expect proactive coordination and cooperation on the part of other Member States. The international community should unite in its efforts and demonstrate a tireless opposition to terrorism. It should regard the terrorist forces that threaten any country as an enemy of all and combat them with resolve, leaving terrorists with no place to hide. Only thus will the international fight against terrorism be complete and effective. China made that point during the General Assembly's discussion on formulating a global counter-terrorism strategy. China has always supported and actively participated in the international counter-terrorism struggle. In April 2006, China deposited with Secretary-General Annan its instrument of ratification of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, demonstrating yet again our support for international cooperation in counterterrorism. In the future, China will continue constructively to participate in counter-terrorism cooperation and, as always, to support and actively take part in the work of the three committees to promote the implementation of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. Ms. Wolcott Sanders (United States of America): I would like to thank all three chairmen for their briefings. Terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are the pre-eminent threats to international peace and security, and the Council has a critical responsibility to counter those threats. Ambassadors Løj, Mayoral and Burian show dedicated leadership that helps to drive the international community's fight against terrorism and, in Chairman Burian's case, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, including the threat that terrorists and other non-State actors could access those items. Today's presentations all refer to cooperation among the committees, which is essential and must be enhanced. The committees are the Council's public voice on terrorism, regularly interacting with States, other parts of the United Nations system, as well as

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international and regional organizations. For the Council's counter-terrorism efforts to succeed, they must speak with one voice on terrorism and operate in a coherent and coordinated manner. To do so, the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) and the Monitoring Team of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) must conduct more joint visits to States. When the two expert bodies cannot do so, they should coordinate their visits to produce the broadest impact. The two committees should share information they gather on those visits and, as appropriate, coordinate follow-up. We also urge the committees and their experts to consult one another more on engagement with other international and regional organizations to be sure that those efforts reinforce one another. Finally, reporting requests also need careful thought and review to avoid reporting fatigue. We remain concerned that States still have much to do to implement the obligations the Council has established. The Secretary-General's recently released recommendation for a counter-terrorism strategy has called on the Council bodies dealing with terrorism to develop standards of accountability and compliance against which individual States' efforts can be measured. The Council should take the steps necessary to ensure that its subsidiary bodies heed that call. I would like to say a few brief words about each presentation. The United States appreciates the leadership of Chairman Løj, particularly her push for the CounterTerrorism Committee (CTC) to achieve concrete results. We also are grateful for the hard work and expertise of the Committee's Executive Directorate, under Ambassador Rupérez's leadership. We welcome the CTC's recent accomplishments. We applaud its efforts to streamline its reporting procedures and to keep the CTC and States focused on the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). We also are pleased to hear that the CTC is preparing its fifth special meeting with international and regional organizations, as part of its work to strengthen coordination with those organizations and highlight issues that have yet to receive the attention they deserve, namely restricting terrorist travel and denying terrorist safe haven. To achieve the best results, all United Nations Members must be invited to participate as observers, as in previous meetings.

We also welcome CTED's outreach to potential donors on issues concerning technical assistance. The United States provides extensive technical assistance, including, for example, $1.5 million for the Pacific Islands Forum to enhance existing anti-moneylaundering and counter-terrorism finance regimes in that region. We also welcome New Zealand's successful programme to help Pacific Islands Forum States prepare reports to the CTC, as well as to the committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1540 (2004). Facilitating technical assistance must not become an end in itself for the CTC, however. The CTC must remain focused on its primary mandate -- monitoring States' implementation of their obligations under resolution 1373 (2001). If States have received technical assistance but still have not met their obligations, the CTC must take action to ensure that they do so. We welcome the CTC's new preliminary implementation assessment tool, which presents a useful way to measure States' implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). We are glad that the CTC and its CTED are working to identify best practices or sets of best practices relevant to resolution 1373 (2001). Once they have done so, the CTC should endorse or adopt and disseminate those best practices, and use them to measure States' compliance with resolution 1373 (2001). Looking ahead, we hope that the CTC's next work programme will cover a 180-day period. Doing so will help streamline its work, freeing up the CTC and CTED to focus on States' implementation of resolution 1373 (2001), and not on administrative matters. The Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) has focused on many important issues since Ambassador Mayoral's last briefing and the United States commends his leadership. The Committee, with the invaluable help of its Monitoring Team, is working hard to strengthen the sanctions regime, address States' concerns, and ensure that the international community remains energized and united in fighting Al-Qaida and the Taliban. Under his stewardship, the 1267 Committee turned its attention to the Afghan Government's requests to delist former Taliban members who have completed the reconciliation programme. The United States strongly supports Afghanistan's efforts to

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reconcile former Taliban to the Afghan Government. We appreciate Ambassador Mayoral's decision to send the Monitoring Team to Kabul to strengthen the dialogue between the Committee and the Afghan Government and to gather the information necessary for the Committee to hold a constructive discussion on the delisting requests. In a further move to bolster dialogue, he recently travelled to Qatar, Yemen and Saudi Arabia, as he mentioned. All three States are important allies in the fight against Al-Qaida. The United States was pleased to join his delegation. Meetings with Member States are often the most effective way to improve cooperation and resolve differences, and thus help to strengthen sanctions implementation. Finally, Ambassador Mayoral is presiding over the Committee's important discussion about revising the listing and delisting guidelines. Reflecting our commitment to fairness and transparency in the Committee's work, the United States has submitted a comprehensive package of recommendations. We realize that the task is difficult, but we hope the Committee will focus on this important issue and will remain flexible in order to reach agreement. With regard to the 1540 Committee and Ambassador Burian, we welcome the Council's recent adoption of resolution 1673 (2006). Resolution 1540 (2004) is a vital step in the international effort to address the threat to international peace and security posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery, including to terrorists and States that seek to use proliferation of those items to threaten the civilized world. As the 2006 United States National Security Strategy states, "There are few greater threats than a terrorist attack with WMD". Resolution 1540 (2004), if fully implemented, will ensure that no State or nonState actor is a source of WMD proliferation for terrorists. The Committee has a crucial role in assessing States' implementation of the resolution and ensuring that States remain focused on fully implementing its requirements. As the Committee's April 2006 report to the Council (S/2006/257) illustrates, much remains to be done. The Committee must work with States to identify gaps they must close to comply fully with resolution 1540 (2004). The Committee should aim to establish concrete standards for measuring States'

compliance with their obligations under resolution 1540 (2004), taking as an initial starting point the elements of its matrix. We also agree that the Committee should continue to serve as a clearing house for information concerning technical assistance. The United States is working on its own plan to determine what assistance we can provide other States to fully implement resolution 1540 (2004). We encourage other Governments to reach out to those that need to build their capacity to comply with the resolution. One vital mechanism to counter proliferation that the Committee has not addressed adequately is the need to choke off the supply of funds to proliferators. Whatever else motivates proliferation, there can be no doubt that it is money-driven. In that context, the Committee must pay more attention to the provisions of resolution 1540 (2004) that require States to take measures against proliferation financing. Last June, the United States took steps to implement those obligations, when President Bush issued Executive Order 13382. That order, consistent with our obligations under resolution 1540 (2004), establishes a targeted financial sanctions program that blocks the assets of designated WMD proliferators and their support networks. The order also prohibits United States nationals and others within the jurisdiction of the United States from engaging in transactions with those to whom the United States has applied such sanctions. We stand ready to share our experiences and efforts with the Committee and with all interested States, and we look forward to engaging in the Committee's discussions on this issue. Mr. Churkin (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): We express our gratitude to the Chairs of the Committee on sanctions against Al-Qaida and the Taliban, the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the 1540 Committee, Ambassadors Mayoral, Løj and Burian, respectively, for their substantive statements and for their efforts to enhance the international system to counter the global threat of terrorism. The Russian Federation believes that it is necessary to continue the endeavour to expand the coordination of the activities and cooperation of the three Committees in the light of the goals set forth in the 2005 summit outcome document (General Assembly resolution 60/1). Above all, it is important to ensure an overall thrust aimed at developing the

