President: Mr. Vassilakis (Greece) Members: Argentina Mr. Mayoral China Mr. Liu Zhenmin Congo Mr. Gayama Denmark Ms. Løj France Mr. De La Sablière Ghana Nana Effah-Apenteng Japan Mr. Oshima Peru Mr. Chávez Qatar Mr. Al-Qahtani Russian Federation Mr. Rogachev Slovakia Mr. Burian United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Ms. Pierce United Republic of Tanzania Mr. Mahiga United States of America Ms. Wolcott Sanders Agenda Briefings by Chairmen of subsidiary bodies of the Security Council The meeting was called to order at 10.10 a.m. Adoption of the agenda The agenda was adopted. Briefings by Chairmen of subsidiary bodies of the Security Council The President: I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Cuba, Finland, Switzerland and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, 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, the representatives of the aforementioned countries took the seats reserved for them at the side of the Council Chamber. The President: 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 the following documents addressed to the President of the Security Council — S/2006/257, containing a letter dated 25 April 2006 from the Chairman of the 1540 Committee; S/2006/607, containing a letter dated 3 August 2006 from the Acting Chairman of the 1373 Committee; S/2006/737, containing a letter dated 14 September 2006 from the Chairman of the 1373 Committee; and S/2006/750, containing a letter dated 18 September 2006 from the Chairman of the 1267 Committee. At this meeting, we will hear briefings by the Chairmen of the 1267 Committee, the 1373 Committee and the 1540 Committee. I shall 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): This is my third briefing in 2006. Paragraph 16 of resolution 1617 (2005) specifies that every 120 days I am to report to the Security Council. I would like to say that by adding to the list of persons and entities associated with Al-Qaida and the Taliban and monitoring, with the support of the Monitoring Team, the implementation by States of the established sanctions measures, the Committee continues to play a very important role in the fight against international terrorism. Since my last briefing, six individuals and one entity have been added to the list, and one individual has been removed. In its efforts to improve the quality of the list, the Committee has also approved a number of technical changes. That has been one of the objectives of my delegation. The Committee has also acknowledged receipt of five notifications presented in accordance with resolution 1452 (2002) for the release of frozen assets of the persons on this list. As regards the dialogue with States, there was a briefing for Member States on 26 July at the United Nations, attended by 50 representatives, at which the new developments in the work of the Committee were presented. Committee members feel that such briefings can be mutually beneficial both to members and to those who attend by allowing the direct exchange of views and clarifications regarding relevant sanctions-implementation issues. With respect to visits to States, in October or November I intend to visit several countries that the Committee considers important for an exchange of ideas. My last trip, to the Middle East, was very instructive and served to put forth new ideas regarding the implementation of sanctions in States that have accumulated valuable knowledge and experience in the fight against terrorism. The Committee has also highly benefited from information from the experts of the Monitoring Team as a result of their trips to previously selected States and international organizations. The Monitoring Team organized two meetings of the heads and deputy heads of intelligence and security services to study the terrorist threat from Al-Qaida and related groups, as well as issues related to the implementation of the measures under resolution 1267 (1999). Officials from the North African States and Pakistan participated in one meeting, while officials from States in the Western Sahara region participated in the other. In both meetings we saw the value of engaging officials at the highest level who have direct responsibility for countering terrorism with the work of the Committee. Regarding further improvements to the sanctions regime, the consideration of the Monitoring Team’s fourth and fifth reports mandated by the Council provides the Committee an opportunity to assess and reflect upon how to further improve the sanctions regime. The Committee commended the Monitoring Team for its fourth report and on 10 August 2006 submitted its position on the report to the Security Council in document S/2006/635. The Monitoring Team submitted its fifth report on 31 July 2006. That report is now being considered by the Committee. The Committee also requested the Monitoring Team to advance the submission of its sixth report to 7 November, given that the Monitoring Team’s mandate will expire at the end of 2006. Members of the Council may be aware that the Committee’s website has been expanded. It now contains general information about the work of the Committee, a checklist and a standard form for submitting information for inclusion on the list. I trust that States will fully utilize the practical guidance provided on the Web in their interaction with the Committee. On 25 July the Committee approved further improvements to the Consolidated List, including the assignment of permanent reference numbers and the entries transcription of their original alphabets. I ask Member States to take advantage of those improvements for the implementation of sanctions measures when submitting names for possible inclusion in the List. I now wish to turn to the issue of cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) in the implementation of sanctions. Through the activities of the Monitoring Team, the Committee has continued to enhance and coordinate its cooperation with the CTC and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) by, among other things, harmonizing the relevant work of experts, such as trips to selected States. In that regard, earlier this month, Monitoring Team experts and experts from the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) undertook another joint visit to a State. We are currently considering the possibility of carrying out additional joint visits to other States before the end of the year. The Monitoring Team has continued to work closely with the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and with experts from the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), in order to identify ways to assist the 31 States that have not reported or have fallen behind in their reporting obligations to all three Committees under relevant Security Council resolutions. The three expert groups recently prepared a joint paper by the three Committees proposing a common strategy to deal with this issue. That proposal is now under consideration. With regard to cooperation with Interpol and other international organizations, with the support of the Monitoring Team, the Committed has continued to prepare Interpol-Security Council special notices, which are issued for individuals on the Committee’s List. The Committee recently agreed to Interpol’s proposal to publish posters of persons wanted by Interpol who are subject to United Nations sanctions. Constructive cooperation between the Committee and Interpol contributed to the Council’s adoption, on 8 August, of resolution 1699 (2006). As members will recall, through that resolution the Security Council called on the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to increase cooperation between the United Nations and Interpol in order to provide the sanctions committees established by the Security Council with better tools to fulfil their mandates more effectively, as has been the case with the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999). The Committee has continued to expand its links with international and regional groupings such as the European Union, the Organization of American States, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. With regard to the future work of the Committee and the challenges confronting it, in the coming months the Committee will focus on the following matters. First, the Committee will concentrate on concluding the revision of its guidelines. At its meetings, the Committee has worked intensely to revise its guidelines. At the end of July, we were very close to reaching a consensus agreement on the proposed listing procedures. That would have allowed the Committee to fully focus on intricate de-listing procedures. The Committee is well aware of the numerous calls urging it adopt fair and clear listing and de-listing procedures for the Consolidated List. Once adopted, such measures would facilitate the implementation of sanctions by States. I urge all members of the Committee to make additional efforts to achieve that objective as soon as possible by endeavouring to reach a consensus agreement and making the concessions necessary to reach a compromise. With regard to further improving the quality of the List, the accuracy of the List continues to be crucial to ensuring the success of established sanctions. I once again encourage States to submit the names of individuals and entities that they believe should be included on the List due to their association with Al-Qaida or the Taliban, as well as all additional or updated information regarding names already on the List. With regard to the submission of the written assessment of actions taken by States to implement the mandatory measures pursuant to paragraph 17 of resolution 1617 (2005), although the Committee has postponed the submission of that document — which was due on 31 July — the Committee recognizes that this assessment could prove to be very important to the Council’s consideration of a new resolution when the time comes at the end of 2006 to review current sanctions measures with a view to their possible strengthening. The Committee will therefore strive to complete that task as soon as possible. With regard to other very complex and urgent issues, the Committee will have to address such issues as Al-Qaida’s use of the Internet and how best to assist States to implement sanctions in the event that the identity of an individual is uncertain due to a lack of sufficient identifying information on the List. As members are aware, the work of Committee Chairman is not easy. However, I have enjoyed the support of all its members, which has made my work easier. With that support, and with the assistance of the Monitoring Team, I intend to continue to make progress on all outstanding issues before the Committee. Nevertheless, the success or failure of the sanctions regime rests primarily with States and their effective implementation of sanctions. We need as much information as possible from States in order to know where sanctions are and are not working effectively. More important, we need that information to identify the areas where further improvements to sanctions and their implementation are necessary. That is why I again appeal to countries to submit their checklists if they have not already done so. To date, we hare received only 54 lists. I also want to encourage States to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by resolution 1617 (2005) to participate in Committee meetings in order to discuss relevant sanctions issues more in depth. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my previous appeals to the Council in the light of the recently adopted United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, in which we have all unequivocally reaffirmed our firm determination to prevent and combat terrorism. The President: I thank Mr. Mayoral for his briefing. I shall now give the floor to Ms. Ellen Margrethe Løj, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerning counter-terrorism. Ms. Løj: As Chairman of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, I would like to review the Committee’s activities since my last report to the Council in May 2006. I will inform members about the Committee’s twentieth work programme for the current six-month period ending 31 December 2006. Before I begin, I would like to thank the head of the Committee’s Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), Mr. Javier Rupérez, and his team, as well as the Secretariat staff, for their valuable support. On 14 September 2005, the Security Council adopted resolution 1624 (2005). That resolution called upon States to take a number of steps broadly connected to the need to address the problem of incitement to terrorism. The Security Council also directed the Counter-Terrorism Committee to “include in its dialogue with Member States their efforts to implement this resolution” and to “work with Member States to help build capacity, including through spreading best legal practice and promoting exchange of information in this regard” (resolution 1624 (2005), para. 6 (a) and (b)). Finally, it tasked the Committee to report back to the Council in twelve months on the implementation of that resolution. In accordance with that mandate therefore, on 14 September 2006, the Committee submitted its report to the Council on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1624 (2005). That report is before the Council. The Committee’s report aims to present a factual account of steps that have been taken by States to implement resolution 1624 (2005). At the outset of the report, we note that, as of 7 September 2006, the Committee had received reports from only 69 States on implementation of the resolution. While that total includes States from all regional groups, the limited number of responses from Member States has inevitably restricted the scope of the Committee’s report on the implementation of the resolution. Let me nonetheless present the conclusions that the Committee has been able to draw on the basis of the information available. The Committee’s report first addresses the provision in resolution 1624 (2005) calling upon all States “to adopt such measures as may be necessary and appropriate and in accordance with their obligations under international law” (para. 1) in order to prohibit by law and to prevent incitement to commit a terrorist act or acts. We observed that the reports received by the Committee so far showed that States have a range of understandings of the steps that may be taken to prohibit and prevent incitement. In that connection, 21 of the 69 reporting States informed the Committee that incitement to commit a terrorist act or acts was expressly prohibited in their criminal laws. Thirteen others reported that they were considering adopting similar legislation. Most of the States which reported expressly prohibiting incitement provided additional information to the Committee — as reflected in the report — on issues such as the type of conduct that was considered to fall within the scope of the crime of incitement, and the legal criteria that needed to be satisfied in order for conviction to result. A smaller number of States provided the Committee with information on the prohibition within their laws of the justification, glorification or apology of acts of terrorism. Many States also informed the Committee about provisions in their laws that prohibit an array of widely-recognized accessory offences committed in connection with any serious crime. Accessory offences might include, for instance, such activities as aiding, counselling and solicitation. Those provisions would apply, therefore, in cases relating to the commission or attempted commission of terrorist acts, where such acts are defined in a State’s criminal laws. Thus, those States consider that the inclusion of such offences in their criminal codes serves to implement, at least in part, the call upon States in resolution 1624 (2005) to prohibit by law incitement to commit a terrorist act or acts. Resolution 1624 (2005) contains several other important provisions. It calls upon all States to deny safe haven to any persons suspected of incitement to commit a terrorist act or acts. It also calls upon all States to cooperate to strengthen the security of their international borders. The Committee’s report reflects a range of steps that States have taken in those respects, in areas such as the processing of claims to refugee status, the handling of extradition requests, the strengthening of international cooperation, and the adoption of new technologies to prevent travel document fraud. The resolution also calls upon all States to “continue international efforts to enhance dialogue and broaden understanding among civilizations, in an effort to prevent the indiscriminate targeting of different religions and cultures” (para. 3). On that issue, the Committee’s report describes various