Heads of Security Council counter-terrorism bodies stress need for stocktaking

An important part of the work of the Security Council’s counter-terrorism committees is stocktaking and reviewing efforts so as to ensure the effectiveness of United Nations sanctions regimes, the heads of three subsidiary bodies said today.

Indeed, one of the major initiatives undertaken by the Counter-Terrorism Committee, set up pursuant to resolution 1373, over the course of the last six months is the stocktaking exercise, its Acting Chairman, Jean-Pierre Lacroix of France, told a meeting of the Security Council.

“Stocktaking allows the Committee to enhance its regular dialogue with Member States, and to further identify areas where the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) is still inadequate,” he stated, adding that the exercise will form a major part of the Committee’s work in the coming months.

The review process is also critical to the Council’s 1267 (1999) Committee concerning Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions, particularly with regard to the names on the group’s Consolidated List of individuals and entities subject to restrictions.

Committee Chairman Thomas Mayr-Harting of Austria said the review is essential to ensure the List is as accurate and updated as possible to help Member States effectively implement the sanctions.

A serious challenge facing the Committee is the growing number of cases before national and regional courts filed by listed individuals and entities who take legal action against the sanctions measures. “The review is therefore an important step towards both improving due process and strengthening the regime,” Mr. Mayr-Harting said.

“By either removing names from the List where listing is no longer appropriate, or adding new identifiers and information regarding names remaining on the List, the review will help to improve due process and the quality of the Consolidated List and to implement the sanctions regime more effectively.”

Another important aspect of the work of the three committees is enhancing cooperation among them, noted Ambassador Jorge Urbina of Costa Rica, Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) on combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by non-State actors.

He said the Committee recently established a working group to promote information sharing, coordination on country visits and workshops, technical assistance and other issues of relevance to all three bodies.

“Terrorism and proliferation continue to be a daily reality and a threat to international peace and security faced equally by States and individuals alike,” he stated. “Cooperation is therefore a crucial element in the efforts to counter the threat of terrorism, including that from nuclear, chemical and biological weapons for terrorist purposes.”