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effective dialogue being pursued by the Committees with States, in line with implementation of their mandates. On the one hand, more effective monitoring of the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions is important. On the other hand, everything needs to be done to ensure that States can, in a timely manner, find and make use of the necessary resources to build their counter-terrorism capacities. Today's briefings have yet again confirmed how important it is to build upon achieved results from the standpoint of interaction among the Committees, exchange of information, joint participation of experts in country visits and the design of reporting mechanisms that are more acceptable to States. With respect to the activities of the CounterTerrorism Committee, the Russian Federation supports the work programme presented by Ambassador Løj and the priorities it lays out. We note the considerable contribution of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) to the work of the Committee to implement resolution 1373 (2001). We welcome the Committee's efforts to further enhance the reporting regime. We also welcome the adoption of the CTC's new arrangement for the preliminary assessment of States' implementation of the provisions of the resolution. This significantly assists the Committee in focusing on targeted work with States, in assessing more objectively and in depth their progress in meeting the requirement to build their counter-terrorism capacity and in determining potential areas where technical assistance might be needed. We welcome the continued development of the CTC's practice of country visits, including the use of varying formats for field missions, the expansion of their thematic scope and the practical thrust of the experts' recommendations. In this regard, it is our hope that the Committee will devote the necessary attention to developing ways to work with States on the outcome of visits, including mechanisms for direct liaison between States and potential donors. For our part, as the country presiding over the Group of Eight (G-8), we actively support the effort to strengthen the interaction of the CTC with the G-8's CounterTerrorism Action Group. We welcome steps to continue to develop the Committee's cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations, including the outcome of the April seminar in Auckland. Here, while we must

devote attention to developing cooperation with individual regional organizations, it is important not to overlook the overall global context for the CTC's interaction with such organizations or the possibility of using their experience and capacities in the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). From that standpoint, we welcome the practical preparations undertaken by the CTC for the fifth special meeting with international, regional and subregional organizations. We continue to view the 1267 Committee and its Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team as one of the effective and capable Security Council counter-terrorism mechanisms. It is necessary to continue work to strengthen the anti-Taliban sanctions regime by enhancing the guidelines for the work of the 1267 Committee. We take note of the recent initiatives of a number of States on this matter. We look forward to an interactive and fruitful discussion of this issue in the 1267 Committee and are prepared to take part in it. Here, we would particularly like to underscore our certainty that, to enhance the effectiveness of this sanctions regime, it is most important to enhance national procedures for taking decisions on placing new names on the sanctions list. The commitment of Member States to full and conscientious implementation of their obligations is key to the success of our common efforts to counter the true, changing threat to international peace and security posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities. We attach great importance to the effective work of the 1540 Committee aimed at preventing weapons of mass destruction from entering black market networks and, above all, from being acquired by terrorists. The Russian Federation was one of the initiators of the adoption of resolution 1540 (2004) and of April's extension of the Committee's mandate for another two years. In timely fashion, we have presented our national report and additional information to the Committee. Ensuring the full implementation of the provisions of resolution 1540 (2004) by all States continues to be our priority, and we are actively pursuing that goal, both in the 1540 Committee and in the context of our presidency of the G-8. We support the proposals made in Ambassador Burian's statement to reinvigorate the activities of the

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Committee, including by providing the necessary assistance to needy States, holding regional seminars, cooperation with relevant international, regional and subregional organizations and more active use of the capacities of field missions of the CTC and the 1267 Committee to explain the importance of the timely submission of reports. It is our view that the collection and analysis of national reports do not exhaust the entire range of goals laid out in resolution 1673 (2006). A major painstaking effort has still to take place to develop and strengthen monitoring systems for the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, an effort in which the Russian Federation will continue to be involved most actively. Mr. De La Sablière (France) (spoke in French): I too would like to thank the Chairpersons of the three Committees for their reports. The usefulness of these public debates, in which we hear briefings, as well as comments from Council members and non-members, goes without saying. I fully endorse the statement to be made by the presidency of the European Union, but I also would like to refer to a few particular aspects of our Committees' work. France welcomes the two-year extension of the mandate of the 1540 Committee. In the coming weeks, the Committee is to draft a programme of work, covering all aspects of resolution 1540 (2004), without favouring or neglecting any. France will make proposals to the Committee in this exercise, which we feel is important for two reasons. First, resolution 1540 (2004) is the only multilateral tool for comprehensively dealing with the proliferation of the triple threat of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and related material. No aspect should be left out. Secondly, the Security Council has decided to extend the Committee's mandate, and in the coming two years the Committee must report to the Council on the implementation of the resolution by States. It now must equip itself with the tools required to meet that ambitious objective. At the same time, greater attention must be given by the Committee to the question of assistance. Achieving full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in the next two years will require that greater assistance be given to States for whom this undertaking is most difficult.

The Chairman of the Al-Qaida/Taliban Sanctions Committee reported to us on the very useful recent visits to Qatar, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. This reconfirms the interest of this Committee and of the Counter-Terrorism Committee in visits to the field, as long as they are well-prepared, well-coordinated and thorough. France welcomes the fact that the Committee has decided to resume review of its delisting procedures, as well as procedures with regard to humanitarian exemptions. Today, individual sanctions have become an essential international instrument in combating terrorism, as well as support for various peace processes. The Security Council has broken new ground by creating this new tool; but, like any new instrument, it must be improved upon. We believe it has become urgent to set up a mechanism that, firstly, will make procedures for individuals and States simpler and more readable. Secondly, it must ensure that all delisting and exemption requests are received by the Committee and dealt with accordingly. To this end, France proposes that a focal point be set up within the Secretariat for the direct receipt of listed individuals requesting delisting or exemption. This focal point will then ensure that the request is passed on to the Committee and will inform the individuals concerned as to the response to their request. Setting up a single focal point for the various sanctions committees will make the procedures more accessible, clearer and more standardized and will ensure that all requests are considered. We truly hope that there will be broad support for our proposal and that it can be implemented in the near future. In the list of activities presented to us by the Chairperson of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, I would like to refer in particular to the adoption of guidelines for the respect of human rights. The obligation placed upon States to respect international law, in particular human rights and humanitarian international law, must, in point of fact, be duly taken into account by the Committee and its Executive Directorate. I am also particularly interested in the progress achieved in the area of cooperation with regional organizations, including their assistance in drafting reports.

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Finally, I note the will expressed to consider new ways of responding to problems faced by States that do not fully implement resolution 1373 (2001). That desire echoes one of the recommendations of the Secretary-General in his report that we be unified against terrorism. He has suggested that we define parameters to draw a distinction between States that do not have all the means necessary for implementing their obligations from those that have the means but lack the necessary will. The Council must be firm with the latter. In expressing these thoughts, we are responding to one of the tasks assigned to us by the summit in September -- namely, that of strengthening the followup and monitoring capacity of the three Committees. In conclusion, I would like to refer to the French Government's "white book" on domestic security against terrorism, which I would be happy to present to the Counter-Terrorism Committee. It underscores the essential role played by the United Nations in combating terrorism, because the United Nations alone can provide the universal framework for mobilizing, on the political front, all States and for setting legally binding norms. Mr. De Rivero (Peru) (spoke in Spanish): My delegation wishes to thank Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj, Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), Ambassador César Mayoral, Chairman of the 1267 Committee, and Ambassador Peter Burian, Chairman of the 1540 Committee, for their briefings. We would like to commend them for the work they are carrying out at the head of these subsidiary bodies of the Security Council. Peru has zero tolerance for terrorism. We strongly and unequivocally condemn terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomever terrorism is committed. No ideological, political or religious reason justifies those who commit, contribute to, finance or make apologies for terrorism. My country therefore supports the strengthening of the Security Council's counter-terrorism efforts. With regard to the work of the 1267 Committee, I would like to reiterate the importance that my delegation attaches to improving the quality of the Consolidated List. The recent approval of a procedure to respond to requests for the delisting of deceased individuals is a step forward. However, there are other important issues that need to be addressed.

For example, it is essential that we have as much information as possible regarding the identification of individuals and justifying listing requests for those individuals. All requests should comply with the standards set by Interpol for inclusion in its database. Difficulties in identifying individuals and entities on the Consolidated List pose a challenge to the implementation of sanctions, in particular with regard to respect for human rights and to the efficiency and credibility of the Committee itself. In that context, my delegation believes that the review of the procedures for inclusion on the Consolidated List and for delisting is relevant here. The Committee will be considering that issue shortly; it is of great importance for my delegation, and we commend Ambassador César Mayoral for his work in that regard. We acknowledge the expectations both inside and outside the United Nations with regard to the review process, and we believe that the Committee should take this opportunity to address the existing limitations of the current system, bearing in mind once again that any effort to combat terrorism must be based on full respect for human rights, including due process. Of course, we will cooperate fully with Ambassador Mayoral in the complex process that he will be heading. When States face difficulties in implementing sanctions and request assistance, the Committee should be in a position to respond to those requests in a timely and appropriate manner. In particular, if the Committee is consulted by a State, it should be in a position to determine the identity of an individual, either using the information it has on file or, if that should prove insufficient, by asking for additional information from the State requesting inclusion. With regard to the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), my delegation continues to look forward to the transition from the reporting regime to the preliminary implementation assessment regime. As mentioned by Ambassador Løj today, that new tool is still being tested by the Committee. The proper application of that new tool should enable the Committee to gain a deeper and more complete knowledge of the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001), thereby establishing a solid foundation for the better understanding of national situations, improved dialogue between the Committee

