UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
Statement by H.E. Mr John Dauth LVO Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations
Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts
New York 4 April, 2003
Mr President
Australia welcomes this opportunity to once again address the Security Council on a matter of vital interest to UN members, the issue of terrorism and how the UN and the international community should deal with it.
Sadly, we do so against the background of yet more terrorist bombings in our own region, this time in the Philippines city of Davao, which have taken the lives of many innocent civilians. The Australian Government condemns these bombings in the strongest terms and conveys its sympathy to the families and victims of these horrific attacks.
I would like to say at the outset that Australia fully endorses the statement made by Fiji on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum of which we are a member. We join Forum countries and other members of the UN here today in voicing our sincere thanks to Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock for his outstanding work in leading the CTC through a very difficult period. The energy and direction he has brought to the work of the Committee has ensured that it has played a highly effective role in the global effort to fight terrorism. Australia and the other members of the international community concerned with combating this scourge are in his debt.
Mr President
It is vital that the international community adopts a comprehensive, coherent and cooperative approach to fighting terrorism. Security Council Resolution 1373 provides both the obligation and the framework for such an approach. The CTC in turn has played an important role in the realisation of that obligation.
In particular, the CTC has ensured that the flow of information between states and organisations highlights methods of best-practice, fosters cooperation and facilitates the provision of international assistance that is critical to achieving our goal of reducing the threat posed by international terrorist networks. The adoption of the Ministerial Declaration under UNSCR 1456 has underlined the importance of the CTC and these aspects of its role.
We commend the CTC�€™s recent focus on strengthening the role of regional and international organisations in counter-terrorism activities, reflected in the special meeting held here in New York on 6 March. The counter-terrorism work of regional and sub-regional organisations is central to building the capacity needed to fight terrorism. In the same way that the CTC is a hub for action by UN member states, regional organisations have an important role in disseminating information, providing and facilitating assistance, and developing effective regional counterterrorism strategies. We encourage all UN members to fully support the counter-terrorism work of the regional organisations they belong to and to actively look for ways to improve the effectiveness of that work. By doing that, members will not only enhance the safety of their own regional neighbourhoods but also strengthen the broader international counter-terrorism network.
The task of monitoring the implementation of Resolution 1373 is likely to continue for some time. In this context, we want to acknowledge the Committee�€™s valuable role in helping to coordinate the availability and provision of broader counter-terrorism capacity-building assistance for those countries in need. It is vital that every member state that needs help developing counterterrorism legislation and law enforcement capacity, for example, is able to get access to the assistance they require. Australia urges UN member states to strongly support the CTC�€™s work in that area.
Mr President
Since the September 11 attacks, the international community has made considerable progress in fighting terrorism. The CTC, guided ably by Ambassador Greenstock, has contributed substantially to that outcome. Unfortunately, international terrorism is still with us so the work of the CTC must go on. Australia warmly welcomes Ambassador Arias of Spain as the new CTC Chair and looks forward to working closely with him and the other members of the Committee in confronting the challenge posed by international terrorism in the period ahead.