Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08USUNNEWYORK820
2008-09-12 23:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED
USUN New York
Cable title:  

UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY REVIEWS ITS GLOBAL

Tags:  PTER UNGA PREL 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0820/01 2562315
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 122315Z SEP 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4933
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

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