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and Member States and, on a case-by-case basis, the best approach to follow. With regard to strengthening the Committee's working relations with international, regional and subregional organizations, we believe that due attention should be accorded to the mandate of each of those organizations and to the work that they are already carrying out in the area of counter-terrorism, bearing in mind that efforts must not be duplicated. As for the facilitation of technical assistance and other activities of the Committee, such as visits, the cooperation should be broad, and no actor should be especially favoured, because a single technical assistance model may not necessarily be the best fit in all cases. Respect for human rights is central in the fight against terrorism. The Counter-Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate must continue to convey that crucial message. The Committee's recent approval of policy guidelines for the Directorate on human rights was an important step in the right direction. My delegation also believes that it is important to keep all Members of the Organization constantly informed about the work of the Committee. In that regard, we welcome the recent informal meeting between the Chairperson and Member States, as well as her intention to organize such meetings on a regular basis. We invite Member States to participate in those meetings and to take advantage of the opportunity they provide to discuss matters with the Chairperson and the Executive Directorate. We would also like to mention the participation of Ambassador Løj in the Pacific Islands Forum meeting. Her participation proved very useful, not only in disseminating information about the work of the Committee, but also in learning about the progress achieved in that region and the possibilities for regional cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts there. Peru underscores the importance of the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). Terrorist non-State actors must be prevented from acquiring weapons of mass destruction -- that is a real concern. Peru favours the promotion of measures to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as support for disarmament measures.

My delegation is therefore participating with interest in the negotiations under way to adopt the Committee's programme of work for the next 12 months. We believe that it should continue the pattern followed to date, that is, it should compile and disseminate information, promote dialogue, provide assistance and facilitate cooperation. As stated in resolution 1673 (2005), it should also continue to consider aspects covered in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of resolution 1540 (2004). In my delegation's view, the dissemination activities carried out by the Committee and the way in which States implement the relevant resolutions of the Council are of great importance. That is why, as Ambassador Burian recalled, Peru will host a regional seminar this November on the follow-up to and the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). With regard to the exchange of information, we wish to note the establishment of a database on national measures. The database will help States continue to improve their legislation aimed at strengthening monitoring measures. In his briefing, Ambassador Burian also referred to State reports. Appropriate consideration of such reports will undoubtedly enable the Committee to identify areas in which States need technical assistance. The Committee should assist States in preparing their reports and, if necessary, in considering legislative reforms needed for the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in the context of respect for the rights and obligations of States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention. I wish to reaffirm the importance of improved cooperation and coordination among the three Committees and their expert groups. The President (spoke in French): I shall now make a brief statement in my capacity as representative of the Republic of the Congo. I too thank the Chairs of the three counterterrorism committees -- Ambassador César Mayoral, Chair of the 1267 Committee, Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj, Chair of the 1373 Committee, and Ambassador Peter Burian, Chair of the 1540 Committee -- who have all given us clear and informative briefings. My thanks go also to the three

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expert groups that assist the ambassadors in their difficult tasks. The three briefings show that each of the three Committees has reached a significant level of work in its area of activity. In particular, they show that the Security Council is maintaining a constant and legitimate vigilance with respect to an equally constant threat. This meeting is being held a few days after the worldwide commemoration of Anti-Terrorism Day, which is observed every 21 May in memory of all the innocent victims of this scourge throughout the world. The commemoration of that day shows -- as if it were necessary -- that the threat of terrorism must always be taken very seriously and that any solution to that threat must be transnational. That is why my delegation notes with interest the ongoing efforts of our Committees to encourage Member States to effectively implement the various counter-terrorism resolutions. It is true that that effort is long-term and has not yet had all the results we had expected, but any progress in this regard -- modest though it might be -- must be taken fully into account. We take this opportunity to reiterate our appeal for even more sustained assistance to States that are late in submitting their reports and in acceding to or ratifying the international counter-terrorism instruments. In that regard, my delegation welcomes the strengthening of the dialogue with Member States, as recommended by the Chair of the 1267 Committee, through field visits and meetings with regional or subregional organizations to create active partnerships in the area of sanctions implementation, with, of course, all the necessary precautions involving the issue of list revision and taking into account provisions concerning the legal and humanitarian aspects. We are also pleased to learn that the CounterTerrorism Committee will hold, at a place to be determined, its fifth special meeting on a very important subject: preventing terrorism and ensuring effective border security. We are certain that that awareness-raising effort will greatly help to improve the performance of all parties interested in the task of counter-terrorism. However, with regard to the 1267 Committee, my delegation continues to stress the need to update lists, taking into account all matters of interest to Member

States and others, and, as we have said, to ensure that human rights and legal protections prevail. The 1267 Committee must be able to provide Member States with the information to which they are entitled concerning persons whose names are listed and anything relevant to their listing or delisting. In that context, we fully support the Chair of the 1540 Committee in his objective of strengthening cooperation with regional and subregional organizations with a view to the implementation of that important resolution. The work programmes of the three Committees highlight the need to better coordinate the activities of their expert groups in order to create genuine synergies in their efforts vis-à-vis Member States; hence the need to identify best practices through the expert groups and to make those practices available to States that need them most. In that regard, the websites of the three Committees, whose services have been improved, are an effective means for communication and the exchange of information. Resolution 1673 (2006), of 27 April 2006, renews the mandate of the 1540 Committee and opens up new perspectives for it that require further support from all Council members. That is why my delegation hopes that the donor conference soon to be held in Geneva -- on 5 and 6 June 2006 -- on the implementation of that resolution will have all the support expected. Finally, we reaffirm our support for the Chairs of the three Committees and wish them every success in their missions to ensure the success of our common fight against the scourge of terrorism. I now resume my functions as President of the Security Council. I give the floor to the representative of Austria. Mr. Pfanzelter (Austria): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and the countries aligning themselves with this statement. First of all, I would like to thank the Chairpersons of the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee, the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) for their comprehensive and informative briefings. The European Union welcomes today's joint briefing as an important contribution to

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strengthen the acceptance, legitimacy and transparency of the Security Council's efforts in the field of counterterrorism and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Terrorism is a threat to all States and to all peoples. Terrorism knows no borders. It is a global threat that requires a global and comprehensive response. In the global fight against terrorism, the United Nations has a unique role to play. The 13 universal United Nations conventions and protocols against terrorism, together with Security Council resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001), 1540 (2004) and 1624 (2005) and other relevant resolutions, provide the legal framework for multilateral action against terrorism. The European Union continues to be committed to reaching agreement on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism during the sixtieth session of the General Assembly, in order to achieve the objectives agreed at the 2005 world summit. It is also imperative that the United Nations and its Member States continue to show their unity and resolve in their fight against terrorism by adopting and implementing without delay a global counter-terrorism strategy based on the elements and recommendations contained in the recent report of the Secretary-General. The strategy should be operational and action-oriented. It should focus on capacity-building, coordination and cooperation and should involve all relevant actors, namely, Member States, the United Nations, all 23 bodies and organizations in the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force, civil society and the public at large. As highlighted in the Secretary-General's report, we believe that the Security Council and its committees have a key role to play in the global fight against terrorism. Turning to the work of the three Committees, the European Union reaffirms the importance of respect for international law -- in particular human rights law, refugee law and international humanitarian law, including due process and the rule of law -- in the fight against terrorism, which is a prerequisite for making that fight both legitimate and effective. We reiterate the 2005 world summit's call on the Security Council to ensure fair and clear procedures for placing individuals and entities on sanctions lists and for removing them, as well as for granting humanitarian exemptions.