steps that States reported taking, including initiatives at the United Nations, other international initiatives and measures taken at the national level. The report also contains information on steps taken by States to implement the resolution’s call on them “to take all measures as may be necessary and appropriate and in accordance with their obligations under international law to counter incitement of terrorist acts motivated by extremism and intolerance and to prevent the subversion of educational, cultural, and religious institutions by terrorists and their supporters” (ibid.). Finally, the report provides information on steps taken by States to implement paragraph 4 of the resolution, which stresses the need, in implementing resolution 1624 (2005), for States to comply with all of their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, refugee law and humanitarian law. The report recounts a number of international obligations by which States considered themselves bound, in many cases relating to the right to freedom of expression as well as the right to seek and enjoy asylum. As the report indicates, the Counter-Terrorism Committee will continue its efforts to fulfil the mandate given to it by the Security Council in resolution 1624 (2005). To that end — and as is the case in all aspects of the Committee’s work — the Committee will, along with its Executive Directorate, continue to engage actively and constructively with Member States. In that regard, I strongly encourage States that have not yet done so to report to the Committee in order to ensure that the Committee has the best possible basis for discussing with States their implementation of the resolution. Furthermore, reporting from more States will strengthen the Committee’s foundation for fulfilling the task of spreading best legal practice and promoting exchange of information. Before I conclude, I would like to add a few words about the Committee’s other activities in order to enhance States’ implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). The guidepost for the Committee’s work in that regard remains the comprehensive review of December 2005, in which some priority areas were highlighted. Therefore, the Committee continues to focus its work on enhancing its tools, including by revising the reporting regime; on how to enhance the facilitation of technical assistance for States in need; and on how to deepen relations with the international, regional and subregional organizations. Since I reported last, the Committee has reached agreement on an update of its web page with indications of best practices. I encourage States to use the information contained there as a source of inspiration in their continuous efforts to implement the provisions of resolution 1373 (2001). Also, the Committee is continuing its visits to Member States upon their consent. In all, the Committee has now visited 10 States and is working on ensuring that the necessary follow-up to those visits takes place, in order to ensure that they lead to as many concrete measurable results as possible. I would like to thank the Governments of the States that have hosted visits for their hospitality and cooperation. Moreover, the Committee has continued coordination of its activities with the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) and with the 1540 Committee through, inter alia, maximizing synergies among relevant activities of experts. We have just passed the fifth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1373 (2001), and the implementation of that resolution remains as crucial as ever in the international community’s fight against terrorism. Developments since I last reported have shown, once again, that the Committee’s main task remains vital and urgent. I also welcome the recently adopted United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (General Assembly resolution 60/288), which reiterates our strong determination to fight against terrorism. Support from, and cooperation with, Member States remains invaluable. I would therefore like to thank Member States for their important contribution in that regard. The President: I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Peter Burian, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). Mr. Burian: As the Chairman of the 1540 Committee, I have the honour to brief the Security Council on the most recent activities undertaken by the Committee. I will also outline its future efforts to promote compliance by all States with resolution 1540 (2004) through the achievement of the implementation of its requirements. First of all, let me inform the Council about the current status of reporting on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). As of 20 September 2006, 132 Member States and one organization had submitted their first national reports to the Committee. Fifty-nine States have yet to submit their first report — Montenegro, which recently joined the United Nations as an independent State, submitted its first report together with Serbia. I would like to use this opportunity to call on all States that have not yet done so to send the Committee their first reports on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Facilitation of reporting and conducting outreach activities to promote States’ implementation of resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006) will remain among the top priorities of the work of the Committee. With respect to reporting, the Committee intends to approach again all Member States that have yet to submit a first report, through a letter with the matrix and relevant legislative database attached, in order to facilitate the preparation of their first national reports. In response to the request by the Committee following its examination of first national reports, 84 States have so far provided additional information. As I have already mentioned, the conduct of outreach activities to promote the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) is one of the top priorities in the work of the Committee. In this respect, the Committee, with the support of Member States and the Department for Disarmament Affairs, continued throughout the reporting period its outreach activities to promote States’ implementation of resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006). The first seminar on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in the Asia-Pacific region was held on 12 and 13 July 2006 in Beijing, China. The seminar was attended by 70 participants from 23 countries of the region, other States, members of the Security Council and international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and others. The Chairman of the Committee and two Committee experts attended the seminar and made presentations on the following topics: the status of regional implementation of resolution 1540 (2004); prohibitions in resolution 1540 (2004) vis-à-vis international treaties and conventions; implementation measures to account for, secure and physically protect nuclear, chemical and biological materials and their means of delivery; implementation and national experience related to export controls; and how to use the matrix as a planning tool for providing and receiving assistance. Within the outreach activities programme the Chairman of the Committee addressed the eighteenth United Nations Conference on Disarmament Issues, held in Yokohama, Japan, from 21 to 23 August 2006. In my presentation, I provided a broad overview of the Committee’s activities and reviewed the current status of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). This autumn, the Committee will organize or participate in several important outreach events. Two regional seminars on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), in Africa and in the Latin American and Caribbean region, will be organized in November this year in Ghana and Peru, respectively. The workshop in Accra, Ghana, will be the first seminar on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in Africa. It will be held on 9 and 10 November 2006 and is co-sponsored by the European Union with the support of the Department for Disarmament Affairs. The second seminar, on implementing resolution 1540 (2004) in the Latin American and Caribbean region will be held in Lima, Peru, on 27 and 28 November 2006, again co-sponsored by the European Union with the support of the Department for Disarmament Affairs and its Regional Centre in Lima. This seminar will be a follow-up to the regional seminar held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in September 2005, and discussions will focus on major developments, challenges and lessons learned since then. In addition, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will hold a workshop in Vienna on 8 November 2006 on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). The primary focus of the workshop will be on furthering the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) by identifying how OSCE members can develop their own national implementation plans. The Committee will continue its practice of informing intergovernmental organizations outside the United Nations about its work, at relevant meetings and conferences. The Committee will make full use of these opportunities to address, in particular, issues of implementation and reporting. I also wish to express his gratitude to Member States, the OPCW and the IAEA for their support in the Committee’s outreach activities. Now, let me briefly offer some information about other activities of the Committee. First of all, let me speak about the database. As part of its efforts to promote information-sharing concerning States’ implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), the Committee developed a 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 is continuously updating this legislative database. The database is available on the Committee’s official website. It contains links to public sources of relevant information about legislative and other regulatory measures of States that have submitted reports regarding the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). The Committee will encourage States to make appropriate use of the background information provided through that database, as well as of legislative advice provided by international organizations, when enacting national implementation laws and measures. I turn next to cooperation with other relevant Security Council committees and relevant international organizations. The 1540 Committee and its experts continue to maintain close cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the 1267 Committee. As part of those efforts, the groups of experts of the three Committees have prepared and submitted to their respective Chairmen a joint paper on a common strategy dealing with non-reporting and late-reporting States based on the useful experience gained from the New Zealand assistance programme. The Committee will continue to interact and cooperate with relevant international, regional and subregional organizations in order to facilitate the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Thirdly, the Committee will continue to act as a clearing house on assistance, including by collecting upto-date information on this 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 the Committee, through its experts, will also continue to 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 invite both States making offers of assistance and States requesting assistance to take a proactive approach on a bilateral basis, including making use of offers by international organizations, in order to contribute to capacity-building. Last but not least, the Committee is currently considering a draft programme of work, which will cover all aspects of resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006). It will also reflect the recommendations contained in the report of the Committee to the Security Council (S/2006/257) of 25 April 2006. In conclusion, on behalf of the Committee, I look forward to the cooperation of all States as the Committee goes forward with its future work. I would like to thank all members of the Committee, as well as the Secretariat and the experts, for their active contribution to the work of the Committee and their valuable support. The President: I thank Mr. Burian for his briefing. I shall now give the floor to the members of the Council. Mr. De La Sablière (France) (spoke in French): First, I would like to thank the Chairmen of the three Committees for their reports. Terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems pose a major threat to international peace and security — an issue for which the Council has a special responsibility. Open meetings such as this one, which enable all Members of the United Nations to remain informed about all of the Council’s activities in combating terrorism, are particularly useful. Furthermore, they make it possible for us to ensure that there is smooth interaction and coordination in the work of the three Committees established by the Council. We fully support the statement to be made later by the presidency of the European Union. However, I would also like to refer to some specific aspects of the work of the Committees. With regard to resolution 1540 (2004), that Committee has spent a great deal of time elaborating a draft programme of work. I should like once again to stress the importance that my country attaches to ensuring that the programme of work and its implementation deal with all aspects of resolution 1540 (2004), neglecting none. The question of the delivery vehicles for weapons of mass destruction — which has been the poor relation in the work done over the past two years — must not be excluded on an artificial basis. We cannot adopt an approach that restricts the scope of the resolution. The fact that a treaty bans any particular type of weapon does not mean that such weapons or their delivery vehicles no longer exist. Resolution 1540 (2004) is a unique instrument in terms of non-proliferation precisely because it deals comprehensively and coherently with the three types of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery vehicles and related materiel. It is respectful of treaties and of those who have or have not signed them, but it is directed at all States. Where there is no treaty — that is to say, in the case of delivery systems and non-State actors — it does not lay down the law but asks States to fully shoulder their responsibilities. The Security Council has formulated these requests of all States precisely so as to render them operational. When we decided, by resolution 1673 (2006), which extended the mandate of the Committee, that the Committee should, within a period of two years, report back to the Council on the completion of the implementation by States of the resolution, we assigned an ambitious goal to the Committee. It is now up to the Committee to acquire the tools that it needs in order to carry out this work in depth. The Committee must, if it is to do the job that we have entrusted to it in terms of assistance, effectively match offers and requests for technical assistance. This will require the updating of its matrix, which was never intended to be carved in stone but was designed to be an evolving tool. The contracts of several members of the group of experts have expired or soon will expire, so it will be a brand new group that will be helping the Committee to implement its new programme of work. France encourages the Committee to continue its activities with a view to increasing awareness of the resolution on the part of States and of international organizations with competence in this area, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. This work is not just useful in terms of inviting States that have not yet done so to submit or supplement their national reports, but also in mobilizing support for the Committee’s work among regional and specialized organizations acting pursuant to their respective mandates. This cooperative and interactive approach has helped States to take on board the objectives of non-proliferation formulated by the Security Council. By taking such an approach the Committee will do useful work under its second mandate. The Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee, established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), has, since the adoption of resolution 1617 (2005), carried out important work in improving the sanctions regime in terms of making it more effective and more transparent. France welcomes the adoption of resolution 1699 (2006), which endorses the Committee’s cooperation with Interpol and extends it to other sanctions Committees established by the Council. This innovative cooperation has already enabled the Committee to acquire supplementary information relating to