GENERAL ASSEMBLY COUNTER-TERRORISM STRATEGY

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000731 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER UNGA SUBJECT: GENERAL ASSEMBLY COUNTER-TERRORISM STRATEGY RESOLUTION NEGOTIATION RESULTS ¶1. Action request para 4. ¶2. Summary. Consultations on a resolution on the Counter-terrorism strategy review concluded August 11 with tentative agreement on the text. Member states met during early August under the Chairmanship of Guatemalan Permanent Representative Gert Rosenthal to prepare a draft resolution for adoption at the conclusion of the Strategy review scheduled for September 4-5. The text (para 5) has been agreed "ad referendum" by all delegations except Syria which is awaiting instructions. Japan and the U.S. joined the agreement on the text but have expressed reservations pending clarification with regard to financial implications. End Summary ¶3. USUN Legal joined other delegations in discussion of a draft resolution on the Counter-terrorism strategy review. Delegations said they preferred not to reopen the 2006 Strategy (60/288) and would strive for a relatively short consensus text. Under Rosenthal's skillful Chairmanship that objective was achieved. Discussion focused primarily on the operational aspects of the next phase of work to implement the "Strategy". The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC),represented by Pakistan, was pre-occupied with ensuring adequate safeguards to control the UN Secretariat which they said had exceeded the mandate of resolution 60/288. The OIC did, however, co-operate with Western efforts to steer the text away from the issues which, in the past, have made agreement difficult. Syria, nevertheless pushed for references to "root causes" and "foreign occupation". More moderate members of the OIC prevailed and ultimately, Syria was isolated from the OIC consensus to accept the text. The Syrian delegation is seeking instructions but the Chairman will send the text to the General Assembly President with a recommendation that it be presented for adoption in September. ¶4. Japan and the U.S. have expressed reservations with regard to possible financial implications of operative paragraph 12. Although, delegations asked for a statement of budget implications from the Secretariat, they refused to provide it pending further information from member states regarding the details of the mandate in that paragraph. Specifically, they have asked how many briefings and reports will be required. The Japanese and U.S. delegations are working with the EU and OIC to provide that data and develop a formula which will enable the resolution to be implemented within the current budget. Action Request: USUN requests instructions to join consensus on the text (para 5),if the budget issue is resolved. ¶5. Begin Text The General Assembly, pp. 1 Reaffirming the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, Resolution 60/288, adopted by the General Assembly on 8 September 2006, that calls for, inter alia, an examination in two years of progress made in the implementation of the Strategy, and to consider updating it to respond to changes as provided in paragraph 3 b) of resolution 60/288, pp. 2 Recalling the pivotal role of the General Assembly in following up the implementation and updating of the Strategy, pp. 3 Renewing its unwavering commitment to strengthen international cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, pp. 4 Recognizing that international cooperation and any measures undertaken by Member States to prevent and combat terrorism must fully comply with their obligations under international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and relevant international conventions and protocols, in particular HUMAN RIGHTS law, refugee law and international humanitarian law, pp. 5 Convinced that the General Assembly is the competent organ with universal membership to address the issue of international terrorism, pp. 6 Mindful of the need to enhance the role of the United Nations and the specialized agencies within their mandates in the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, pp. 7 Stressing that the Task Force shall carry out its activities within the framework of its mandate with policy guidance offered by Member States through interaction with the General Assembly on a regular basis, pp. 8 Recognizing the importance of institutionalizing the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) within the Secretariat, Op. 1 Reiterates its strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes, as it constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security; Op. 2 Reaffirms the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its four pillars, which constitutes an ongoing effort, and calls upon Member States, the United Nations, and other appropriate international, regional and subregional organizations, to step up their efforts to implement the Strategy, in an integrated manner, and in all its aspects; Op. 3 Takes note, of the report of the Secretary-General entitled "The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy: Activities of the United Nations System in Implementing the Strategy"; Op. 4 Further takes note of the measures that Member States, as well as appropriate international, regional and sub regional organizations have adopted within the framework of the Strategy, as presented during the first biennial review of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy in the September 4-5 session, all of which strengthens cooperation to fight terrorism, in particular through the exchange of best practices; Op. 5 Reaffirms the Member States' primary responsibility to implement the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy while further recognizing the need to enhance the important role the United Nations plays, in coordination with other international, regional and subregional organizations, as appropriate, in facilitating coherence in the implementation of the Strategy at the national, regional and global levels, and in providing assistance, especially in the area of capacity building; Op. 6 Encourages non-governmental organizations, and civil society to engage, as appropriate, on how to enhance efforts to implement the Strategy, including through interaction with Member States and the UN System, Op. 7 Calls upon the UN entities involved in supporting counter-terrorism efforts to continue to facilitate the promotion and protection of HUMAN RIGHTS and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Op. 8 Calls upon states that have not done so to consider becoming parties in a timely manner to the existing international conventions and protocols against terrorism, as well as on all states to make every effort to conclude a comprehensive convention on international terrorism and recalls the commitments of Member States with regard to the implementation of General Assembly and Security COUNCIL resolutions relating to international terrorism; Op. 9 Takes note with appreciation of the continued contribution of the United Nations entities and subsidiary bodies of the Security COUNCIL to the (CTITF); Op. 10 Reaffirms the need to enhance international cooperation in countering terrorism and in this regard recalls the role of the UN system in promoting international cooperation and capacity building as one of the elements of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy; Op. 11 Urges the Secretary-General to make the necessary arrangements to carry out the institutionalization of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF),in accordance with resolution 60/288, in order to ensure overall coordination and coherence in the counter-terrorism efforts of the United Nations system; Op. 12 Decides to interact with the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force on a regular basis, in order to receive briefings and reports on its current and future work, assess the work being undertaken on the Strategy implementation efforts, including the work of the Task Force and offer policy guidance; Op. 13 Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session a report on progress made in the implementation of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy which could contain suggestions for its future implementation by the UN system, as well as the implementation of the present resolution; Op. 14 Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its sixty-fourth session an item entitled "The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy" in order to examine the report of the Secretary General requested in the previous paragraph as well as implementation on the part of Member States. End of Text. Khalilzad