Statement by Amb. J. Enkhsaikhan,
Permanent Representative
of Mongolia in the plenary debate on the question of
combating international terrorism
1 October,
2001
New York
Mr. President,
International
reaction to the September 11th terrorist attacks on New York, our host city,
Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania has been overwhelming, swift and unreserved.
The world community not only strongly condemned these barbaric acts and
reiterated its determination to fight all manifestations of terrorism. The
reaction of States around the world, the unanimous resolutions adopted by the
Security Council on 12 and 28 September as well as by this Assembly as its first
order of business on 12 September clearly demonstrate that the resolve of States
to fight this global scourge is not only strong, but it has also been
re-invigorated. In fact, my delegation believes that these tragic events are
having a deep impact both on international relations and on minds of peoples
around the world. New realities need equally new approaches.
The Mongolian
people has resolutely condemned these terrorist acts as criminal, directed
against the entire humanity, and underlined that it considers their ultimate
goal was directed against peace, freedom and democracy. Bearing in mind the
grave nature of these acts for international peace and security, the National
Security Council of Mongolia has specifically considered its possible
ramifications for international relations as a whole and the Government of
Mongolia has asked the Secretary-General to convene an emergency session of the
General Assembly to discuss the ways and means of practically combating
terrorism. The consideration of this item in the plenary is seen by this
delegation not only as an expression of unity of the international community in
the face of the heinous acts of terrorism, but also as a brain-storming meeting
that should be followed-up by concrete actions at the national, regional and
international levels.
The past three
weeks have been revealing in this respect. It has seen member States take
important steps, both among themselves and through the United Nations, to
re-invigorate combat against this scourege. Thus a coalition is being formed
that is resolved to go after the perpetrators, organizers and funders of the
terrorist acts of 11 September. The coalition’s determination to act is evident
and this time tangible results might be achieved. The world needs good and
encouraging news.
It seems that the coalition
rightly believes that its actions would yield practical and long-term results if
a much broader and permanent coalition is built around the United Nations, for
military operations, however successful, would not be sufficient to root-out
terrorism. Full force of national laws and international norms, together with
addressing the root-causes of terrorism are needed.
The first swift
political reaction of the Security Council on 12 September has been followed up
on 28 September by a decision on more practical measures to be taken, as
reflected in its resolution 1373. My delegation believes that full
implementation of all 23 concrete provisions of this resolution would be
important for successfully waging the struggle. The invocation of chapter VII of
the United Nations Charter, the decision of the Council to set up a committee to
monitor implementation of the resolution as well as its call upon member States
to report to the committee on its implementation within 90 days are indeed signs
of determination of the international to seriously address this problem. This
resolve should be fully supported.
Mongolia, like
other States, takes its responsibility seriously. It is party to all the
conventions that are practically implementable by Mongolia. It intends to become
party to the convention on the suppression of the financing of terrorism in the
near future. Mongolia’s participation in the international conventions to combat
specific manifestations of terrorism is based on its firm belief that
international terrorism affects all and that therefore all States, including
those that are not directly affected by terrorism, can make a difference. The
latter can deny safe haven to terrorists, transit of terrorists through their
territories, transit through their territory of the sources of their financing
or of perpetration of terrorist acts, etc. Following the line of least
resistance, it cannot be ruled out that terrorists could contemplate pursuing
their aims in or through small and weaker States, seeing in them the ‘weak link’
in opposing or fighting terrorism. Moreover, it is clear that Security Council
resolution 1373, including its provisions concerning prevention, early warning,
exchange of operational information, investigation, prosecution, etc., could be
successfully implemented only with the active participation of all States of the
international community.
Mr. President,
We all agree
that the United Nations should move from culture of reaction to one of
prevention. This applies to the entire United Nations system. Thus the General
Assembly, as the main UN organ that is empowered to consider the general
principles of co-operation in the maintenance of international peace and
security, should address the different aspects of terrorism, including legal,
socio-economic and even cultural, all of which remain outside the Security
Council’s resolution and its powers. The fight against terrorism would be
successful if it is undertaken within and by strengthening international law and
order. Thus the Legal (Sixth) Committee of the Assembly should, bearing in mind
the existence of strong political will and determination, finalize, as soon as
possible, both the convention against nuclear terrorism and the comprehensive
convention against terrorism.