individuals and entities on the list and especially to mobilize Interpol’s network in order to implement sanctions. We believe this cooperation should be further intensified and, in particular, the number of the notices accessible on the Interpol network should be increased. A review of the guidelines of the 1267 Committee is under way. It now needs to be speedily completed, particularly with regard to procedures for listing and de-listing, as well as to those relating to humanitarian exemptions, with a view to making those procedures both more transparent and more operational. Increased transparency would enhance justice and make it possible to improve the credibility of the Committee’s work, particularly regarding Member States, which would facilitate cooperation by Member States with the Committee. It would also meet a need for effectiveness. We have proposed that a focal point be created to this end within the Secretariat to receive and transmit to the Committee de-listing requests from individuals on the list. I hope that guidelines will be speedily adopted on this basis by the 1267 Committee. Over the past three months, the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the its Executive Directorate have done important work analysing initial reports received from States pursuant to resolution 1624 (2005). The Counter-Terrorism Committee is mandated to include in its dialogue with States their efforts to implement resolution 1624 (2005) and to help build States’ capacities in this area. I thank the Chair of the CTC for the report (S/2006/737) submitted to the Council on 15 September. It clearly is a point of departure; the Committee now needs to continue, at regular intervals, to assess the status of the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005). France attaches great importance to that resolution, which, for the first time, called upon States to act on the crucial problem of terrorist propaganda. Like resolution 1373 (2001), that resolution calls on States to adopt the necessary criminal laws to prohibit incitement to commit terrorist acts and to deny safe haven on their territory to those guilty of such conduct. That is fundamental, and it is on that aspect that the Committee should focus its work, using all of the tools at its disposal for engaging in dialogue with States. Resolution 1624 (2005) also calls upon States to develop a broader political approach to the problem, strengthening dialogue and mutual understanding. We think that this balance is important, because while counter-terrorism inevitably involves police, judicial and intelligence work, it cannot be successful in the long term unless it deals properly with factors that lead to the radicalization and recruitment of terrorists. France, furthermore, continues to advocate that the Counter-Terrorism Committee and its Executive Directorate continue their efforts in following up field visits and strengthening their cooperation with relevant international and regional organizations in order to improve the implementation by States of the Security Council’s requests. In conclusion, I wish to recall the importance my country attaches to mobilizing all United Nations organs and agencies in combating terrorism. Here, France welcomed the General Assembly’s adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (General Assembly resolution 60/288). That document, which was largely inspired by the Secretary-General, for the first time creates consistency in the work done by all United Nations bodies in the area of counter-terrorism. This will enhance the effectiveness of United Nations action and help mobilize all States against this scourge. Nana Effah-Apenteng (Ghana): At the outset, I wish to thank the Chairpersons of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee and the 1540 Committee for their incisive and comprehensive briefings. Security Council resolution 1624 (2005) is one of the most critical and far-reaching resolutions adopted by the Security Council, in the sense that it invites States to push the envelope of criminal liability. There are two approaches to the implementation of that resolution: using or extending existing provisions in the criminal code on causing harm to persons and property, or enacting specific legislation against incitement to terrorist activities. In view of the legal pitfalls in using vague legislation to prosecute terrorist activities, the second option may be better. We therefore call on the Counter-Terrorism Committee, which is already doing a laudable job, to continue, in consultation with donor countries and organizations, to assist in building capacity and providing technical assistance to States lagging behind in the critical areas of legislative drafting and law enforcement. It is imperative that in combating terrorism, which is a constantly mutating phenomenon, we utilize all innovative tools at our disposal, without compromising freedom of expression and other human rights. As noted by the Chairperson in her report, only about one third of States have fulfilled their reporting obligations. We believe that non-reporting by States may not necessarily stem from lack of interest or political will, but is rather due to technical difficulties in implementation. On the question of denial of safe haven to persons with respect to whom there is reasonable evidence of their having been guilty of incitement to terrorist acts, what is important is the sharing of information among the various intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The same approach is recommended in the efforts of Member States to strengthen their international borders. It may also be necessary for States to invest in advanced data collection and screening equipment at their various ports of entry. Dialogue among civilizations pursued on the basis of mutual respect and good faith also has a role to play in our efforts against terrorism. It is undeniable that dialogue is necessary not only for mutual understanding of the various cultures and religions, but also because lack of understanding creates a fertile breeding ground for tension, mistrust and suspicion, which in turn constitute potential sources of hate-mongering, racism and religious intolerance. To this end, we welcome the various initiatives taken by the Secretary-General, the General Assembly and various other institutions and organizations on this subject. My delegation is concerned about the extent to which terrorist and extremist groups have been using the tools of information technology to further their murderous objectives, thereby opening a new front in the war against terrorism. The proliferation of websites on the Internet disseminating hate propaganda and inflammatory ideas is a further challenge in our efforts to contain incitement. This places on all of us the collective burden of finding sophisticated means of neutralizing such websites. With regard to the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities, my delegation is pleased to note that since the last briefing, the Committee has made significant progress in streamlining the listing and de-listing procedures. The refining of the listing and de-listing process is critical, not only for the sake of transparency and due process, but also to ensure credibility and, hopefully, to reduce the number of challenges in domestic courts. In this regard, we are convinced that the Chairman’s visits to States are indispensable to the attainment of the objectives of the Committee. These visits not only constitute an invaluable tool in assessing the implementation of sanctions, but also provide an opportunity for consultations and exchanges of information with the intelligence and law enforcement agencies of States. It is also one way of assessing the needs of States and thereby determining how efficiently and expeditiously technical assistance can be channelled. We take this opportunity to commend the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team for the recommendations in its fourth and fifth reports on the improvement of the sanctions regime, and for its pivotal role in ensuring the efficient functioning of the Committee. We call on the Council to renew the mandate of the Monitoring Team before it expires at the end of the year. The Committee’s efforts to develop the Interpol- Security Council special notices should also be commended. Cooperation with Interpol and other international and regional organizations will enhance its counter-terrorism activities. The Security Council, by its unanimous adoption of resolution 1673 (2006), which extended the mandate of the 1540 Committee, unambiguously exhibited its resolve and determination to diligently pursue efforts to comprehensively address the nexus between weapons of mass destruction proliferation and terrorism, which separately and jointly constitute the greatest threat to an already fragile international security environment. If we acknowledge that all States, irrespective of their economic status and military and security capabilities, are vulnerable to the threat of nuclear terrorism, then the collective strength of the community of nations should be harnessed to prevent non-State actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, for which resolution 1540 (2004) and, by extension, resolution 1673 (2006) seek to achieve. It is, therefore, disheartening to note that only three countries out of the 62 that had not submitted their national reports as at last January have fulfilled their obligation. We reiterate our call on the remaining 59 States to fulfil their obligations. There has not been any appreciable increase in the number of States that have provided additional reports. It is against this backdrop that we consider the outreach programme to be an essential element, since it creates a forum for holistic discussion of the implementation of the resolution among regional groups, thereby encouraging countries that have yet to report to do so. Ghana, as noted by the Chairman of the 1540 Committee, is ready to host the 9-10 November 2006 seminar for Africa. We are optimistic that, after that meeting and the similar seminar to be held in Peru, fewer States will fall within the non-reporting bracket. The provision of assistance and resources, especially to developing countries, to enable them to effectively implement salient national measures is imperative, since the primary aim that underpinned the adoption of resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006) will be elusive without international cooperation and assistance. The fight against the twin scourge of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear terrorism is a collective concern. Therefore, every effort should be made to prevent the politicization of the issue or the process being held hostage to the parochial interests of any State or group of States. Our initial unanimity of purpose should be the primary principle as we forge ahead. Finally, we welcome and applaud the growing cooperation between the three Committees and hope that the joint action strategy on non-reporting States, if implemented, will serve as the beginning of closer cooperation, given the eventual convergence of their ultimate goals. Mr. Liu Zhenmin (China) (spoke in Chinese): My delegation would like to thank Ambassador Mayoral, Ambassador Løj and Ambassador Burian for their respective introductions of the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001), concerning counter-terrorism, and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). We appreciate their untiring efforts to move forward the work of those Committees. China would like to offer the following observations and opinions with respect to the Committees. The 1267 Committee has enhanced its cooperation and dialogue with Member States, through such methods as briefings and visits by its chairpersons. The Committee has also further updated its website, with more information and improved search methods, and has shared information and effectively cooperated with Interpol and other relevant international and regional organizations. Concerning the issue of listing procedures, the Committee has made progress in its deliberations. We hope that during its next phase, focus will be on attaining an early consensus on listing procedures and the sanctions list and achieving procedural fairness and transparency, as well as improving the quality of the sanctions list. The Monitoring Group has submitted its fifth report to the Committee, which contains many recommendations for improving the sanctions regime. We hope the Committee will continue to improve its effectiveness and authority and, in cooperation with Member States, will thus facilitate international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. The Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), with its increasingly full agenda, is carrying out all of its work as scheduled. Since the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) was established almost one year ago, it has played an important role as an improved working mechanism. China welcomes the Committee’s report to the Council on the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005). China believes that eradicating the causes of terrorism is a new and challenging aspect of our fight against terrorism and that, accordingly, work towards implementation of the resolution should continue. China encourages more Member States to submit their national reports to the CTC. We also welcome the package of best practices put forth by the Committee, which will facilitate implementation of the resolution by Member States. The CTED has recently visited a number of Member States, and we hope those visits will further improve the effectiveness of the relevant work of the Committee and enhance its follow-up activities. The next stage for the Committee is to increase the efforts towards its programme of work, in order to achieve greater progress by the end of the year. Since the extension of the mandate of the 1540 Committee, members have extensively exchanged their views on its one-year programme of work and have reached a consensus on most of that programme. We hope the parties concerned will narrow their differences by showing greater flexibility, so that the Committee may, in accordance with resolution 1673 (2006) and the recommendations contained in the report, come up with a comprehensive and balanced programme of work, in order to facilitate the comprehensive implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). In July 2006, with the support of the United Nations, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, Australia and others, China successfully held, in Beijing, the Asia-Pacific workshop on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), which has contributed much to the implementation of the resolution in our region. China will continue to take an active part in the work of the 1540 Committee. Looking back over the past few months, terrorist activities have continued to be rife worldwide. Our fight against terrorism remains long and arduous. China has always held that, as a common scourge of the international community, all terrorist activities constitute grave crimes, regardless of their motivation, timing and location or the identity of the perpetrators. China is opposed to all kinds of terrorist activities. We must fight against both the root causes and the symptoms at the same time. We cannot address the issue based on double standards. China welcomes the General Assembly’s adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (General Assembly resolution 60/288), and calls upon all parties to translate it into practical steps. We support enhanced cooperation and communication among the three Committees, which will help to improve the national reporting mechanisms and contribute to capacity-building in the developing countries in that field. Ms. Wolcott Sanders (United States of America): I would like to thank all three chairmen for their briefings and for their leadership in the efforts of the Security Council to counter the dual threats of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The recently adopted United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (General Assembly resolution 60/288) highlights the crucial role of the Council in the fight against terrorism, as well as the need for Member States to cooperate with the Council’s counter-terrorism subsidiary bodies in implementing all of the Council’s resolutions relating to international terrorism. We hope the Strategy will foster concrete improvements and enhanced cooperation and coordination to maximize synergies and avoid duplication of work, both within the Council and throughout the United Nations system. The United States remains committed to working with the United Nations and like-minded States to build counter-terrorism