U.N. Chief Appeals to All Nations to Join Long-Term Campaign to Defeat Terrorism

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Sep 22, 2001
By Edith M. Lederer
Associated Press Writer

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appealed to all nations to join a long-term campaign to defeat terrorism in which he expects the United Nations to play a leading role.

The 189 U.N. member states must stop providing shelter and logistical support for terrorists, halt the laundering of money used to finance terrorist acts, and share information on terrorists and their organizations, he said.

"That is the only way we are going to defeat terrorism," Annan said.

The United Nations has been fighting international terrorism for nearly 40 years. A dozen legal agreements are on the books and the General Assembly is debating two new treaties. The Security Council said after last week's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington that it is ready to take "all necessary steps ... to combat all forms of terrorism."

But diplomats are struggling to decide what to do next that would have the quickest impact.

Most are waiting for the United States as the wounded superpower to take the lead.

"The United Nations certainly has a role to play," U.S. deputy ambassador James Cunningham said. "We're having discussions literally on a global basis about next steps. We haven't made any decisions yet, but we will be taking those decisions soon."

Immediately after hijacked jets deliberately crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, the Security Council and the General Assembly unanimously adopted resolutions condemning the attacks.

The Security Council's resolution recognized America's right to self-defense, defined the attacks as a threat to international peace and security, called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and stressed that those responsible for harboring them would be held accountable.

"That resolution is about the most sweeping statement of support for the right of a member state to act militarily that I have ever seen," said David Malone, Canada's former deputy U.N. ambassador who now heads the International Peace Academy, a New York think tank.

He said the current indecision is a combination of the United States not being ready to put a proposal before the Security Council, and some countries - particularly from the Middle East - not wanting the council to formally approve any U.S.-led military action that would be controversial back home.

Once the U.S. retaliates militarily, Malone said, it will be easier for the council to "swing into action with other measures that could include financial, political and other forms of mandated activity."

The council was briefed Friday by U.N. legal counsel Hans Corell on the dozen anti-terrorism conventions and protocols - and the obstacles to getting General Assembly approval of a new comprehensive convention on terrorism backed by India and a convention against nuclear terrorism proposed by Russia.

On the comprehensive convention, he said, "serious difficulties" remain on key issues such as defining terrorism and differentiating between terrorism and the right to self-determination and to combat foreign occupation. On the nuclear treaty, one of the key outstanding issues is whether it should apply to armed forces.

Only four of the treaties and one of the protocols have been ratified by more than 100 countries. The newest convention, on suppressing the financing of terrorism, hasn't taken effect because it needs 22 ratifications and only has four.

Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock of Britain, America's closest council ally, said every country needs to be asked not only whether they've signed and ratified the anti-terrorism measures, but what they are doing to implement them, such as sharing information and watching the borders.

The Security Council can encourage - or mandate - these actions and that will be part of the debate when the council starts discussing possible actions next week, Greenstock said.

Annan wrote in The New York Times that the United Nations "provides the forum necessary for building a universal coalition and can ensure global legitimacy for the long-term response to terrorism."

In another possible long-term action, The Guardian newspaper in Britain quoted a secret cable from a NATO ally as saying the U.S. administration is planning to overthrow Afghanistan's Taliban militia and replace it with a U.N.-backed administration.

Asked whether there were any such plans, Annan said, "No. Not yet."

AP-ES-09-22-01 0158EDT

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