Security Council urges all States to report to UN counter-terrorism panel

Stressing the need for all States to report to the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), the Security Council today extended that panel's chairmanship and bureau for a further six months.

In a statement read out in an open meeting by the Council's current President, Ambassador Sergey Lavrov of the Russian Federation, the 15-member body said it was "essential" that countries that have not yet done so submit reports to the Committee "as soon as possible."

The statement also invited the panel to continue exploring ways to help States in implementing the Council's milestone anti-terrorism text - resolution 1373, which set up the CTC in the wake of the 11 September attacks against the United States - and to build a dialogue with international, regional and sub-regional organizations active in anti-terror activities. In addition, the Committee was invited "to identify issues on which concerted international action would further the implementation of the letter and spirit of the resolution," the presidential statement said.

The Committee Chairman, Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock of the United Kingdom, briefed the Council on the panel's work at the outset of the discussion, which involved the participation of representatives from some 30 countries. He said 143 reports had been submitted, and encouraged the remaining 50 States to contact the CTC. (While the UN has 189 Member States, the CTC has received reports from non-members, including the Cook Islands, and organizations, such as the European Union.)

"We understand that putting together a full report may be difficult for countries which have little experience of dealing with terrorism or for whom the preparation of such a report is a significant strain on their government machinery, but it is extremely important that all States are in dialogue with the CTC."

Stressing the Committee's conviction that it should continue to help all countries deal effectively with terrorism in their jurisdiction, he pledged that the panel would "check the facts of the legislative picture, the administrative action taken, and the way in which these tools are being used to prevent the territory of each State from being abused by terrorists."

The CTC, he said, would work with other bodies dealing with issues related to terrorism, and would deepen its contacts with regional organizations. "It is in the interests of all States that their neighbours have proper safeguards in place to deal with terrorism, and regional organizations have a key role to play ensuring that action is taken across the region," he said. "It will add impetus to our work if countries of similar geographical and cultural identity cooperate proactively to keep terrorism out of their region."

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