capacity and to ensure that States comply with their obligations under Security Council resolutions. We strongly support the efforts of the Council’s counter-terrorism subsidiary bodies to achieve those objectives. I would now like to comment briefly on each presentation. The United States is grateful to Chairman Løj, for her strong leadership and welcomes the progress the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) has achieved during the past quarter. We also appreciate the dedication and commitment of Ambassador Ruperez and the Counter-Terrorism Committee’s Executive Directorate (CTED). We are pleased that the Committee has adopted a set of best practices, relevant to the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001), which we hope States will rely on for guidance. That directory refers to standards established by international technical organizations and we are particularly glad that it refers to the Financial Action Task Force’s Forty Recommendations on Money-Laundering and Nine Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing. We also welcome the Committee’s recent report to the Council on the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005). As the Committee continues its dialogue with States and considers what might be done in spreading best legal practices consistent with its mandate, the Committee will need to continue to reflect appropriately two aspects of resolution 1624 (2005). Significantly, that resolution was constructed carefully to reflect first, the international community’s sense that incitement to terrorism is an important issue to be addressed, and secondly, the importance of respecting free expression as protected by diverse constitutional systems. Finally, we are pleased that the Committee and the CTED are continuing their State visits and their important capacity-building work. The 10 visits CTED has completed since 2005 mark an achievement, but their success will be measured by the results they achieve. Follow-up to those visits is essential to ensure that States carry out the CTED’s recommendations and receive the technical assistance they need to do so. We thank Ambassador Mayoral for his dedicated leadership in the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), and in the fight against Al-Qaida and the Taliban. Over the last 120 days, the Committee has taken important concrete actions to sanction Al-Qaida associates and entities in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The geographic diversity highlights Al-Qaida’s global reach and underlines the importance of the truly international efforts to combat it. We welcome all Member States of the United Nations to become active participants in the 1267 process, by submitting names for the Committee’s sanctions list, and we are pleased that the Committee approved a new cover sheet that will make it easier for States to prepare requests for listing. The 1267 Committee is fortunate to have a highly professional and capable Monitoring Team. In the past 120 days, the Monitoring Team has held productive meetings with the heads of intelligence and security services from various regions. We applaud that initiative and believe that the networks formed and the intelligence gleaned from such meetings contribute significantly to the fight against Al-Qaida. In particular, we encourage the Committee to focus on the dangers posed by the increased activity of Al-Qaida networks and associated groups in the Sahel and Sahara region and in South-East Asia. The United States also supports the Monitoring Team’s recommendation to begin regional meetings with heads of financial institutions in order to make financial sanctions more effective. Looking ahead, we urge the Committee to continue to focus attention on the issue of compliance by Member States with the 1267 sanctions regime, and we look forward to the Monitoring Team’s upcoming paper on the issue. We also want to highlight progress made on fair and clear procedures for listing and de-listing individuals for sanctions. The United States has been working hard with other Member States, both on and off the Security Council, to revise listing and de-listing guidelines. We are optimistic that Council members will reach agreement soon as we all approach this matter with the seriousness it deserves. I thank Ambassador Burian for his commitment and dedication. His Committee plays an important role in promoting States’ implementation of their obligations under resolution 1540 (2004). The threat of a terrorist attack using weapons of mass destruction or related materials cannot be discounted, and resolution 1540 (2004), if fully implemented, will help eliminate that menace. We urge the Committee to adopt a programme of work without further delay so that it can more fully carry out its responsibilities under resolution 1673 (2006). To fulfil its responsibilities, the Committee must review and examine States’ reports and then draw conclusions. Such consideration is essential to enable the Committee to work with individual States or groups of States to facilitate delivery of technical assistance. Its purpose is not to make judgements about whether States are “good” or “bad” in relation to implementing resolution 1540 (2004). In particular, on the basis of its review of States’ reports, the Committee can provide useful information and recommendations to States that might be seeking assistance or to donors that might be able to provide it. We welcome the Committee’s successful outreach initiatives during the past 120 days. In support of those efforts, we are pleased to be sponsoring, along with Slovakia, Denmark and Greece, a workshop of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on 8 November. It will focus on how to develop a national action plan for implementing resolution 1540 (2004). We also are proposing that the Organization of American States devote a special meeting in December to the issue of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Mr. Gayama (Congo) (spoke in French): My delegation listened closely to the presentation of the quarterly reports by the Chairmen of the three counter-terrorism Committees: the Ambassadors of Argentina, Denmark and Slovakia. We wish to warmly commend them for the quality of their work. The relevance of the reports submitted for our consideration enlightens us about the work programmes that they have established, the various approaches that they have adopted and the results —somewhat mixed — in the fight against terrorism, which is a long-term struggle. We note with satisfaction the adoption by the General Assembly, on 8 September 2006, of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288). It sends a clear message by stating that this scourge is unacceptable, committed by whomever and for whatever purposes — and, I would add, regardless of the semantic definition one might give for terrorism. Under the terms of this Global Strategy, Member States declare their resolve to refrain from organizing, instigating, facilitating, participating in, financing, encouraging or tolerating terrorist activities and to take appropriate practical measures to ensure that their respective territories are not used for terrorist installations or training camps, or for the preparation or organization of terrorist acts intended to be committed against other States or their citizens. That seems to be very clear. The difficulty begins in the implementation of the Strategy. The report of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerned the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005), which prohibits and prevents incitement to commit terrorist acts. We wish to welcome the Committee’s efforts in that regard. Indeed, as of 7 September, 69 States have submitted reports, and 22 of them have announced that they have included in their criminal codes a ban on committing acts of terrorism. Those results do not necessarily indicate a lack of political will on the part of some States to implement the resolution; rather, we believe, they reflect States’ differing perceptions as to the measures to be taken to implement it. Some say that there are enough provisions in their domestic legislation to enable them to implement the provisions requested of them. Concerning the denial of refuge, we point out and understand what the majority of States have stated in their reports, that immigration and border control laws can serve as the basis for refusing admission to an individual guilty of inciting terrorist acts. Whether or not that is enough remains to be proved. In any case, we believe that strengthening international border security is one of the major aspects of resolution 1624 (2005), particularly paragraph 2, where the Security Council calls upon all States to cooperate in combating fraudulent travel documents and in enhancing terrorist screening procedures. It is interesting to note that most States have informed the Committee that measures along those lines had been announced. Also, Member States have adopted measures to encourage international exchanges aimed at promoting dialogue and better understanding among civilizations both at the level of the United Nations international system and at the level of national institutions. All of that must be encouraged. In addition, my delegation views as positive the measures taken by some States to implement the resolution in accordance with the obligations arising from international law, including in the areas of human rights, refugees and humanitarian law. With regard to the activities of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), we welcome its report, which cites the progress made in implementing that resolution —particularly in relation to its work programme, whose main objectives include raising States’ awareness about the implementation of resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006) and promoting dialogue, assistance and cooperation with Member States. As regards the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), my delegation wishes to thank the Committee’s members for their work. The proposals to restructure de-listing procedures drew our attention. We welcome those efforts, especially with regard to the quality of the lists submitted to Member States and the constant improvements in the website, which is a valuable guide for States in implementing the resolution. In general, we can be pleased about the innovations made in the three Committees’ working methods, including the sending of joint missions — which are increasingly bringing together a number of other international organizations such as Interpol, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the International Maritime Organization and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees — and the holding of regional seminars. While it is perhaps premature to talk about the effectiveness of these new policies, which are still in the experimental stage, we are convinced that we are on the right track. Indeed, regional seminars are already beginning to attract not only States and international organizations, but also representatives of non-governmental organizations. We must welcome and encourage the multifaceted assistance that a number of States and international organizations provide to the three Committees in that regard, in the context of implementing their activity programmes. We believe that greater technical assistance should be given to impoverished States or regions so as to raise their awareness about the need to truly commit themselves to helping other States to combat terrorism, which remains an ongoing threat. The seminar on implementing resolution 1540 (2004) to be held in Accra, on 9 and 10 November is an initiative that we welcome. We hope that that type of initiative will take place on all continents. Among the countries that have not cooperated sufficiently with the Committee, there are perhaps a large number of African countries. We have already discussed that in the African regional group, and it does not seem to be a question of indifference or a lack of interest. It was stated that there are often technical reasons and perhaps a problem in determining priorities for countries with limited means, whether human or material resources, leading them to give priority to other issues rather than combating terrorism. That does not mean that terrorism is incapable of striking those countries, wherever they are or at any time. This has already been the case in several African countries or regions, where Africans were either victims or involved, unfortunately, in reprehensible activities. It does mean that there are still too many vulnerable people in our countries susceptible of being seduced by ideologies and by behaviour and incitement to terrorism. The international community must adopt a more comprehensive approach that includes preventive measures related to development, education and promotion of awareness among the active sectors, especially youth, which is the sector most often seduced by this sort of activities. Thus, it would be expected that the symptoms be given attention or treatment at least equal to the results expected. Among non-proliferation and the trivialization of delivery systems and other weapons used by terrorists, there is an effort towards, if not general disarmament, at least towards the non-dissemination of light arms or other weapons that are the source of profit for some armament industries. Where terrorists operate they could, paradoxically, obtain delivery systems or technologies from the countries that are at the forefront of the fight against terrorism. That must be considered and taken into account by the Security Council and the international community in combating the scourge of terrorism. With these comments, we encourage the work of the three counter-terrorism committees. In general, their activities concern all countries, all areas of the world, and no one is exempt from joining in and cooperating in the work of survival for the international community. Mr. Chávez (Peru) (spoke in Spanish): My delegation is grateful for the presentations of Ambassador Løj, Ambassador Mayoral and Ambassador Burian, chairs of the subsidiary bodies established pursuant to resolutions 1373 (2001), 1267 (1999) and 1540 (2004). We congratulate them for their work in charge of their respective subsidiary bodies of the Council. We also thank the experts and staff working for those Committees. As for the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999), we feel that the change in procedures for listing and de-listing should be completed as soon as possible. We must take into account not only the expectations concerning this review process but also the fact that a delay in reaching agreement risks affecting the credibility and legitimacy of the Committee and the sanctions regime. Peru feels that that agreement must overcome existing limitations and take into account that any steps to combat terrorism should be based on full respect for international law and human rights. As for the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, my delegation is still expecting the transition from the system of reports to the use of preliminary implementation assessments, or PIAs. Proper use of this new tool should allow the Committee to gain more complete and detailed information on implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) by the Member States. It will establish solid bases for better understanding of national realities, for better dialogue between the Committee and the Member States and for the determination, in each case, of the most appropriate assessment. We feel it is essential that the Committee’s study on the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) by each country — the preliminary implementation assessment — be shared with that country. Real dialogue can be established only if we use the same basis. For that it is necessary to have a common understanding of reality within a framework that promotes confidence and cooperation. The report on the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005) that the Counter-Terrorism Committee has presented to the Council describes progress by the Member States. I would like to report that in Peru for many years now, penal legislation criminalizes anyone who by any means incites someone to commit any act that includes the crime of terrorism and anyone who publicly praises the crime of terrorism or someone who has been condemned as an author of or participant in that crime. As evidence of its commitment to the question of the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, Peru will host a seminar on implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in Latin America and the Caribbean on 27 and 28 November 2006. This event is co-sponsored by the European Union, with the support of the