The European Union calls upon the 1267 Committee to continue its efforts to further improve the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions regime, especially the consolidated list and the Committee's guidelines. We expect that the Committee will expeditiously take up its work on the guidelines dealing with listing and delisting procedures, as mandated by Security Council resolution 1617 (2005), while taking into account the important recommendations in the fourth report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team. In that regard, we note the contributions of some Member States to that important issue, including an academic study on strengthening targeted sanctions through clear and fair procedures that was sponsored by Germany, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as initiatives by Council Members such as Denmark and France. We also note the recent publication of a legal opinion commissioned by the Office of Legal Affairs on the website of the United Nations. In our view, effective listing and delisting procedures are essential to preserve the legitimacy and reinforce the efficacy of the United Nations sanctions regime. A number of cases are currently pending before various courts, including the European Court of Justice, that challenge the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions regime as violating the rights of listed individuals to a fair trial and to an effective remedy. We believe that the Security Council should devote special attention to that matter, as a negative court ruling would not only put the Member States concerned in a difficult position but might also call the whole system of targeted United Nations sanctions into question. We would also like to draw attention to the efforts of the democratically elected Government of Afghanistan to foster the process of national reconciliation, which have led it to put forward requests to the 1267 Committee to delist certain individuals who hold governmental functions, among others in key positions at the provincial level. We call upon the Committee to quickly decide upon those requests in order to support the process of national reconciliation as well as the rebuilding and stabilization efforts of the international community. The European Union fully supports the latest work programme of the Counter-Terrorism Committee for the period of April to June 2006. We welcome the goal of the CTC to achieve concrete results with regard to the revision of the reporting regime, the

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enhancement of dialogue with Member States and the deepening of relations with international, regional and subregional organizations. We note with appreciation that the Committee intends to shift its focus from reporting to implementation and to start reflecting on additional means to address the cases of States that do not meet the requirements of resolution 1373 (2001), based on the analysis of country reports provided by the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED). The European Union supports the steps of the CTC to encourage States to report on their implementation of resolution 1624 (2005) and reiterates its call upon the CTC to further intensify its efforts to mainstream human rights throughout all of its work. The European Union welcomes the efforts of the CTC and the CTED to improve the coordination, coherence and efficiency of the delivery of technical assistance in the field of counter-terrorism. We commend the efforts of the CTED to enter into dialogue with States, and encourage the continuation of joint visits, including efficient follow-up, together with other entities of the United Nations system and regional organizations. In that context, the European Union reiterates its readiness to continue its cooperation and participation in CTED visits. We are also pleased to note the exemplary cooperation between the CTED, as key facilitator of technical assistance, and the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as a key provider of technical assistance to requesting countries for the ratification and implementation of the 13 universal United Nations conventions and protocols against terrorism. Finally, we call upon the CTED to work closely with all technical assistance providers and to share information that might be helpful to them in their assistance programmes. The European Union remains deeply concerned about the danger of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including their means of delivery, and of their acquisition by non-State actors, in particular terrorists. The European Union highly welcomes the recent adoption of resolution 1673 (2006), which extended the mandate of the 1540 Committee for a further period of two years, until April 2008. We commend the Committee and its group of experts for their comprehensive final report and recommendations on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), which shall constitute a basis for the adoption of a comprehensive programme of work

addressing the resolution in all its aspects. We recognize that the full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) is a long-term task that will require continuous efforts at the national, regional and international levels. In that regard, we note with concern that, as of today, 57 States have not yet submitted their first reports. We urge all States which have not yet done so to submit their reports to the Committee and reiterate our readiness to consider any request for assistance or advice to such States as might be required. The European Union welcomes the Committee's intention to keep the facilitation of further reporting and the promotion of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) through outreach activities among the top priorities of its future work. In that regard, we would like to inform the Council that the European Union will adopt a joint action to provide support to three regional seminars in China, Ghana and Peru, which will be organized by the 1540 Committee in the second half of this year. We also commend the Committee for the recent publication on its official website of a legislative database containing relevant information about national laws, regulations and other measures related to the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), which will be an important tool for Member States when enacting national implementation laws and measures. Let me conclude by stressing the need for the United Nations and its Member States to stand united in a concerted effort to combat the global terrorist menace we face today. The European Union stands ready to play its part. The President (spoke in French): I call on the representative of Switzerland. Mr. Maurer (Switzerland) (spoke in French): On behalf of Germany, Sweden and Switzerland, I would like to thank you, Sir, for organizing this meeting and for the opportunity to address the Security Council. I also thank the three chairmen of the committees for their informative and timely briefings. Today, I would like to focus on the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), which is currently reviewing the listing and delisting process with regard to sanctions. I would like to share some new thoughts and proposals on how to enhance the effectiveness of targeted sanctions. Although my

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statement will focus on the 1267 Committee, those reflections are also relevant to other Security Council sanctions committees. On an earlier occasion, I informed the Council of an initiative launched by Germany, Sweden and Switzerland in the field of targeted sanctions and human rights. That initiative is a continuation of the Interlaken, Bonn-Berlin and Stockholm processes and aims at strengthening the implementation of targeted sanctions by addressing concerns of due process. As members know, our three Governments have commissioned the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University to draft a report on the subject. We would like to share the report's content with the Security Council and Member States with a view to contributing concrete ideas for strengthening the instrument of targeted sanctions. To that end, we have asked for the report to be circulated as an official United Nations document within the next few weeks. The written text of my statement that has been distributed contains a summary of the report and a brief overview of its recommendations. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the following main findings and recommendations. First, the report describes the legal challenges against sanctions measures that have been brought before various courts in Europe and elsewhere. In the past, those courts have shown that they were well aware of the primacy of the United Nations Charter and the special responsibility of the Security Council. Nevertheless, some courts have also expressed their willingness to ensure that Security Council decisions comply with the compulsory norms of international law relating to the protection of human rights -- the jus cogens -- from which neither the Member States nor the United Nations may derogate. Secondly, the report summarizes the improvements made over time by the sanctions committees, particularly by the 1267 Committee, but concludes that shortcomings remain with regard to listing, delisting, notification of individuals and entities, and especially the right to an effective remedy. Thirdly, it describes the lack of periodic review of those listed, the limited time to resolve delisting requests and the open-ended nature of the present sanctions regimes.

Finally, it concludes that the aforementioned issues may infringe upon basic principles of human rights protection. We believe that the best way forward is reform on a step-by-step basis. The Security Council and its committees could start with the most urgent issues and where progress can be achieved rapidly or at least within a reasonable time. In our view, that includes the following elements. First, the listing criteria must be further refined. In recent years, the scope of targeted sanctions has been extended considerably to include broad categories of individuals and entities. Much has already been done to make the listings as clear and as unambiguous as possible. We welcome in particular the fact that Security Council resolution 1617 (2005) has given a more precise definition of the term "associated with Al-Qaida or the Taliban". However, we believe that the criteria for identifying the individuals or entities targeted by sanctions could be further developed and refined. Second, standards for statements of case must be developed. The report's suggestion seems to be very much in line with the Monitoring Team's proposal to introduce a standard cover sheet. Third, ways entities should be United Nations has of sanctions, and it so. to notify targeted persons and found. The report argues that the a responsibility to notify the targets presents several ideas on how to do

Fourth, a periodic review of listings, at least every two years, should be introduced. Excessively long intervals between reviews tend to change the preventive character of sanctions into permanent punishment, which could be very difficult for national or international courts to accept in the long run. Fifth, an administrative focal point should be designated within the Secretariat to deal with all delisting and exemption requests, as well as to notify targets of listing. That proposal was put forward some time ago by a member of the Security Council. It has our full support. Sixth, much could also be gained from identifying a set of common standards and best practices applicable to the different sanctions committees.

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Seventh, a review mechanism should be developed to enable individuals and entities to ask for a review of their listing. That step is likely to pose the biggest challenge. However, we believe that this is the most important issue to address, because the lack of such a review mechanism raises questions of due process and it is the deficiency that is most often brought up in courts. The Watson Institute's report lists several options to be considered, ranging from a simple reviewing mandate assigned to the Monitoring Team to a full-fledged appeal system by independent courts or tribunals. Germany, Sweden and Switzerland wish to pursue the dialogue on this important matter with the Security Council and its subsidiary organs. We are committed to strengthening the Security Council's instruments to fight terrorism in conformity with the very principles on which this Organization is founded. The President (spoke in French): I now give the floor to the representative of Cuba. Mrs. Núñez Mordoche (Cuba) (spoke in Spanish): First, Sir, I would like to commend you for your work as President of the Security Council during the month of May. I would also thank the Chairmen of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004) for the information provided. For more than 45 years, the Cuban people has been the target of countless terrorist actions, most of them masterminded and organized from United States territory, with the support, protection and funding of the successive Governments of that country. As a result of those acts, the Cuban people has paid a high cost in human lives. A total of 3,478 people have died, while 2,099 have been severely injured. The economic losses for Cuba have also been very high. With full impunity, funds to carry out terrorist actions are provided and collected in Miami and other cities of that country. The bank accounts that finance terrorism are openly and regularly operated, terrorists are recruited, weapons purchased and the territory is used by those who finance, mastermind and commit terrorist acts against Cuba. Instead of preventing and punishing terrorism against Cuba, the United States authorities hold hostage in that country's jails Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, Antonio Guerrero and René González. This follows the unanimous decision of the Court of Appeals of the

