The UN General Assembly adopted on Friday a global strategy designed as a unique instrument to enhance national, regional and international efforts to combat terrorism.
The adoption of the long-awaited document, in the form of a resolution and an annexed Plan of Action, was the first time that all member states have agreed to a common strategic approach to fight terrorism.
Those practical steps include a wide array of measures ranging from strengthening state capacity to counter terrorist threats to better coordinating United Nations system's counter-terrorism activities.
The resolution vows to "consistently, unequivocally and strongly condemn 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."
It calls for the implementation of all General Assembly and Security Council resolutions on counter-terrorism, making clear that "any measures that we undertake to prevent and combat terrorism must comply with our 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."
The text also calls for "addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, including but not limited to prolonged unresolved conflicts, dehumanization of victims of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, lack of rule of law and violations of human rights, ethnic, national and religious discrimination, political exclusion, socioeconomic marginalization, and lack of good governance," while recognizing that none of these conditions can excuse or justify acts of terrorism.
"Today's adoption by the General Assembly of a United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy sends a clear message that terrorism is unacceptable, no matter who commits it, no matter what the reason," said Secretary-General Kofi Annan in a statement on the adoption of the document.
"I think it is the first time that 192 countries have come together and taken a stand on the issue of terrorism, and now the test will be how we implement it," Annan said.
The adoption of the strategy fulfills the commitment made by world leaders at the 2005 September Summit and builds on many of the elements proposed by the secretary-general in his report issued in May, entitled Uniting against Terrorism: Recommendations for a Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
(Xinhua News Agency September 9, 2006)