United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, whose headquarters are in Lima. This seminar is similar to that held in Beijing and those that will be held in Accra and Vienna. We feel it is a useful tool for disseminating the considerations raised by resolution 1540 (2004), promoting awareness of the seriousness of the problem of proliferation and orienting countries in fulfilling the obligations under that resolution. Likewise, we welcome any help that countries can provide to each other at the bilateral level for implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) or to exchange information that improves their own legislation and reinforces their means of control within the framework of respect for the rights and obligations of the States parties to the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention. At the beginning of this month, the General Assembly took a landmark step by adopting by consensus the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (resolution 60/288). Peru has zero tolerance for terrorism and energetically and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Peru hopes that implementation of the Strategy, under the auspices of the General Assembly, will encourage international cooperation in all aspects of the fight against this scourge. In the same spirit, we reiterate our hope for the early completion of the negotiations on a draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism. Mr. Oshima (Japan): First, Mr. President, I wish to thank you for holding today’s debate. I would also like to thank the respective Chairs of the Council’s three counter-terrorism-related Committees for their briefings this morning, and especially to thank them for their important efforts in leading the work of their respective Committees over these many months. Over the past five years, the Security Council has rededicated its efforts to take measures to prevent terrorism and has taken various initiatives in order to strengthen Member States’ counter-terrorism policies. While it is true, on the one hand, that there have been significant improvements in the counter-terrorism capacity of Member States, it remains a sobering, alarming reality that terrorists have grown more audacious and sinister in their designs and acts, with the net result that the threat of terrorism that we face has not actually abated at all. The international community, through the United Nations, must step up its efforts to fight this scourge, using all means available. In this vein, the Japanese Government welcomes the General Assembly’s 8 September adoption of its resolution 60/288, on the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The Security Council continues to play a vital role in this global strategy of the United Nations. In conducting its activities in the days to come, it is important that the Council needs to bear in mind that the strategy adopted by the General Assembly calls for further improvement in the work of the three counter-terrorism-related Committees. My Government welcomes the fact that a report (S/2006/737) has been submitted to the Council by the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) pursuant to resolution 1624 (2005) of September last year, based on the reports submitted by Member States on the prohibition of incitement to terrorism. The content of the report is of great interest to us. However, in view of the fact that approximately two thirds of the Member States have not yet submitted their reports, we would like to join in encouraging those Member States to do so at the earliest possible time, so that it will be possible for the Council and others to gain a better understanding of the status of implementation of resolution 1624 (2005). One of the areas in which the three Committees need to continue their work is the efforts to ease the reporting burden of some Member States. There are two aspects to this work. One is to consider possible kinds of assistance that might be provided to those States which have the will to submit reports but lack the capacity to prepare them. Another aspect is to consider the possibility of consolidating in a single questionnaire the questions addressed to Member States. Both of those aspects need to be addressed in tandem and with a sense of urgency. Japan appreciates that, for the former objective, that of assistance, the expert groups of the three Committees have recently prepared a common strategy paper. We expect that its consideration in the Council will be expedited to make tangible progress in this regard. With regard to visits, we understand that the three Committees have gradually undertaken measures to consolidate Committee visits to Member States, which we welcome. It is also important to note that the follow-up of those visits should be carried out effectively. Considering that the CTC has already conducted visits to a number of States and that there are more than five States that are expected to be visited by early next year, we need to elaborate and implement even more thorough follow-up activities, so that the visited States will be able to regard the visits as beneficial to them as well. Such an approach will lead to enhancement of this kind of cooperative relationship between the Committees and the States visited. My Government continues to attach great importance to the clearing house role of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), in close cooperation with the Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG), in identifying specific assistance needs of States and providing necessary information to donors to concretize the needed donor support. We appreciate the proactive efforts of Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Løj of Denmark, Chairperson of the CTC, and of the CTED, since our last meeting on 30 May, to enhance the dialogue with some of the Member States requiring such assistance, including, in our part of the world, the Pacific island States. As one of the donor States, Japan wishes to continue sharing its experience and information in this regard. The listing and de-listing of individuals and entities on the Consolidated List of the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee are also of great interest to many Member States, including Japan. Although it has not yet reached a final conclusion, the Committee has had substantive discussions on the listing issue, and is very close to reaching a conclusion. In order to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the Consolidated List and to effectively contain terrorist activities, we intend to actively contribute to the discussion, so that this issue, including the de-listing aspect, will be resolved as early as possible. We appreciate Ambassador César Mayoral’s ongoing efforts to resolve this issue. Finally, with regard to the 1540 Committee, we are grateful to Ambassador Peter Burian of Slovakia both for his work and, particularly, for his participation in the eighteenth United Nations Conference on Disarmament Issues, which was held in Yokohama, Japan, in August, in which more than 30 countries, mainly from the Asian region participated. The Chairman of the 1540 Committee made a presentation on the work of the Committee, which was most timely, coming at this juncture when the international community is facing urgent issues that need to be dealt with effectively and decisively in the fields of disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation, including, in our part of the work, namely, Asia, in the far East, North-East, South and West Asia. I wish to take the opportunity to commend Ambassador Burian for his presentation which contributed to enhancing the awareness of the significance of resolution 1540 (2004) and the importance of its successful implementation. Each of the three Committees will continue to rigorously pursue its activities as we approach the end of the year. At that point, it will be necessary for each individual Committee to review its achievements and to consider ways for the Council to realize a more efficient and effective counter-terrorism policy. The comprehensive review of the CTED and the review of the mandate of the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee’s Monitoring Team will also be a good opportunity in that regard. Taking into consideration its experience in the Committees, my Government will continue to play an active role in advancing the work and reform of the three Committees. In closing, my delegation wishes to acknowledge the dedicated and excellent work of the members of the CTED, the experts on the Monitoring Team of the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee, the experts on the 1540 Committee and the Secretariat. Mr. Rogachev (Russian Federation) (spoke in Russian): First of all, we would like to express gratitude to the Chairpersons of the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee, the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) — Ambassadors Mayoral, Løj and Burian respectively, for their comprehensive briefings on the Security Council’s work in those key areas of countering the global threat of international terrorism. The Russian Federation welcomed the General Assembly’s adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-terrorism Strategy (General Assembly resolution 60/288), which Russia sees as possessing significant potential for the necessary strengthening of the international community’s system-wide work to eradicate terrorism. Of particular importance here is the resolution’s emphasis on preventing global terrorism and also on enhancing the anti-terrorism security capabilities of Member States. The practical implementation of such goals is impossible without coordinated active work by the Security Council in the various areas of counter-terrorism and without the consistent implementation of its resolutions, the task of monitoring which is entrusted to the three subsidiary Committees. On the whole, the Russian Federation commends the work done by the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and its Executive Directorate. We support the main programmatic areas of the Committee’s work of the set forth in Ambassador Løj’s briefing. The five years that have passed since the adoption of resolution 1373 (2001) have served to convince us of the complexity and length of its implementation process. We hope that the Committee’s recent improvements in the methods of assessing the resolution’s implementation and the accountability of States will increase the quality of the dialogue with States and streamline the provision of timely necessary technical assistance to them. We support the CTC’s initiatives on targeted interaction with individual regional and subregional organizations. We also welcome the preparatory work now under way to organize the fifth meeting of the CTC with international and regional partners. The work done by the Committee with regard to country visits is now more meaningful and profound than ever. As current Chair of the Group of Eight (G8), the Russian Federation consistently believes in utilizing the capabilities of its Counter-Terrorism Action Group to provide assistance to the CTC’s visiting missions. We welcome the steps taken by the Committee to organize systematic work with States on the outcome of the visiting missions. Given the increasingly busy schedule of such visits, this is an issue that must remain central among the CTC’s concerns. I would especially like to focus on the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005). Unfortunately, we must observe that the results here neither meet our expectations nor live up to the innovative and forward-looking spirit of the resolution, which is of crucial importance to preventing terrorism and strengthening the basis for a dialogue among civilizations. The report submitted to the Security Council, surveying measures taken by States to implement the resolution, reflects material submitted by only 69 States. The very fact that such a very low number of reports have been received from various regions of the world and that almost two thirds of Member States have not submitted reports has hardly brought us any closer to a truly objective picture. That is particularly disquieting given that, among other things, the implementation of the more complicated part of the mandate lies ahead. This relates to assisting States by providing them with shared best practices and databases of legislative and other measures to suppress incitement to terrorism and to implement the other provisions of resolution 1624 (2005). We once again call upon those countries that have not submitted their reports to the Committee to do so as soon as possible. At the same time, the Committee should very soon think about a plan for future interaction with States regarding the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005), including the portion of the resolution that has yet to be implemented. We expect that, along with the CTC’s next six-monthly report, the Council will also be provided with the Committee’s report on the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005). We continue to view the 1267 Committee and its Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team as one of the effective and productive Security Council mechanisms to meet the challenges of counter-terrorism. We attach great importance to continuing the practice of country visits by the Chairman of the Committee and members of the Monitoring Team. We also favour closer coordination in this area, in particular with the CTC and its Executive Directorate. The 1267 Committee’s Consolidated List continues to be the main instrument for the implementation of the anti-Taliban sanctions regime. We welcome the efforts of the Monitoring Team and of the Committee itself to improve the List. We call upon Member States to continue to submit to the Committee requests for the listing of persons and organizations associated with the Taliban and Al-Qaida, as well as to provide additional information with regard to those persons. We hope to see the continuation of the interactive and fruitful discussions in the 1267 Committee regarding improving the Committee’s guidelines. We are prepared to play an active role in that regard. In our view, some progress has been made in this area, which will no doubt help to strengthen the sanctions regime itself. We are convinced that the most important thing in that regard is to improve national mechanisms for the taking of decisions to add new names to the sanctions list. It is precisely the commitment of Member States to the full and conscientious implementation of their obligations that will determine the success of our common efforts to stem the unabated threat to international peace and security posed by the Taliban and Al-Qaida. The exacerbation of the situation in Afghanistan caused by those extremists and terrorists once again demonstrates how urgent it is to strengthen the sanctions regime established by the Security Council. With regard to the activities of the 1540 Committee, one of its main tasks at this stage is to provide assistance to States in submitting their national reports. Unfortunately, about one third of Member States have not yet done so. Given that fact, Russia, as Chair of the G-8, has proposed a collective démarche on behalf of the Group to States that are late with their submissions. We believe that only by receiving regular reports from all States can we have a full picture of the global situation as regards national measures on non-proliferation. For our part, we would be prepared to provide States with expert assistance should they encounter difficulties in preparing their national reports. We commend the Committee’s work to organize and participate in regional seminars on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Russia will continue to take an active part in that regard. At the same time, we note that a significant body of non-proliferation information and expertise acquired, inter alia, through export control regimes has not yet been assimilated by the Committee. Streamlining national systems of export controls is a key component of resolution 1540 (2004). Closer contact between the Committee and export control regimes, and in particular greater involvement on the part of senior officials of those regimes in the seminars to which I just referred, should be a priority in the Committee’s work. Effective work to implement resolution 1540 (2004) will only be possible with the enhancement of productive interaction between States regarding non-proliferation problems. The most important thing is to ensure countries’ full implementation of the provisions of the resolution. That will ultimately enable the creation of national systems to monitor the use by States of goods and technologies related to weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. We