Eleventh Circuit of Atlanta to reverse their sentences and order a new trial, overturning the trial held by a crooked Miami-based court, without the guaranties of due process. Those five Cuban youths were only trying, with great altruism and courage, to obtain information about terrorist groups based in Miami in order to prevent their violent actions and to save lives of Cuban and United States citizens. New evidence has been revealed about United States double standards in its so-called fight and international campaign against terrorism, as well as acts of this nature against the Cuban people. The United States continues to fail to meet international obligations of judging and extraditing the infamous international terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, whose extradition has been requested by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. This terrorist's impunity is perpetuated by judging him as a mere illegal immigrant, despite the fact that the United States Government itself has acknowledged that he is a dangerous terrorist. That fact was acknowledged in a letter sent to him in March by the United States Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The letter stated, inter alia, that due to his long record of criminal activities and acts of violence, which caused the death of innocent civilians, releasing him would mean a risk for the community and the national security of the United States. After 13 months of silence with regard to the Cuban Government's inquiries, Federal Bureau of Investigation documents were disclosed on 22 April which proved the complicity of the United States authorities with the illegal entry of Posada Carriles in the territory of the United States on board the boat Santrina, property of the notorious terrorist Santiago Álvarez Fernández Magriña. For several months, the United States Government denied knowledge of Posada Carriles' entry into its territory, in spite of the fact that it is now clear that the United States was aware of this from the beginning, since an undercover FBI agent travelled on board the Santrina. If the Government was aware of this, why was Posada Carriles not arrested until several months later? Why were charges not presented immediately against the other terrorists that helped Mr. Posada Carriles enter illegally into that country, such as Santiago Álvarez and Osvaldo Mitat, who are currently in jail

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for arms smuggling and very serious violations of United States security laws? Another example which proves the legitimacy of Cuba's denunciations was the reported arrest in Los Angeles, California, on 19 April, of Cuban-born citizen Robert Ferro. He had in his house an outrageous total of 1,571 fire arms, including anti-missile weapons and hand grenades, which were hidden in secret caches and rooms. After his arrest, Ferro declared he was a member of the anti-Cuban terrorist organization Alpha 66 and that he had a group of 100 members in California and Miami ready and trained to carry out actions against the Cuban Government. Ferro also said to the press that some of the weapons had secretly been provided by the United States Government with the aim of overthrowing Fidel Castro. It is public knowledge that Robert Ferro, owner of the arsenal, worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and was an officer in the United States army's Special Forces. Cuba has informed the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), established under resolution 1373 (2001), in detail concerning the terrorist actions of these and other individuals and organizations, as well as about the protection afforded to accomplices by the Government of the United States. To date, we have no indication that the CTC has taken any action to evaluate the information submitted or to undertake an investigation on the breach of the obligations of the United States pursuant to Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). The Cuban Government reiterates its request to the Committee to carry out an evaluation of the information presented, inter alia, in documents S/2002/15, S/2004/753 and S/2005/341, thus contributing to putting an end to the impunity that those who have carried out terrorist actions against Cuba enjoy in United States territory. It is impossible to eradicate terrorism if only some terrorist actions are condemned while others are hushed up, tolerated or justified, or if the issue is simply manipulated in order to promote certain political interests. In order to make progress, all hegemonic intentions and acts of aggression must be condemned and eliminated. In all honesty, all forms and manifestations of terrorism must be condemned and punished anywhere in the world. State terrorism must be no exception under any circumstances.

The President (spoke in French): I now give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein. Mr. Wenaweser (Liechtenstein): I would like to thank the Chairpersons of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), the 1267 Committee and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) for their briefings this morning. I would also like to take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to international cooperation in the fight against terrorism and to join all States in the unequivocal condemnation of all terrorist acts, irrespective of their motivation, wherever and by whomever committed. We are very pleased to see that the CTC and its Executive Directorate (CTED) are making further progress in refining their approaches to monitoring the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). We agree that the CTC should take a more tailor-made approach in monitoring implementation, and encourage the Committee to deepen its dialogue with Member States beyond mere reporting. Liechtenstein has just submitted our fifth report to the CTC and stands ready to continue its cooperation with it. We are also grateful for the continuation of the practice of informal briefings for Member States on the work of the Committee. Once again, we would like to focus our comments today on the mandate given by the 2005 world summit to ensure that fair and clear procedures exist for placing individuals and entities on sanctions lists and for removing them, as well as for granting humanitarian exemptions. The 1267 Committee has been dealing with this issue for quite some time now. In the meantime, several studies have been produced on this question which underline the need for urgent action by the Security Council. Like previous speakers, we commend, in particular, the study produced by the Watson Institute for International Studies. The Monitoring Team of the 1267 Committee has also made valuable recommendations. We call on the Council to give serious consideration to the many proposals made to improve the listing and de-listing procedures. There is no doubt that United Nations organs, when imposing measures that have a direct and dramatic impact on the rights of individuals, must respect international standards of human rights in a similar manner as States would have to.

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The work undertaken by the United Nations over the last six decades to ensure that Governments respect human rights would suffer a great setback were we to allow the Organization to treat individuals in a manner which it would qualify as impermissible by States. We welcome Security Council action against terrorism, which is based on a modern interpretation of what the Charter means by the maintenance of international peace and security. It must, however, go hand in hand with an equally modern interpretation of international human rights law. Future listing and de-listing procedures must, therefore, as an absolute minimum, grant targeted individuals and entities the right to be informed about the measures imposed and the reasons for their imposition, as well as the right to present information that might refute the case for listing. Furthermore, we urge the Council to consider procedures that could be considered an effective remedy or those that would at least entail a similar effect. Any such improvements would be highly beneficial for both the accuracy and legitimacy of the sanctions regime and, therefore, for its effectiveness. Finally, it must be stressed that any such improvements must also extend, as far as appropriate, to the so-called humanitarian exemptions. Liechtenstein welcomes the extension of the 1540 Committee, as mandated by resolution 1673 (2006). We have submitted our first report in a timely manner and also provided the Committee with updated information. In fact, the 1540 Committee and its experts have been highly effective in their dialogue with Member States and have established good practices that can be beneficial for other Committees as well. In this context, we would like to express our support for measures aimed at consolidating the work of various subcommittees dealing with counterterrorism. Such measures should make the United Nations response to terrorism more coherent and more effective and should focus on building State capacity. This chain against terrorism, which we have been building over the last years, will only be as strong as its weakest link. The President (spoke in French): The next speaker is the representative of Israel, to whom I give the floor. Mr. Gillerman (Israel): Allow me, at the outset, to thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership of the Council during the month of May and for convening

this important meeting. We also wish to thank the Chairpersons of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, the Al-Qaida Committee and the 1540 Committee for their concise reports and invaluable contribution in steering their Committees in this vital task. Three months ago, in a similar briefing before the Council, I warned that terrorism is sowing the seeds of the first world war of the twenty-first century. Today we must sadly and emphatically state that terrorism is indeed the third world war. This is "World War Three". No country is immune from international terrorism. It lurks in dark corners and strikes the blow of destruction, death, indiscrimination and chaos. Terrorists have executed horrific attacks in Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Terror has struck in Jordan, Kenya, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uzbekistan and Yemen. Terror has devastated Algeria, Argentina, Colombia, Great Britain, the Philippines, Spain and the United States. It continues to strike brutally, ruthlessly and daily in Israel. There are many, many more States targeted. And yet, foreigners targeted in terrorist attacks represent an even wider circle of victims. The victims were Australians. They were Dutch. They were from each and every corner of the globe. They were just unlucky enough to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. We are linked, and we are all in this together. As this is a world war, the allies should fight this axis of terror, just as 60 years ago the Allies fought the Axis. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, never before in the field of human conflict have so few inflicted so much pain, horror, and destruction on so many. And yet, never before have so many had the ability to defeat the few if they only would mobilize their resources to do so. If we do not stand together, we will fall together. The world is no longer divided merely between rich and poor or North and South. It is divided between those who join in this fight and those who do not. It is divided between those who spread evil and those who do good; between those who incite violence and those who preach tolerance. Those who stand idly and do not fight this plague are in effect joining in collaboration with it. Unfortunately, even in this Council we sometimes find members that, despite being victims of terror themselves, do not always show the courage and determination even to condemn it strongly and unequivocally.

