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