must all work together to create a solid barrier against non-State actors seeking to gain access to such weapons and related materials. A response to such a global challenge can be possible only if we pool the efforts of the entire international community. We commend the interaction among the CTC, the 1267 Committee and the 1540 Committee. We hope that cooperation among the experts of the three Committees will continue in the future. Mr. Mahiga (United Republic of Tanzania): We would like to thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this meeting. We are also grateful to Ambassador Mayoral, Ambassador Løj and Ambassador Burian for their insightful briefings regarding their respective Committees. My delegation notes with satisfaction that since the last briefing, in May 2006 (see S/PV.5446), the three Committees have achieved commendable progress, particularly in the areas of outreach activities to Member States, promoting compliance, facilitating implementation and enhancing reporting capacity. We are also encouraged by their programmes of work covering the period from now until 31 December 2006. Tanzania attaches great importance to the cooperation that exists among the 1267 Committee, the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the 1540 Committee. Their three groups of experts have shared information on their activities and have made joint travel arrangements to avoid duplication of the information sought from Member States. We have noted with a sense of gratification the timely coordinated efforts by the expert groups to try and come up with practical measures to address the long-standing problem of non- and late-reporting States. What is more encouraging to us is their clear understanding of the underlying cause of the problem they are grappling with, which is a lack of capacity rather than of will to take responsibility. The three Committees have proved to be important tools of the Security Council in its fight against terrorism. It is for that reason that the Council must continue to render close cooperation and guidance to the Committees and offer them full support in their recommendations. It is also a moral duty and obligation for Member States to increase cooperation and ensure the necessary collective cooperation in their respective contributions to the work of the Committees. The recent adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy illustrates the strong determination of the international community to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. My delegation appreciates the outline provided by the Chairman of the 1540 Committee, Ambassador Burian, on the most recent activities undertaken by the Committee and its future efforts to promote compliance in order to achieve the implementation requirements. The first seminar on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) in the Asia/Pacific region — held on 12 and 13 July, 2006, in Beijing, China — was well attended. We expect the same of upcoming similar seminars scheduled for November this year in Ghana and Peru. Tanzania has confirmed its participation in the Accra seminar. We encourage other members to have wider participation, while not forgetting the Vienna workshop on 8 November 2006. We are satisfied with the efforts made to increase the reporting level to a substantial one and call upon the remaining States to submit their first report before the end of 2006. We agree that there is still a need to give priority to outreach activities and seek additional information for those reporting States in order to speed up the implementation of resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006), including the dispatching of the matrix and legislative database to Member States reporting for the first time. Regarding the Committee’s official web-site efforts, developed to promote information sharing and the provision of updates on legislative issues, we believe that it is a huge achievement and will greatly assist States enacting national implementation laws and measures, as it contains background information and legislative advice provided by international organizations. It is gratifying to hear that the Committee will from now on direct its efforts at identifying national practices in implementing resolution 1540 (2004). The review provided by the Chairperson of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, Ambassador Løj, has greatly increased our understanding of the Committee’s activities to date and what is in store. The main focus has been geared at steps to address the problem of incitement to terrorism, including conducting dialogue with Member States on their efforts leading to the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005) and assisting in capacity-building and promoting the exchange of information. Besides the low level of reporting, the Committee has made quite an extensive analysis to be able to conclude that States are aware of the steps that may be taken to prohibit and prevent incitement. Twenty-one of the 69 reporting States informed the Committee that incitement to commit a terrorist act or acts was expressly prohibited in their criminal laws. We are encouraged to observe that the Committee will continue to focus its work on enhancing its tools, including by revising the reporting regime, on how to enhance the facilitation of technical assistance for States in need, and on how to enhance relations with the international, regional and subregional organizations. The agreement reached by the 1373 Committee on an update of its web page regarding basic indications of best practices accumulated up to now provides another milestone in the work of the Committee. It is encouraging to note that States now use the information contained on the web page as a source of guidance in their continuous efforts to implement the provisions of resolution 1373 (2001). The Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions Committee, led by Ambassador César Mayoral, has made remarkable progress. Tanzania understands its obligation to freeze the assets of individuals and entities on the Consolidated List in accordance with resolution 1373 (2001), despite some delays owing to the sensitive nature of the matter, fair investigation requirements and the need to ensure transparency in the entire process. Tanzania is of the view that any confrontational approach that includes naming and shaming could sometimes be counterproductive. In the case of Tanzania, assets of the charitable organization Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, which had 14 branches worldwide, managed to slip through the net because the listing of the branches by the Committee was done in stages. In view of that, Tanzania wants to urge the Committee to work on a new modality that will address all delays in the freezing of assets of entities with tentacles worldwide. Tanzania, like other members of Interpol, acknowledges with appreciation the remarkable achievements of the cooperation between the Committee and Interpol. Within its short existence, Member States have provided valuable information on listed persons. We wish to encourage the Council to consolidate those gains and explore other avenues of cooperation with Interpol. We acknowledge that Member States have made impressive progress in the fight against terrorist financing, particularly in the areas of financial crime and money-laundering. Nevertheless, we believe that the Committee and Members States need to exert greater effort in the area of the informal sector. Developing countries, where the informal sector thrives more, are inadvertently providing the infrastructure needed for raising finances for terrorist activities. We call upon the Council to give attention to the issue by providing assistance to such States and to address it in the forthcoming resolution. Finally, one of the Monitoring Team’s initiatives that have enriched the Committees’ and Member States’ understanding of the situation on the ground is the convening of regular meetings of the regional chiefs and senior officials of national intelligence and security services. Tanzania has been invited to attend the forthcoming Eastern Africa meeting in Khartoum, the Sudan. The Monitoring Team should also encourage interregional cooperation. Mr. Al-Qahtani (Qatar) (spoke in Arabic): Allow me first to thank Ambassadors Mayoral, Løj and Burian for their briefings on the work of the Security Council committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004). We hope that the Committees’ work will be successful, as it is an important component of our global campaign against terrorism. Sanctions remain a major tool of the Security Council. We fully grasp the importance of moving from general sanctions to sanctions against individuals. They must be carefully targeted, however, if they are to achieve precise, balanced and effective goals. Some believe that sanctions are a political tool of the Security Council, but we must make it clear that the imposition of sanctions is also a legal process in which the Council must take into account legal procedures and criteria, human rights and principles that must never be violated. It should guarantee the legality and effectiveness of the sanctions. Many Member States, regional and international organizations, and non-governmental organizations have reaffirmed the importance for the Security Council sanctions Committees, in particular the Al-Qaida and Taliban Committee, to comply with legal procedures and to be transparent when listing, or de-listing individuals. As the Council knows, legal proceedings have been instituted in many countries by people on the list and have been taken to regional courts. Some Member States as well as the Security Council and the Al-Qaida and Taliban Committee, have been shown not to respect principles of human rights and legal principles when certain names have been placed on the list. When assets were frozen, they said that the recourse procedures were not effective and described them as unfair. Not only does that give rise to certain doubts about the sanctions regime but it could also lead to its collapse. Accordingly, my delegation believes that it is important to establish effective regimes and periodically to review their effectiveness and monitor their implementation, and, once their objective has been achieved, to lift such sanctions. In addition, clear and objective procedures need to be established when it comes to listing and de-listing individuals and entities. Exemptions should be provided for religious and humanitarian reasons. Also, mechanisms are needed to guarantee accountability. We call upon the Monitoring Team to act professionally and to be transparent, objective and specific when preparing reports and recommendations for submission to the Committee. In the area of counter-terrorism, one of the cardinal points is the need to respect human rights. When adopting measures to combat terrorism, States must comply with their commitments to human rights, which should not be violated at any time or under any circumstance. The United Nations must adopt an overall strategy to guarantee the observance of human rights in counter-terrorism efforts, and the underlying reasons for terrorism should be studied, in addition to the relationship between terrorism and colonialism and foreign occupation. We must combat radicalism by respecting a number of points, in particular the establishment of an international committee free from hatred and hostility for religions or their symbols under the pretext of exercising freedom. Here it should be recalled that resolution 1624 (2005) stipulates the need to make international efforts to strengthen dialogue and mutual understanding among civilizations. In order to prevent certain religions or cultures from being targeted, the media have an important role to play in encouraging tolerance and coexistence and in creating an environment that does not incite terrorism. We call upon the CTC to deal with this question in a determined fashion, to encourage States to criminalize attacks on religion. We support the work done by the 1540 Committee. We think that the main function of that Committee is to consider specifically national reports. We appreciate the fact that many States have submitted their national reports and note that since the extension of the mandate of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1673 (2006), the number of States that have not submitted reports has not dropped significantly. We call on the Committee to provide technical assistance to help States to deal with the inherent threat posed by the possession of weapons of mass destruction. Whether through States or non-State actors, measures concerning non-proliferation of such weapons should not be selective. Qatar maintains that the quest for security should not be at the expense of freedoms or human rights. Human rights are the very basis of the policy of combating terrorism. Combating terrorism locally, internationally or through the United Nations and its institutions should be in keeping with the purposes and principles of the Charter and with the provisions of international and humanitarian law. There can be no double standards here at the political or moral levels. Ms. Pierce (United Kingdom): I would like to associate myself with comments that will be made later by the Permanent Representative of Finland on behalf of the European Union. I too would like to add my thanks to Ambassador Mayoral, Ambassador Løj and Ambassador Burian, not only for the briefings they gave the Council this morning, but also for their work and for the dedication and enthusiasm that they bring to it. There are a number of issues before the Council today, arising out of the work of the three Committees, but I would like to concentrate my remarks on just one of them. I think the sense of the Council today has been to stress the common threat we all face from terrorism. There are many sad examples of the pernicious work of terrorism in all our countries. I would like to add the voice of the United Kingdom to that of the several speakers who today have stressed the importance of the counter-terrorism strategy of the General Assembly and Security Council resolution 1624 (2005). In particular, we see resolution 1624 (2005) as part of a conscious strategy to take on those individuals and organizations in the world who encourage others to commit acts of terrorism, to promote terrorism as a course of action and to, in their speech and activities, encourage the hatred and murder of others. Resolution 1624 (2005) was a significant step forward in the international community’s defence against and rejection of such individuals and organizations. It calls for Member States’ own legislation against incitement, as well as the implementation and enforcement of that legislation. It also calls for the development of best practices in this sensitive field and for guidance and assistance to be offered to those who seek it. On 14 September of this year, the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) reported to the Council on the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005) to date, based on reports from Member States. We welcome that report (S/2006/737). It is a comprehensive and clear snapshot of the measures taken by United Nations Member States to implement Security Council resolution 1624 (2005). A number of speakers today have drawn attention to the fact that this is not a complete report in the sense of all Member States reporting back. I would like to associate the United Kingdom with the comments by France, Japan, Tanzania and others to encourage States that have not yet reported to the CTC to do so. The United Kingdom considers this report to the Council to be the beginning of a process, not an end. The next step is to share information on the outcomes of the measures in the report, on the lessons we have learned, on best practice, on ways to involve civil society in our efforts and on international capacity-building needs in this area. There is much work still to do. For instance, we hope that help can be found for those States in need of assistance in developing their legislation. I think the representative of Tanzania drew attention to that important requirement. We also need to give thought to providing a way to help us all to develop a partnership with civil society to support those efforts. In this respect, I found very interesting the statement by the representative of the Congo about how people in all of our countries are vulnerable to the messages of terrorism and of the terrorists themselves. I would like to recall what Kim Howells, the United Kingdom Minister of State at the Foreign Office, said at the 19 September ministerial-level meeting on the launch of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. He said