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I called the Council to arms and sounded a wakeup call three months ago; yet progress is far too slow and too little. We must join together and win this war. We must mobilize in a unified, concerted effort. There can never be any justification for terror, no matter the motive -- period. We, therefore, fully support the statement agreed upon in the 2005 world summit outcome document, which reads, "We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes, as it constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security." (General Assembly resolution 60/1, para. 81) No matter where it occurs, no matter the circumstances, nothing can ever justify the wilful targeting of civilians. Terror is terror is terror. Israel welcomes the invaluable efforts of the Counter-Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate, the Al-Qaida Committee and the 1540 Committee in combating international terrorism. We see the work of the Committees as part of the international fight against terrorism and hope their efforts will lead to a significant reduction of international terror. Similarly, and very importantly, a global strategy to counter terrorism, should it be action-oriented and concrete, could complement these efforts. We in Israel, unfortunately, have an intimate awareness of the need to fight international terrorism. The axis of terror represents an unholy alliance of Iran, the greatest State sponsor of terrorism and the largest threat to international peace and security; Syria, which hosts the headquarters of terrorist organizations dedicated to wreaking havoc in the streets of Israel and murdering as many individuals as possible; and the terror organizations themselves. A dark cloud is looming over the Middle East and, indeed, the world. Iran, Syria and the terror organizations they finance, harbour, nurture and support, do not discriminate between their victims, targeting innocents wherever they are, and in their trail of terror kill Jews, Christians, Muslims and Druze, Americans and Frenchmen and whoever happens to be unlucky enough to be in their path. As the Foreign Minister of the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Zahar, recently stated, suicide terrorism

represents the realization of the ultimate dream of the Palestinians. It is, indeed, a sad reality that the Palestinians who went to the polls seeking a better life and an end to corruption, find themselves in the grip of a terrorist organization that is turning their dreams into nightmares. Unfortunately, there still exist elements that believe that terrorism is a tool to fulfil political aims. To that suggestion, the international community should respond with a resounding "No". That fanatic outlook is anathema to the principles of peace and human dignity and all that the United Nations stands for. The axis of terror is alive and active. Leaders of Hamas meet regularly with, and have been offered financial assistance by, the President of Iran -- the very same President who calls for the annihilation of another State Member of this Organization and denies the Holocaust while attempting to develop the nuclear capabilities to perpetrate the next one. Just 48 hours ago, we witnessed how volatile the situation is on Israel's northern border, where Iran uses Hizbollah to fight its war by proxy. With Iran and Syria's active support, Hizbollah perpetrated a Katyusha rocket terrorist attack deep into northern Israel, which resulted in an extensive exchange of fire along the Lebanese border. We not only hold the Government of Lebanon fully responsible for all the terrorist activity initiated from its territory, but also hold fully responsible the Governments of Iran and Syria for harbouring and supporting Hizbollah and other terrorist organizations. We expect the international community to enforce Security Council resolutions 425 (1978), 1559 (2004) and 1680 (2006) in full. As a result of the active collaboration between Iran, Syria and their terrorist cronies, thousands of innocent people have lost their lives, and the lives of many more have been forever changed as a result of wounds sustained from terror attacks. Indeed, more than 24,500 terrorist attacks have been perpetrated against the Israeli people during the current period. The threat of terrorism is real and pressing, and we in Israel face it every day, in every community. It is faced by every single person. That horrific number is a horrendous statistic of the wave of terror that is sweeping the world while this third world war is raging.

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We will meet here again in three months' time. If all we do then is add the names of the hundreds more victims and scores of countries hit, we will have failed miserably. It is our moral duty and an urgent responsibility to mobilize today. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to fight this world war, so that when we next meet we can declare substantial progress, if not ultimate victory. The President (spoke in French): The next speaker on my list is the representative of Ukraine, to whom I give the floor. Mr. Kuchinsky (Ukraine): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the GUAM-participating States -- the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Since the attack of 11 September 2001, which visited upon us an unthinkable dimension of terrorism, many countries, cities and towns, including Bali, Riyadh, Jakarta, Russia, Madrid, London, Sharm elSheikh, Dahab and -- repeatedly -- Iraq, as well as many other sites all over the world, have fallen prey to a brand of terrorism that operates in global networks. Those tragedies prove that no State is immune from the threat of terrorism. It is only through the concerted efforts of the international community as a whole that we will be able to effectively withstand that challenge. Only a strong coalition of nations based on shared principles and values and, of course, on the Charter of the United Nations, can -- as we must -- resolutely rebuff the terrorists' aspirations and plans. The Al-Qaida/Taliban sanctions Committee, the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) have made a fruitful contribution to fighting the scourge of terrorism. We believe that they are accomplishing their various mandates. The Committees should continue their efforts to increase cooperation and coordination among themselves and their experts in monitoring the implementation of the respective Security Council resolutions, as well as with regard to information-sharing and visits to various countries The GUAM countries welcome the efforts of the 1267 Committee to further improve the AlQaida/Taliban sanctions regime, and commend the role of the 1540 Committee and its group of experts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We consider the Counter-Terrorism Committee's activities in providing the information on

available assistance programmes to be one of its main contributions to the fight against terrorism. We expect the Committees to continue their work, as mandated by the Security Council. In our view, the CTC is unique. The character and scope of its mandate and working methods represent an important innovation and open possibilities for interState cooperation. I would like to take this opportunity to express GUAM's full support for the CounterTerrorism Committee's programme of further activities. It is important that the Committee continue to provide all possible assistance to the multinational anti-terrorist coalition by strengthening, inter alia, the capacities of the regional organizations and groups, as many speakers have underlined today. In this regard, let me stress that GUAM has actively participated in the consolidation of the efforts of the international community in the fight against terrorism. In particular, GUAM has made its own contribution to the special meetings of the CounterTerrorism Committee with international, regional and subregional organizations held over the past several years. At the recent GUAM summit, which took place on 22 and 23 May in Kyiv, Ukraine, the heads of State of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine declared the establishment of a new international organization for democracy and economic development, which will retain the name "GUAM". By signing the Kyiv GUAM summit communiqué, its members stressed the following priorities for the international organization in the future: the strengthening of the values of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and freedoms, stability and security, combating international terrorism and other lofty goals. The participants in the summit had a high assessment of the existing level of interaction in combating terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking and other dangerous types of crime. They expressed their determination to provide a political, legal and organizational basis for overcoming the challenges of international terrorism, separatism, intolerance and extremism. GUAM attaches great importance to the strengthening of its legal framework. In that regard, the Presidents of the GUAM States parties welcomed the joint statement of the law enforcement authorities of

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GUAM member States signed at Kyiv during the summit on 22 May 2006 and also the signing by the heads of those countries' border services of a protocol concerning cooperation among the operational bodies of the border services. GUAM is continuing to carry out two projects in the area of counter-terrorism and border security: the project on the establishment of the GUAM virtual centre for combating terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking and other dangerous crimes; and the project on the creation of the GUAM inter-State information management system. Terrorism is a reprehensible malady of the present day. If we let it flourish through our hesitation, it has the potential to undermine the very pillars of our civilization. The United Nations and its Security Council constitute the basis for our collective efforts to fight this threat as a transnational phenomenon. GUAM stands ready to further enhance its capacities in order to make its contribution to our common goal. We thus look forward to the speedy adoption and implementation of a global strategy against terrorism to promote comprehensive, coordinated and consistent responses at the national, regional and international levels, as mandated by the world summit. The President (spoke in French): I now give the floor to the representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Mrs. Núñez de Odremán (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela) (spoke in Spanish): I should like at the outset to thank the representative of the Republic of the Congo for convening this meeting of great importance for the international community. We also wish to thank the Chairs of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004) for the information they have presented today. Terrorism in all its forms -- particularly State terrorism -- is a grave threat to international peace and security, including to the very coexistence of the community of nations. We wish to reaffirm the position of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela: we condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, by whomsoever and against whomsoever committed. In its firm resolve to fight terrorism, our Government has ratified many international conventions in this area. At the domestic level, we have developed a broad set of counter-terrorism laws

and have created a national counter-terrorism authority. Thus, we have complied in a committed, responsible and consistent manner with our obligations in this field. We have also regularly submitted the relevant reports to the Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee and to the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism. With the same conviction and perseverance with which we are fighting this scourge, we wish to express our condemnation and repudiation of the use of terrorism as a political instrument for the outright killing or intimidation of innocent, weak and helpless people anywhere in the world. In the fight against terrorism, the international community has no other choice but to work together and to adopt policies aimed at combating this scourge in order to mete out effective justice. Policies employing double standards compromise the credibility, trustworthiness and good name of any organization or State that deliberately uses such policies to elude terrorism, particularly State terrorism. At present, penalties against acts of terrorism committed by the armed forces of a State are insufficient under the norms provided by international humanitarian law. The so-called collateral damage of today's military actions is not really collateral damage, but rather principal damage, every time innocent men, women and children are killed. Moreover, in the current asymmetrical war, the concept of collateral damage of military action makes no sense, since the most powerful State is confronting an entire people. Acts of mass destruction produced by weapons of mass destruction are directed against people without any distinction. That enables us to describe such acts as State terrorism pure and simple. Examples abound, such as the terrorist actions carried out by the Government of the United States of America against Nicaragua or the current case of the people of Iraq. However, what is regulated and considered inadmissible is support in any form for entities or individuals who participate in terrorist acts or provide safe haven for those who commit such acts. Such support would be in flagrant non-compliance with Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). In paragraphs 2 (c) and 3 (g) of that resolution, States are prohibited from offering safe haven to those who commit acts of terrorism and from recognizing claims of political motivation as grounds for refusing requests for the extradition of alleged terrorists. Here too, examples abound. Public opinion is aware of the protection that

