CTC DISCUSSES NEXT STEPS ON UNSCR 1624, CTED TRIPS

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 001778 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR IO/PSC:JSANDAGE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV AA SUBJECT: CTC DISCUSSES NEXT STEPS ON UNSCR 1624, CTED TRIPS REF: A. WILCOX/SANDAGE EMAIL--09/05/06 ¶B. USUN 1663 ¶C. USUN 1521 ¶1. BEGIN SUMMARY: At its 169th meeting on September 7, the Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) discussed its draft report to the Security Council on resolution 1624 (2005),the Counter-Terrorism Committee's Executive Directorate's (CTED) July visit to Malaysia, CTED's upcoming visit to the Philippines with the 1267 Monitoring Team, and other visits CTED is planning (ref A). While CTC members praised the draft 1624 report, the UK, Russia, and China said the CTC should do more to enhance states' implementation of the resolution. CTC Chairman and Danish PermRep Ellen Margrethe Loj cautioned that the Security Council -- not the CTC -- should provide additional guidance for the CTC's work relating to UNSCR 1624 after it reviews the report. Loj expected the Council might do so when she and the Chairmen of the 1267 and 1540 Committees brief the Council on September 28. END SUMMARY. -------------- 1624 Report -------------- ¶2. CTC members praised the draft report to the Security Council on states' implementation of UNSCR 1624, but the UK, China, and Russia pressed the CTC to do more to enhance states' implementation of UNSCR 1624, building on the information in the report. (Note: Five of the ten Council members have yet to report. End Note.) The UK said the draft report provides a useful basis for the CTC to help states build capacity to implement the resolution, including by spreading best practices. Russia and China were even more forward-leaning, urging the CTC to provide states with guidelines for implementing UNSCR 1624 and to do more to secure reports from the 124 non-submitting states. (Comment: The CTC has no mandate to direct states how to implement UNSCR 1624, and this proposal would be problematic for us. End Comment.) In summing up the discussion, Chairman Loj said the CTC should distinguish between the report and any next steps relating to UNSCR 1624, noting that the Security Council -- not the CTC -- would draw conclusions from the report and provide direction on next steps. -------------- CTED Trips -------------- ¶3. Delegations generally welcomed CTED's report on its July 10-14 trip to Malaysia. CTED will incorporate comments into a revised draft, which the CTC will approve under a no-objection procedure. Both the UK and Qatar commented on the report's discussion of Malaysia's detention of terror suspects without charges and called upon CTED to do more in its visits to raise human rights concerns with states. ¶4. CTED presented a draft agenda and plans for its September 18-22 trip to the Philippines with the 1267 Monitoring Team. CTED plans to focus on: (a) counterterrorism legislation and remaining gaps, including the criminalization of terrorist acts and various forms of support for terrorism; (b) terrorism financing; (c) border control (immigration and customs); (d) law enforcement and practice; (e) extradition and mutual legal assistance to address weaknesses in current laws and practices; (f) recruitment of terrorists and training camps, particularly in the south of the country; and (g) technical assistance needed to supplement assistance the Philippines has received. CTED and the three 1267 Monitoring Team participants will meet together and separately with Philippine officials. CTED Executive Director Javier Ruperez will meet with the President of the Senate, the National Security Advisor, the Office of the President, and the heads of the Philippine National Police and the Anti-Terrorism Task Force under the Office of the President. CTED also plans to meet with representatives of the G-8 Counter-Terrorism Action Group (CTAG) and the local UN Development Program (UNDP) coordinator. Two representatives of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, as well as one representative each from Interpol and the International Civil Aviation Organization will participate as well. After the meeting, CTED Executive Director Ruperez reiterated CTED's request (ref C) for background information or consultations with the United States concerning the Philippines, which he would like before the trip. ¶5. CTED Executive Director Ruperez also summarized planning for CTED's other upcoming state visits and said CTED would propose a list of additional states to visit in 2007. CTED will travel to Mali from October 2-6, to India from November 6-13, and to Pakistan from November 17-24. CTED hopes to travel to Indonesia in late November or early December and will travel to Kuwait from December 2-6. Finally, CTED hopes to visit Nigeria in November and Bangladesh in early January ¶2007. BOLTON