that “Governments alone cannot defeat terrorism. We must help generate and support the united network of citizenry that loudly rejects the ideology of the terrorists. We must better articulate an alternative vision to that of the extremists, backed by action that will ensure that our citizens, particularly the young, benefit from open, tolerant, inclusive and prosperous societies”. I would like to make four further points, if I may, on other issues on the counter-terrorism agenda. First, the United Kingdom will stress its commitment to promoting consistent and transparent analysis of the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and tailored dialogue with States. We believe that it is critical that the Committee show results in facilitating technical assistance, including of the sort that leads to better implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and better defences for everyone against the terrorist threat. Secondly, with regard to the 1267 Committee, the United Kingdom would like to thank the Monitoring Team for its fifth report, which expands on its previous ones. We look forward to the Committee’s acting on some of the recommendations that the Team has made. We are particularly grateful for the Team’s work in organizing valuable regional intelligence meetings, and we welcome its recommendation for hold similar meetings between the heads of financial organizations. We particularly welcome the Committee’s efforts to improve the implementation of sanctions measures, and I would like to join other colleagues in welcoming continued cooperation with Interpol, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Air Transport Association. We also look forward to the introduction of practical tools, such as permanent reference numbers and a cover sheet for submissions for listing. We expect the Committee in the near future to finalize its revision of the guidelines on listing and de-listing. Thirdly, with regard to the 1540 Committee, the United Kingdom attaches significant importance to active outreach by the Committee to explain the provisions of the resolution, to understand how States are implementing it and to ease the passage of assistance for those States that need it. Since the Council last considered the issue, the United Kingdom, together with other countries, supported the Beijing seminar on resolution 1540 (2004). We have heard from a number of speakers this morning about the follow-up meetings in Accra and Lima and their importance to this work. We hope that these outreach activities can be properly focused so as to meet the requirements of the regions concerned. Finally, I would like to make a short comment on the adoption by the General Assembly of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, to which I referred earlier. We believe that, to defeat terrorists, every part of the United Nations and of the international community as a whole has something concrete to contribute. We take note of the fact that some of the recommendations will require work in the three Committees that have reported to us today. The United Kingdom intends to play its part in the Security Council, at the national level, in the EU and through General Assembly to see that the Strategy is implemented. We look forward to working with Member States in the Council and in the General Assembly to the same end. The President: I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Greece. Like previous speakers, I wish to extend my warm congratulations to the Chairpersons of the three Committees — Ambassador Mayoral, Ambassador Løj and Ambassador Burian — for their comprehensive briefings and to thank them for their hard work and dedication. Greece associates itself with the statement to be made later by the Permanent Representative of Finland on behalf of the European Union (EU). I would like, however, to make some additional remarks. Greece fully subscribes to the conviction that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes, is unacceptable and can never be justified. We firmly believe, however, that the fight against terrorism should be carried out in tandem with respect for international law, international human rights and humanitarian law and refugee law. Terrorism is a global threat, and as such it can be defeated through a global, consistent and coordinated response. For this reason, we welcome the unanimous adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations Global Counter–Terrorism Strategy (General Assembly resolution 60/288). The adoption of that important document not only demonstrates that we stand united in our common endeavour to combat terrorism through a comprehensive strategic plan and action-oriented measures, but it also reaffirms the vital role that the General Assembly can play in this regard. We must now work together to ensure the effective and expeditious implementation of the Strategy. At the same time, we must step up our efforts to conclude the negotiations on a draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism, the adoption of which will provide legal clarity regarding the definition of terrorist acts and will complement the General Assembly’s legal framework in the field of counter-terrorism. The briefings that we heard today by the Chairmen of the three subsidiary Committees of the Security Council are indicative of the intensive and tireless efforts of the Council to address and eradicate terrorism in all its forms. Greece welcomes the progress that the 1267 Committee has achieved in improving its Consolidated List by adding new and useful information with respect to the names of several entries. In addition, the assignment of a permanent reference number to each person included in the list and the addition of his or her name in the original alphabet have enhanced the effectiveness of the list. We welcome the recommendations contained in the fourth and fifth reports of the Monitoring Team, many of which have been adopted by the Committee, greatly contributing to the improvement of the sanctions regime. Greece attaches great importance to the revision of the Committee’s guidelines concerning listing and de-listing procedures. The Committee intensively discussed the revision of its listing procedures, and some new draft guidelines in this respect are now ready for adoption. However, concerns expressed by Member States about the need for fair and clear procedures for placing individuals and entities on sanctions lists and for removing them, as well as for granting humanitarian exceptions, have not so far been addressed by the Committee. We urge the Committee to embark upon the consideration of these issues at the earliest opportunity, also taking into account the proposals submitted to the Committee by Denmark and France, as well as the various options offered by recent academic discussions on this issue. As we have stated on many occasions, ensuring fair and clear procedures will ultimately strengthen the effectiveness of targeted sanctions. Last but not least, we are pleased about the progress made in the cooperation between the Committee and Interpol. Greece commends the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and its Executive Directorate for their continuous active engagement with Member States in pursuing the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001). The visits carried out by the Executive Directorate are useful tools that enhance interaction with Member States, and the Committee should now focus on better preparation and follow up. We welcome the excellent report (S/2006/737) of the CTC to the Council on the implementation of resolution 1624 (2005) regarding a number of issues related to incitement to terrorism. The report contains useful information on domestic practices and legislative measures in this field, and provides the Committee with important elements and information in connection with the fulfilment of its mandate under resolution 1624 (2005). This report could also be a source of inspiration to those States which have not yet submitted such information. The CTC has made good progress in integrating human rights into its policy. We are of the view, however, that much remains to be done to better incorporate human rights concerns into its dialogue with Member States in the implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005). With regard to the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), the first priority remains the completion of the first cycle of national reports. We therefore urge the remaining 59 States which have not so far submitted their national reports to do so as soon as possible. In this regard, the Committee has undertaken a series of outreach activities, including regional seminars, which we fully support. Mention should be made of the recent Beijing seminar, which produced tangible results, as well as of forthcoming seminars, to be held, with the financial assistance of the EU, in Accra, Ghana, and Lima, Peru, for the African and Latin American and Caribbean countries, respectively. We hope that these seminars will have an impact on the non-reporting States in terms of the submission of their missing reports. Cooperation with regional organizations is of the essence in this respect. The continued updating of the Committee’s database is of great use, as it serves as a tool for information-sharing among States. Through the links contained in it, users can find information relating to the legislative and regulatory measures taken by States in order to implement resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006). Cooperation with the other Security Council Committees is progressing smoothly. A tangible result of this cooperation is the document on a common strategy dealing with non- or late-reporting States, elaborated by the groups of experts of the three Committees. We envisage a further enhancement of this cooperation in the future. It is noted that the Committee continues to act as a clearing house for technical assistance to States that have expressed a desire to receive such assistance in order to fulfil their obligations deriving from resolutions 1540 (2004) and 1673 (2006). We hope that the members of the Committee will agree soon on its new programme of work, which will allow the Committee to perform its duties smoothly for another year. I now resume my duties as President of the Council. On behalf of the Council, I extend a warm welcome to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, His Excellency Mr. Nicolás Maduro Moros, to whom I give the floor. Mr. Maduro Moros (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela) (spoke in Spanish): The delegation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela would like to congratulate Greece on its assumption of the Security Council presidency in September and on its work in this body as a non-permanent member. We would also like to thank the Chairmen of the Committees established under resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004) for the valuable information that they have given us. Venezuela will continue to cooperate, as it has done until now, with the work of those Committees. One of the fundamental aims of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) concerning counter-terrorism is to adopt effective measures to prevent and eliminate terrorism in all of its forms and manifestations. No State that commits terrorist acts or protects the perpetrators of such acts should be exempt from those measures, no matter how powerful it may be. In that struggle, we cannot accept double standards or selectivity. Clarity and determination are crucial. A true struggle against terrorism — and this is our contribution — should be accompanied by a comprehensive strategy. In other words, it cannot omit to give due attention to such important questions for our peoples as the eradication of hunger, poverty, hardship, aggression, foreign occupation, discrimination in all of its forms, religious intolerance and respect among peoples, among other matters. On behalf of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, we reaffirm once again our categorical condemnation of all acts of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, in particular State terrorism. Likewise, we would like to state clearly our firm position that we cannot equate terrorism with the legitimate resistance of peoples against foreign occupation or invasion. In its firm determination to fight terrorism, the Bolivarian Republic has ratified several regional, bilateral and multilateral conventions on the matter, and strictly complies with the resolutions adopted within the framework of the United Nations, including those of the Security Council. We have submitted reports to the Counter-Terrorism Committee in accordance with Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1455 (2003). We have also presented reports on Venezuela’s progress in the fight against this scourge before the Inter-American Committee on Terrorism. Also, Venezuela has submitted reports to the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). At the domestic level, Venezuela continues to develop a broad set of standards to fight terrorism and has created a national authority in this area. As can be observed, this is a very diligent, responsible and consistent attitude on the part of the Government of Venezuela in the fight against terrorism. With the same firmness and determination with which we fight terrorism, we would like to express our condemnation and rejection of those who use the fight against terrorism as a justification for acts of force against countries or peoples with a view to political, economic control or control of strategic natural resources. Such acts also result in the loss of innocent lives and a diminishing of lifestyles, thus generating a vicious circle where violence leads to more violence, and terror leads to more terror, as is noted in the report just recently declassified in the United States of America. It is unjustifiable that, through so-called collateral effects of military actions, efforts are made to intimidate the civilian population of a country in order to persuade it to submit to a foreign invasion. The action of massive destruction produced by missiles and smart-bombs with high explosive charge, directed indiscriminately against a people, deserves to be described purely and simply as State terrorism. The Security Council has determined in various resolutions that it is unacceptable to support in any way entities or individuals who participate in terrorist acts or who provide safe haven to people who commit such acts. Any action of that type would be in flagrant violation of Security Council resolution 1373 (2001). That resolution explains clearly in its operative part that no State may offer safe haven to those who commit terrorist acts; it also stipulates that claims of political motivation may not be recognized as grounds for refusing requests for the extradition of terrorists. However, there are many examples of non-compliance with those Security Council provisions. The international community is fully aware — because it has been clearly and constantly denounced by our country, as well as by other countries, countries of the international community — that the Government of the United States of America is offering protection to one of the most notorious terrorists of the Western Hemisphere — the terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, who is sought by the Venezuelan courts for his participation and direct responsibility in the destruction by explosives of a civilian airliner carrying 73 passengers. We have instituted extradition proceedings against that terrorist, in accordance with the bilateral treaty that we have signed with our counterpart, the United States of America, followed by astonishing delays, because this monstrous case has been treated as a banal case of migration. On 6 October, in the coming days, it will be 30 years since that horrible crime was committed, just a few weeks before the attempted assassination of the Ambassador of Chile in front of the White House, the former Foreign Minister of Salvador Allende whom we will always remember, Orlando Letelier, victim of those same operators who in their time financed and trained, supported and protected the most notorious international terrorists. Another case that deserves mention in this Chamber is that on 15 March 2004, in accordance with the convention on extradition with the United States of America, Venezuela made an official request for the extradition of citizens José Antonio Pulido and German Varela López, accused by the Venezuelan courts of having planted explosive devices in the diplomatic headquarters of brother countries in Caracas in February 2003. We condemn the fact that the current Government of the United States has not responded to the