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the Government of the United States of America is providing to one of the most infamous terrorists in the Western hemisphere, Luis Posada Carriles, a wellknown assassin on the CIA's payroll. Another case worth mentioning in this Chamber is that, on 15 March 2004, a formal extradition request was made for the citizens José Antonio Pulido and German Varela López, accused in Venezuelan courts of having planted explosive devices in diplomatic headquarters of Spain and Colombia. On 28 April 2006, the current United States authorities granted those terrorists freedom within United States territory. The current Government of the United States has not responded to the request made by the Venezuelan judicial system to extradite -- in compliance with existing treaties and international law -- those citizens accused of carrying out terrorist acts in Venezuela and to bring them to justice for their actions. On the contrary, it is protecting them with baseless excuses that are indefensible in the eyes of the international community. The double standards with which this subject is being addressed are obvious. Will the following questions remain unanswered? Who is the terrorist? Who is the destabilizer? Who does not implement its national counter-terrorism laws or even international agreements when it is convenient? Finally, our Government, which is committed to the true fight against terrorism and does not justify any form of terrorism, formally requests that the item of State terrorism and the consideration of actions by the international community against such cases as the United States of America, which we consider to be dangerous to our peoples, be included in this meeting and subsequent deliberations of the Security Council. The President (spoke in French): I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Syrian Arab Republic, in which they request to be invited to participate in the consideration of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the discussion, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided.

At the invitation of the President, Mr. Sadeghi (Islamic Republic of Iran) and Mr. Alhariri (Syrian Arab Republic) took the seats reserved for them at the side of the Council Chamber. The President (spoke in French): I now give the floor to the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic. Mr. Alhariri (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): Allow me at the outset, Mr. President, to commend your leadership of the Security Council for this month. My delegation would also like to join others in thanking Ambassadors Løj, Mayoral and Burian for their briefings to the Security Council this morning. Syria would like to reaffirm its condemnation of international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including State terrorism. Syria has been a victim of horrific acts of terrorism, and was among the first countries to sound the warning of that looming danger. Syria has called for national and international strategies to combat terrorism. Syria has also shared its experience in combating terrorism with many countries of the world, which has contributed to saving the lives of many innocent persons of various nationalities and to breaking up many international terrorist cells. Syria is implementing its commitments vis-à-vis the Consolidated List. The relevant authorities have incorporated names on the List into the electronic entry control system at all Syrian border control posts, in addition to distributing those names in hard copy. We note with appreciation that the 1267 Committee is making great efforts to carry out its mandate. Nevertheless, despite those efforts, the Security Council has yet to seriously take up the reference by the General Assembly in last September's World Summit Outcome to the need for fairness in dealing with the issues of listing, delisting and amending the Consolidated List and making exceptions to it. That is in addition to the problems encountered in the implementation of the provisions of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council -- especially the great gaps that exist with regard to identifying elements for a number of names on the list, and in particular the fact that many names are similar and some are repeated and that spelling is not standardized. The time has come for a comprehensive review to update the List and to eliminate all doubt as to the information it contains.

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Syria notes the efforts being made by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) to deal with the backlog of State reports. We call for further efforts to fully eliminate the backlog of such reports. Syria will soon present its fifth report to the CTC, which will include the latest legislative steps taken by Syria with regard to its national law to combat terrorism and its financing. Let me also point to the burden faced by States, including mine, in responding to the many reporting requirements. I would like to say that the body created under the law to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism is taking a very active and effective role, especially in opening up the banking sector and in the future establishment of a stock market in Syria. That body has also held a number of workshops, in cooperation with various international bodies, including the World Bank. A regional conference for the Middle East and North Africa was held in Damascus entitled "Development of an effective system to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism". The Arab Banking Union, in cooperation with Syria's central bank, held a seminar on combating the financing of terrorism and money laundering. Moreover, the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force has also expressed its satisfaction with Syrian transparency in the area of combating terrorism, as well as with our country's full commitment to implement the recommendations of the Task Force. The anti-terrorism financing and money laundering body is also signing memorandums of understanding in order to share information with a number of other States. That body has also requested membership in the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, and will attend the Group's next meeting, to be held in Cyprus in mid-June, as an observer. With regard to the work of the 1540 Committee, we continue to believe that that Committee's work can in no way be seen as an alternative to the various international disarmament mechanisms. We must avoid attempting to inject the Security Council into the activities of the General Assembly. I should also add that we have submitted our report under that resolution. Syria has also responded to further questions by the Committee. Those clarifications also referred to the fact that the law on combating terrorism and money

laundering includes language criminalizing any trade in radioactive materials. Syria is committed to cooperating with various Security Council bodies on terrorism. We are making sincere efforts to update our domestic legislation and to establish effective ways to combat terrorism. We also welcome the coordinating efforts of the three Committees to implement their mandates. We call upon them to avoid duplication and to streamline the many reporting requirements, as called for at September's Summit. We also call on the Committees to avoid duplication of the efforts being made by the General Assembly, which is the sole legislative authority of the United Nations. In dealing with international terrorism, which does in fact threaten international peace and security, we call upon the Security Council to avoid intervening in matters that fall strictly within the purview of the General Assembly -- especially as regards legislative matters, for that would affect the legal nature of Security Council measures and open the way to the possibility of appealing against them. The Arab region is suffering from terrorism in general, and from State terrorism in particular, as represented by the terrorism of Israel, which continues to occupy Arab lands, to kill Palestinian citizens and to destroy their property and to build a wall of separation of Palestinian land. While noting the role of the Security Council in international efforts to combat global terrorism, we call on the States members of the Security Council to avoid double standards in fighting terrorism. Combating terrorism must be based on strict legal criteria, and not on flimsy political considerations. In that regard, I must stress that Israel is dutybound to cease its cheap blackmail against the United Nations. Israel is well aware that the international community knows about the terrorist acts it has perpetrated since coming to the region. Its gangs have assassinated many international personalities, including those sent by the United Nations to investigate the situation in the region. Everyone is aware of the fact that the source of terrorism in the region is Israel's continuing occupation of Arab lands, the ejection of Palestinians from their land, the confiscation of that land and Israel's ongoing aggression against Arabs and its denial of their basic rights.

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The important point is that, in his statement, the representative of Israel referred to and insisted on the need to implement resolutions 1680 (2006) and 1559 (2004). I should like the statement we made to the sponsors of those resolutions when they were introduced to be clearly reflected in the records of the Security Council. We said that the objective of the resolutions was to serve the regional interests and agenda of Israel and its supporters and not the cause of peace and security in the Middle East. The representative of Israel did not mention Israel's huge nuclear arsenal. He seeks to confuse the legitimate rights of those living under occupation and whose lands have been usurped with the rights of those who perpetrate terrorism. Perhaps he should read the United Nations Charter, which was drafted to save generations from the scourge of war and from foreign occupation. Those who are ignorant of these facts may be illiterate, and if they are illiterate they ought not to be here at the United Nations. I will be brief. Israel's terrorism is known to all. Most regrettably, Israel can fool some people some of the time; however, it cannot fool everyone all of the time. Occupation is rejected. Right is might, and it is the legitimate right of all people to combat occupation. Neither Israel nor anyone else can prevent peoples under occupation from resisting it. Syria believes that the United Nations is a unique framework for strengthening collective action towards cooperation between all States to combat terrorism and to identify its root causes. My delegation attaches the utmost importance to the efforts of the General Assembly to update international counter-terrorism conventions and to ensure the discharge by all States of their international obligations. In that regard, I would stress that we shall effectively cooperate in forthcoming discussions to establish a comprehensive strategy to combat international terrorism. We believe that any comprehensive strategy must recognize certain basic elements, most important of which are a clear and accurate definition of terrorism and the need to address its fundamental roots, particularly foreign occupation. The struggle against terrorism must not be exploited for political ends. We must therefore differentiate between criminal terrorism and the rights of peoples under occupation and foreign hegemony to struggle towards their independence and self-determination. We believe that the strategy must