The draft convention against
nuclear terrorism is almost ready. Hopefully the remaining issue, that deals
with the scope of its application, would be resolved during this session of the
General Assembly. As to the draft comprehensive convention on international
terrorism, it is widely recognized that it is the political will that is more
needed than negotiating or drafting skills of diplomats and lawyers. My
delegation believes that given political will, terrorism could be defined. In
this respect my delegation agrees with the Secretary-General that there can be
no acceptance of those who would seek to justify the deliberate taking of
innocent human life, regardless of cause or grievance. Where there is a will,
there is always a way. Equally, the issue of relationship between the
forthcoming convention and existing ones as well as future conventions on
international terrorism could also be resolved. Once the two conventions are
drawn up, member States should take prompt measures for their rapid entry into
force.
In the same manner the pace of
establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC) should be accelerated as a
timely response to combat impunity of crimes against humanity, genocide and war
crimes. The question of adding aggression, threat or use of nuclear weapons,
terrorist and environmental crimes that entail grave international consequence,
to the list of crimes against humanity should in due time be looked at again
and, if agreed, could be proposed to the amendment conference of the ICC in some
future time, as envisaged in the Statute of ICC. As the Secretary-General has
rightly pointed out earlier today, the political will of the international
community that is clearly manifested these days, should be turned into strong
legal commitment of States. The recent terrorist acts have also demonstrated
that biological and chemical terrorist acts are becoming a real and present
danger that need to be addressed accordingly.
Mr. President,
Fight
against terrorism should start at the national level., for terrorist plans are
not necessarily hatched and preparations made at the international level. The
attempts to give religious or national justification or coloration to criminal
acts should be fought first and foremost at the national level. Depriving the
terrorists of ‘ideological’ justification for their actions are extremely
important to reducing the number of their followers and sympathizers and thus to
narrowing the social basis of terrorism. It is in a way a form of preventive
diplomacy. The role and importance of the mass media in giving objective
information cannot be over-emphasized.
It is said that wars begin in the minds of men and that it is in the minds of
men that the defenses of peace must be constructed. This, I believe, applies
fully to terrorism. Therefore fostering understanding, tolerance and dialogue
among different civilizations are important. The efforts at promoting such a
dialogue should not be limited in time nor in space. It should become a way of
life; there is no alternative to that. The longstanding international problems,
on which terrorism feeds, should be resolved as soon as possible. Terrorism is
also being supported through drug trafficking, traffic in arms and explosives,
money laundering, etc. Therefore international community’s efforts to combat
these transnational crimes should also be consistent and bring tangible results.
In this regard my delegation
supports earliest entry into force of the Convention against Transnational
Organized Crime, adopted last year. The competent authorities in my country are
considering Mongolia’s participation.
It is not
sufficient to address only the symptoms and various manifestations of terrorism.
As it has been mentioned, the root causes need to be addressed. Poverty,
deprivation, frustration and despair that bring suffering to millions of people
are fertile breeding grounds for terrorism. Many of the root-causes of terrorism
are to be found in or connected with abject poverty. Therefore the General
Assembly and its subsidiary bodies should redouble their efforts to address the
questions of reducing and eliminating poverty in line with the objectives of the
Millennium Declaration and promoting good and responsible governance. This and
other measures should form an important part of the international community’s
collective long-term strategy to fight terrorism, to which the Prime Minister of
Mongolia referred in his recent message addressed to the Secretary-General.
Perhaps the question of combating international terrorism could be taken up by
the General Assembly in a special session after the Security Council’s
committee, mentioned above, would have presented its first report and
conclusions, and concrete recommendations for further concrete positive actions
would have been drawn up. After all, the main organs of UN and the specialized
agencies should work together in order to be most effective.
Mr. President,
Regional action to combat terrorism
is also very important, and in some cases, even crucial. Existence of 7 regional
agreements and emergence of the eighth as part of the Shanghai Organization for
Cooperation, form a vital link between individual measures at national levels
as well as national measures with international. The value of regional
agreements are that they are drawn up as a result of painstaking negotiations
between experts representing different legal order or systems, they not only
define the concrete crimes, but also envisage extradition or prosecution of the
perpetrators and their accomplices, exchange of information, assistance in
investigation, etc. In many cases its the regional agreements that would bear
the brunt of burden.
Finally, Mr. President, my
delegation would like to take this opportunity to express its full support for
the call for the measures to be taken to protect the potential victims of
terrorism or those that could be caught in between in the struggle against
terrorists and terrorism.