request for extradition made by the Venezuelan courts. What is even worse is that on 28 April 2006, those Venezuelan citizens accused of terrorist acts, who admitted to terrorist actions against the Embassy of Spain and the Colombian Consulate, for which they were convicted by the Venezuelan justice system, were granted freedom of movement within United States territory. To conclude, I would like to state that, without any doubt, our Government is committed, along with the other Governments in this Chamber, to the true struggle against terrorism and that we will never justify any act of that nature, whatever its motive. All countries have an obligation to act together to fight terrorism. International cooperation is the only solution. Venezuela will continue to contribute, doing everything in its power and ability to liberate humanity from this scourge. The President: I give the floor to the representative of Switzerland. Mr. Lauber (Switzerland) (spoke in French): Switzerland welcomes the public briefings by the Chairpersons of the three counter-terrorism and sanctions Committees. Today’s meeting provides an excellent opportunity for non-members of the Security Council to be briefed about the activities of the Committees and to comment on issues of global concern with regard to the work of the Committees. In this context, we also look forward to studying the fifth report of the 1267 Committee’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team — which, unfortunately, was just published yesterday — and we hope that delegations will soon have the opportunity to express their views on it. Switzerland has stressed on many occasions the need to strengthen the sanctions regimes by introducing fair and clear procedures for the listing and de-listing of individuals and entities on sanctions lists, as well as for granting humanitarian exemptions. That concern was clearly reflected in the 2005 World Summit Outcome (General Assembly resolution 60/1), which called on the Security Council to introduce such improvements. More recently, this was emphasized as a priority measure in the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 60/288. As the 1267 Committee’s discussions on the revision of its guidelines continue, so do our concerns persist. Today, I wish to draw attention to two specific documents from among the numerous recommendations and studies that were recently submitted by States and independent experts on the issue of fair and clear procedures. The first document is the letter from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council, to which the Legal Counsel of the United Nations referred in his statement during the Council’s 22 June 2006 open debate on strengthening international law (see S/PV.5474). The Secretary-General’s letter addresses the listing and de-listing of individuals and entities on sanctions lists, and outlines the minimum standards required to ensure that the procedures are fair and transparent. Switzerland fully subscribes to the recommendations of the Secretary-General. The second document is the study commissioned by the Governments of Switzerland, Germany and Sweden and undertaken by the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University. Switzerland is happy to see that the paper, entitled “Strengthening targeted sanctions through fair and clear procedures”, has finally been published as document S/2006/331 and is thus available in all six official languages of the Organization. We encourage the sanctions Committees, in particular the 1267 Committee, to take fully into account that study and the recommendations; we look forward to learning about the outcome of the Committees’ efforts to strengthen the sanctions regimes by introducing fair and clear procedures for the listing and de-listing of individuals and entities on the sanctions lists. Switzerland stands ready to contribute constructively to the efforts of the Security Council and its Committees. The President: I now give the floor to the representative of Finland. Ms. Lintonen (Finland): I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union (EU). The following countries align themselves with this statement: Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Croatia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Iceland, Norway, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. We recently marked the fifth anniversary of the horrendous terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. Just before that, we received the disturbing news of yet another threat to international transport networks. Thanks to effective police work and international cooperation, the plot was foiled. That is strong testimony reminding us that we need to remain vigilant. As terrorism requires a global response, we should lend the United Nations our keen support in order to sustain and continue improving the counter-terrorism efforts made since 9/11. The European Union applauds the adoption of the unique Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy by the General Assembly on 8 September 2006 as its resolution 60/288. Its adoption by consensus is a strong political signal to the world. It demonstrates the determination of the General Assembly to overcome disagreements and to unite its members behind our shared goal of preventing and combating terrorism. For the first time, manifold efforts and activities in the field of counter-terrorism are highlighted in a single United Nations document. The European Union stands ready to cooperate with all Member States in effectively implementing the Strategy. In the same spirit of compromise and cooperation, we should continue our efforts to bridge the differences that still exist. We believe that the General Assembly should make every effort to reach an agreement on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism, based on the coordinator’s draft text, without further delay. The European Union condemns all acts of terrorism as criminal and stresses that terrorism can never be justified, irrespective of its alleged motivations, objectives, forms or manifestations. At the same time, we stress that respect for international law, international humanitarian law, human rights law and refugee law is an essential element for effective and legitimate action to counter terrorism. Our action must be firmly based on due process and the rule of law. The Security Council has a pivotal role to play in international action against terrorism. We thank the three Committee Chairmen for their briefings and take this opportunity to recognize their dedicated involvement in their work. Allow me to briefly highlight some important aspects of their ongoing work. The European Union strongly supports the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and its Executive Directorate (CTED) in guaranteeing full implementation of the commitments laid out in resolution 1373 (2001). We also attach importance to the implementation of the measures laid out in resolution 1624 (2005) and welcome the CTC’s recent report (S/2006/737) on the status of implementation. We encourage those who have not yet reported on their national measures to do so as soon as possible. The European Union Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the European Union Strategy for Combating Radicalization and Recruitment to Terrorism were adopted in December 2005. They highlight the need to disrupt the activities of the networks and individuals that draw people into terrorism, and to ensure that voices of mainstream opinion prevail over those of extremism. The European Union remains committed to the full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) and has welcomed the extension of the mandate of the 1540 Committee. We encourage all Member States that have not already done so to submit their reports to the Committee. The European Union recognizes the practical progress achieved by the 1267 Committee in improving the Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions regime and making the information contained in the Consolidated List more useful and accessible to all Member States. The European Union takes a keen interest in the discussion on the Committee’s guidelines concerning the listing and de-listing procedures. Let me highlight, in that context, the European Union’s current work concerning listing and de-listing issues, including the joint workshop between the European Union and the United States presently taking place in Helsinki, Finland. We reiterate our call to deal expeditiously with that issue, as mandated by resolution 1617 (2005) and the 2005 World Summit, taking note of the input provided by the Secretary-General. The work of the Committees is underpinned by adequate reporting on the part of Member States. The European Union attaches great importance to full and timely reporting. We support the ongoing efforts to consolidate States’ reporting requirements. The European Union supports the active outreach of the Committees aimed at enhancing States’ implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions. The visits conducted by the Committees and their experts with a view to information-sharing, cooperation and interaction with Member States, as well as their contacts with international organizations, have proved most useful. Such visits and contacts need adequate preparation and follow-up. In that respect, the European Union sees possibilities for synergy in the activities of the various Committees. The European Union has participated in a number of visits by the CTED and is prepared to continue to do so. The Union is also providing financial support to the three regional seminars organized by the 1540 Committee, in Beijing, Accra and Lima. The European Union recognizes the importance of technical assistance in the work of the Committees and of the CTED. In terms of technical assistance, the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime plays an important role. The Union and individual member States have made assistance available and continue to be ready to provide assistance to build capacity. The European Community already provides several hundred million euros’ worth of assistance to some 80 countries around the world in fields such as border management, counter-terrorist financing and police cooperation. The European Union emphasizes the role of regional and subregional organizations in creating synergies through assistance programmes and in promoting best practices. The President: I now give the floor to the representative of Cuba. Mr. Malmierca Díaz (Cuba) (spoke in Spanish): Permit me to begin by congratulating Greece on its work in the Security Council presidency during the month of September. I also thank the Chairmen of the Committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004) for the information provided at this meeting. Cuba has provided detailed information to the Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) about the terrorist acts carried out against Cuba by various individuals and organizations, as well as about the complicit protection provided to them by the Government of the United States. Thus far, there is no evidence that the Committee has taken any action, even to assess the information submitted, or that it has launched an investigation into the failure of the United States to comply with its obligations under resolution 1373 (2001). The Government of Cuba once again reiterates its request to the CTC to undertake an assessment of the information submitted in documents S/2002/15, S/2004/753 and S/2005/341, among others. That would assist in the efforts to put an end to the impunity enjoyed in United States territory by those who have carried out, and are still planning, terrorist acts against Cuba. It is impossible to eliminate terrorism if we condemn some terrorist acts while remaining silent about, tolerating or justifying others. A few days from now, 6 October, will mark another anniversary of the monstrous terrorist act carried out against a Cubana Airlines passenger aircraft, which resulted in the deaths of 73 persons. When Cuba asked the Security Council to act, nothing was done. The Cuban draft resolution S/23990 was not even considered. The representative of the United States, speaking at that Council meeting, called it a waste of time. One of those responsible for the mid-air explosion of the Cuban aircraft, Orlando Bosch, not only walks freely on United States streets, but also makes frequent statements on television and in the print media. In those statements, he boasts, without any remorse, of his many terrorist acts against Cuba. Another person responsible for that crime is the notorious international terrorist Luis Posada Carriles. The United States refuses to comply with its international obligation to prosecute him or extradite him to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, where he is wanted by the judicial authorities. Despite the fact that the United States Government itself has acknowledged that he is a dangerous terrorist, Posada Carriles is being held in Texas on the simple charge of being an illegal immigrant. On top of all that, only a few days ago, a federal judge recommended that he be freed. Cuba today denounces most strongly before the Security Council the fact that this international terrorist could soon be released from prison. If impunity prevails and the terrorist is freed, the Government of the United States will bear full responsibility. It would have to answer to its own people and to the international community for such as infamous act. The date of 11 September was another anniversary date — that of the assassination of Félix García, a diplomat of the Cuban Mission to the United Nations. That terrorist act is etched indelibly in the memory of the Cuban people. Félix was riddled with bullets when his car was stopped at a red traffic light in Queens, a few blocks from this building. His assassin was Pedro Crispín Remón, a member of the anti-Cuban terrorist organization Omega 7. He is the same person who, two decades later, attempted to assassinate President Fidel Castro at the auditorium of the University of Panama, acting in complicity with Luis Posada Carriles. Despite Cuba’s continued denunciations, including those submitted many times to the Security Council, today that terrorist also walks freely in the city of Miami, where he boasts about his sad fame. Paradoxically, those who threaten the entire world today in the name of a hypocritical counter-terrorism campaign and protect on their own territory Luis Posada Carriles, Orlando Bosch and other convicted and confessed terrorists are the same people who hold hostage in maximum-security prisons five Cuban young people who are true counter-terrorism fighters. Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, Antonio Guerrero and René González were only trying, with great altruism and valour, to obtain information about the terrorist groups located in Miami to prevent them from carrying out violent acts and to save the lives of Cuban and United States citizens. In May, Cuba submitted a comprehensive report to the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) on our country’s strict compliance with all the provisions set out in resolution 1617 (2005), including those related to the embargo on weapons and related material, travel restrictions and the freezing of assets of persons and entities included on the consolidated list. In June, our country submitted its fifth report to the Counter- Terrorism Committee. The report, which is the result of an extensive and serious process of elaboration, accurately and thoroughly answers the questions asked by the CTC and provides additional information useful to the work of the Committee. Despite a number of arbitrary Security Council methods and decisions, our country will, as ever, continue to abide strictly by the resolutions adopted by this organ, including those related to the issue of terrorism. We will maintain our good-faith cooperation with the Council’s subsidiary bodies responsible for these matters. Cuba has never allowed and will not allow its territory to be used for the perpetration of terrorist acts against any State, without exception. We will continue our combat against terrorism, in all of its forms and manifestations, with strong resolve, as we have been doing all along. The President: There are no further speakers inscribed 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 1 p.m.   sss1 \* MERGEFORMAT S/PV.5538 sss1 \* MERGEFORMAT S/PV.5538 FooterJN \* MERGEFORMAT 06-54204 \* MERGEFORMAT 30 \* MERGEFORMAT 31 FooterJN \* MERGEFORMAT 06-54204 United Nations S/PV.5538 Security Council Sixty-first year 5538th meeting Thursday, 28 September 2006, 10 a.m. New York Provisional 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 C154A. jobn \* MERGEFORMAT 06-54204 (E) Barcode \* MERGEFORMAT *0654204*