UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY REVIEWS ITS GLOBAL

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000820 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER UNGA PREL SUBJECT: UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY REVIEWS ITS GLOBAL COUNTER-TERRORISM STRATEGY REF: STATE 94862 ¶1. Summary. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) reviewed its Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (UNGA Resolution 60/288) on September 4 and 5. The debate went smoothly and was without controversy. The Secretariat and many delegations mentioned that they support the reorganization and institutionalization of the UN's Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF). Some states also said that the United Nations has to define terrorism so that more can be done to combat terrorism. Other states registered a need to conclude a UN Comprehensive Convention on Terrorism. At the conclusion of the two day debate, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution (A/RES/62/272) by consensus, reaffirming the Strategy. Paragraph 11 of the resolution calls for institutionalizing the CTITF. The full text of the resolution is contained in paragraph 9 below. U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative Alejandro Wolff delivered a statement as instructed in reftel and praised the Strategy as a pragmatic, action-oriented approach to fighting terrorism and highlighted U.S. funding of numerous cooperative and capacity building initiatives to help partner nations better combat terrorism. End summary. Background ¶2. The UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, contained in General Assembly resolution 60/288, sets forth a plan of action to prevent and combat terrorism through four basic approaches: (1) measures to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism; (2) measures to prevent and combat terrorism, in particular by denying terrorists access to the means to carry out their attacks, including financing; (3) measures to build States' capacity to prevent and combat terrorism; and (4) measures to ensure respect for human rights for all and the rule of law as the fundamental basis of the fight against terrorism. The Secretary General established the CTITF in July of 2005 to mobilize the UN and its constituent agencies to identify concrete deliverables under each of the four topical pillars of the Strategy. The Task Force has set up several working groups, but there have been some concerns that the Task Force has not been sufficiently transparent in its operations. The Debate ¶3. More than sixty Member States and Observers made statements during the two day debate. Highlights of some of the statements follow. Pakistan, on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Conference Member States, expressed concern about a lack of transparency by the Task Force, including the setting up of working groups without wide consultation with Member States. Pakistan also emphasized that the planning of the September 9 Secretariat symposium on victims should have included multilateral intergovernmental consultation. Palau made the point that some states lack financial capacity to implement the counter-terrorism strategy and relevant treaties. Palau, for example, said that it lacks the funds to join Interpol. ¶4. Kuwait, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, focused on the lack of a definition for terrorism and said that the absence of an internationally agreed upon definition may hinder the efforts to combat terrorism. Referring to the CTITF, Malaysia said that from the very beginning, the CTITF should have been part of the Secretariat and accountable to Member States. ¶5. The resolution, adopted by consensus, reaffirms the 2006 Counter-Terrorism Strategy without any changes. It includes a paragraph aimed at making the Task Force more transparent, including UNGA interaction with the Task Force on a regular basis in order to receive briefings and offer the Task Force policy advice. Prior to the resolution's adoption, the Secretariat read a statement confirming that there would be no financial implications under the Program Budget for 2008-2009. ¶5. Begin text: "The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy The General Assembly, Reaffirming the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, contained in General Assembly resolution 60/288 of 8 September 2006, which called for, inter alia, an examination in two years of progress made in the implementation of the Strategy, and for consideration of updating it to respond to changes, as provided for in paragraph 3 (b) of that resolution, Recalling the pivotal role of the General Assembly in following up the implementation and updating of the Strategy, Renewing its unwavering commitment to strengthen international cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, Recognizing that international cooperation and any measure 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, Convinced that the General Assembly is the competent organ with universal membership to address the issue of international terrorism, Mindful of the need to enhance the role of the United Nations and the specialized agencies, within their mandates, in the implementation of the Strategy, Stressing that the Counter-Terrorism Implementation 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, Recognizing the importance of institutionalizing the Task Force within the Secretariat; ¶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; ¶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; ¶3. Also 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"; ¶4. Also takes note of the measures that Member States, as well as appropriate international, regional and subregional organizations have adopted within the framework of the Strategy, as presented at the first biennial review of the Strategy, on 4 and 5 September 2008, all of which strengthen cooperation to fight terrorism, in particular through the exchange of best practices; ¶5. Reaffirms the primary responsibility of Member States 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 as the national, regional and global levels and in providing assistance, especially in the area of capacity-building; ¶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 United Nations system; ¶7. Calls upon the United Nations entities involved in supporting counter-terrorism efforts to continue to facilitate the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; ¶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 and upon 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; ¶9. Notes with appreciation the continued contribution of the United Nations entities and subsidiary bodies of the Security Council to the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force; ¶10. Reaffirms the need to enhance international cooperation in countering terrorism, and in this regard recalls the role of the United Nations system in promoting international cooperation and capacity-building as one of the elements of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy; ¶11. Urges the Secretary-General to make the necessary arrangements to carry out the institutionalization of the Task Force, in accordance with resolution 60/288, in order to ensure overall coordination and coherence in the counter-terrorism efforts of the United Nations system. ¶12. Decides to interact with the 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; ¶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 Strategy, which could contain suggestions for its future implementation by the United Nations system, as well as in the implementation of the present resolution; ¶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 undertake in two years an examination of the report of the Secretary-General requested in paragraph 13 above as well as implementation of the Strategy on the part of Member States and to consider updating it in response to changes. End Text. Khalilzad