target terrorism perpetrated by individuals, groups and States, and we therefore feel that State terrorism must be addressed by the comprehensive strategy. We look forward to the best possible implementation by the three committees of their mandates in order to enhance international cooperation, promote international peace and security, and eliminate all sources of tension in our world. The President (spoke in French): I call on the representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mr. Sadeghi (Islamic Republic of Iran): May I begin by congratulating you, Sir, on your skilful presidency of the Security Council and on your professional stewardship of its work for this month. I also commend your predecessor, Ambassador Wang Guangya of China, for his commendable presidency of the Council last month. I would also like to thank the Chairmen of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004) for their praiseworthy work and for their comprehensive briefings to us today. My thanks also go to the vicechairmen, members and experts of the Committees, particularly the members and head of the Monitoring Team of the 1267 Committee, for their dedicated efforts to implement the tasks assigned to those important Committees. The fight against terrorism remains a priority for the international community. The role of the United Nations in addressing that menace is of great magnitude, and the important contribution that the said Committees can and should make to tackle that problem deserves recognition and appreciation. Iran remains fully committed to cooperating with the Committees in fulfilling the important tasks with which they have been entrusted. In the past four years, three visits have been paid to the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Chairman of the 1267 Committee and by the 1267 Committee's Monitoring Team. Moreover, Iran has furnished the said Committees with the required reports and is in the process of finalizing its fifth national report to be sent to the Counter-Terrorism Committee. As a victim of terrorism, the Islamic Republic of Iran has always strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and has demonstrated its strong resolve to fight terrorism by all means,

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including by arresting one of the greatest number of Al-Qaida members apprehended by any single State and handing them over to the authorities of their respective countries in the past four or five years. In that context, Iran has intensified its control over and security at its borders with a view to preventing the entry of terrorists into or transit from its territory. Moreover, and aware of the indisputable mutually reinforcing connections between terrorism -- particularly that of Al-Qaida and the Taliban -- and drug-trafficking, Iran has fought a costly war against that menace, on which Al-Qaida feeds. Here, I would like to emphasize that, as also indicated in the reports of the 1267 Committee, the efforts of the international community in fighting terrorism, particularly the threats posed by Al-Qaida and the Taliban, will not yield the expected results unless adequate attention is also given to the menace of drug-trafficking, which serves as the main financial feeding ground for that terrorist group. Indeed, Iran has shouldered the burden almost single-handedly thus far. Therefore, the contribution and attention of the whole international community to that important aspect of fighting AlQaida and the Taliban are unquestionably needed. Terrorism is a serious threat and a global menace. The increasing insecurity and the escalation of acts of violence and terrorism perpetrated by malicious terrorists in different parts of the world -- including the heinous and unspeakable terrorist acts in Iraq and also the daily, cold-blooded State terrorism practiced by the Israeli regime in Palestinian territories -- are of serious concern to the international community. Terrorism is a perverted product of the mentality espoused by some State and non-State actors, which glorifies military might as the source of legitimacy and denigrates the principles of international law, ethics and morality as cumbersome constrictions on the exercise of power. Terrorism can and must be destroyed first and foremost by reversing the logic of violence and coercion and changing those mentalities. The United Nations counter-terrorism mechanisms are the embodiment of our forces, joined under the umbrella of the United Nations, to eradicate the menace of terrorism, and have thus far registered commendable achievements. Yet, the international community's efforts to eradicate terrorism have faced some hurdles along the way that need to be addressed appropriately. For instance, an opposing unilateralist trend has, from the very beginning of this effort,

threatened to halt the momentum and shatter the universal consensus, thus undermining the overall and effective fight against terrorism. Moreover, while the decisive stage in the war against terrorism is that of capturing the minds and hearts of peoples, the abuse of the fight against terrorism by some demagogues to spread hatred and bigotry among various cultures and religions, and their efforts to demonize and defame certain religions or cultures by the unfair and unfounded attribution of terrorism to them, may in fact prove to be no less serious in their gravity than terrorism itself. In its endeavours to fight terrorism, the United Nations should also consider proper mechanisms to rescue the much-abused term of terrorism from those countries that unfairly and baselessly use it as a pejorative term for any other country that dissents from their policies. We need to recognize that the application of double standards in dealing with terrorism and terrorist groups is yet another important matter of grave concern which seriously undermines the international community's collective campaign against terrorism. In the course of the past three decades, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been subjected to acts of terrorism by various terrorist groups. Particular reference should be made to a terrorist group which has long been stationed in Iraq and which has planned, financed, supervised and perpetrated terrorist operations in Iran. These have resulted in the killing of many civilians and officials as well as in damage to private and government property. That terrorist group was long supported and sheltered by the regime of Saddam Hussein and ironically continues to enjoy similar protection from the occupying forces in Iraq today. During this period, that terrorist organization has staged more than 612 terrorist operations in Iran or against Iranian interests outside the country, including hijackings, abductions, bombings and indiscriminate terrorist attacks against civilians. There are also other terrorist groups that have operated against the Iranian people with the collaboration of other terrorist organizations and with the tacit support of some foreign countries. Most recently, a terrorist group attacked and killed tens of people in the eastern and south-eastern parts of the country in an attempt to create an environment of intimidation and insecurity. We are of the strong view that there should not be a distinction between different forms of terrorism. In other words, there are no good

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and bad terrorists or terrorism: terrorism is bad and should be condemned and combated with no discrimination. It is not my intention to take the time of the Council to respond to some of the baseless and unworthy allegations raised here against my country by the representative of the disgraced Israeli regime. However, I wish to mention the following points. Ever since its inception, the Israeli regime has been deeply suffering from a lack of legitimacy. So it is not surprising that the representative of such a regime, ruled constantly by those who are culprits of various crimes against humanity and war crimes, would make such baseless and fabricated propaganda as a remedy for the regime's illegitimacy. Moreover, it is an open secret that the Israeli regime has continuously and purposely violated many international laws and norms, not to mention dozens of United Nations resolutions, including Security Council resolutions. The response of that irresponsible regime has been nothing but complete defiance. In that context, particular reference can be made to the mischievous policy of the Israeli regime on the nuclear issue, which is a showcase for its concealment and its unabated pursuit of a nuclear arsenal in recent decades. It is indisputable that this ill-intentioned policy has been threatening peace and security in the volatile region of the Middle East and beyond for years. In fact, the Israeli nuclear danger and missile capability, coupled with its wicked behaviour, present a real threat not only to regional peace and security but also to the whole world. Therefore, this threat needs to be urgently and decisively addressed by the international community. Indeed, that regime should face a united front and must be kept under continuous pressure to relinquish its terrorist acts and its nuclear programme, and to place all of its nuclear facilities under international monitoring. It is worth mentioning that the only existing obstacle to the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East is the Israeli regime's nonadherence to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and its continued clandestine operation of unsafeguarded nuclear facilities, with the help and technological assistance of a certain State. The regime has paid no attention to the constant international call in many forums, and particularly at the 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT, which called upon that regime by name to accede to the

Treaty immediately and without any conditions. Moreover, the regime has never been a party to the international instruments on weapons of mass destruction, namely the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Biological Weapons Convention and the NPT. The President (spoke in French): The representative of Israel wishes to make a further statement, and I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement. Mr. Gillerman (Israel): I believe that, before I made my statement, the representatives of neither Iran nor Syria were supposed to speak. I would just like very, very briefly to express my appreciation -- which I hope is shared by members of the Security Council -- for the opportunity afforded to all of us to hear lectures about terrorism by two of the world's greatest experts on that subject. The President (spoke in French): The representative of the Syrian Arab Republic wishes to make a further statement, and I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement. Mr. Alhariri (Syrian Arab Republic) (spoke in Arabic): I wish to make one brief comment on the representative of Israel's statement that we were not "supposed" to speak. We made our statement under rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, which is perfectly clear, and with the approval of the Council. I think addressing the Council in the way he did is evidence of absolute arrogance. If there are experts on international terrorism, everybody knows that Israel is "the" expert on international terrorism. It established a State on the basis of international terrorism. If there is suffering in the world, it is because of Israel. In his statement, the representative of Israel spoke three times of a third world war. The Constitution of UNESCO tells us that "wars begin in the minds of men", and it appears that this is what is in the mind of Israel. If we think about this, we will find the reasons for both the First and the Second World Wars. The President (spoke in French): The representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran wishes to make a further statement, and I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

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Mr. Sadeghi (Islamic Republic of Iran): My first statement was not, in fact, a response to the first statement of the representative of Israel, as that representative said, but this one is indeed a response to what the representative of Israel just said. I shall be very brief and will limit my response to one sentence. What the representative of Israel just said was a big lie, and it shows that all the other things they say are the same, the proof being that the

secretariat of the Security Council received our letter, requesting that our delegation be included in the list of speakers, on Friday. The President (spoke in French): There are no further speakers on my list. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 2.10 p.m.

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