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H.E. MR. KOICHI HARAGUCHI
Permanent Representative of Japan
At the Open Meeting of the Security Council,
On Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist
Acts
4 October 2002
Mr. President,
Thank you for convening this public meeting
of the Security Council. I shall be very brief.
Mr. President,
On the anniversary of the terrorist attacks
on the United States, we vividly recalled the sense of tremendous
panic and profound grief caused by such a brutal act. We could
not but have heartfelt sympathy for the victims and their
bereaved families. At the same time, we all had a sense of
our own vulnerability, knowing that terrorists could strike
anywhere and at any time.
Mr. President,
Although much progress has been made in the
fight against terrorism, the struggle must be ongoing. Only
through steadfast vigilance and a comprehensive approach,
with efforts made by each State, as well as determined cooperation
at the regional and international levels, can we have some
assurance that such acts of terrorism will not be repeated.
First, as part of its own efforts to combat
terrorism, in June Japan deposited its instruments of acceptance
of the Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of
Terrorism. In so doing it became party to all twelve international
anti-terrorism conventions. Japan hopes that every State will
likewise conclude all of the anti-terrorism conventions. At
the same time, we believe it is also important to further
strengthen the international framework by adopting such conventions
as the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism
and the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts
of Nuclear Terrorism. Japan will continue to work toward this
goal.
Second, I wish to refer to cooperation at
the regional level. In Tokyo on the 1st and 2nd of this month,
Japan co-hosted with the Republic of Korea and Singapore the
Second ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Workshop on counter-terrorism
measures. The discussions at the workshop focused on how we
might make more concrete international cooperative efforts,
based on the recommendation made at the first workshop in
Bangkok. As a result of the very fruitful discussions, we
completed work on the paper entitled "Best Practices
for Counter-Terrorism Measures in Major International Events".
The workshop thus offered a valuable opportunity to strengthen
regional efforts to combat terrorism.
Third, cooperative efforts to combat terrorism
at the international level are especially crucial. Japan therefore
remains committed to fully supporting the work of the Counter-Terrorism
Committee (CTC). I would like in particular to point out the
important role of the CTC in facilitating global implementation
of Security Council resolution 1373. As Japan has repeatedly
stressed, developing countries which are facing difficulties
in implementing that resolution must be provided with international
assistance. The CTC’s directory of assistance is an
important mechanism for the coordination of such assistance.
For its part, Japan is now considering extending assistance
to those countries, using as a reference the information provided
by the CTC’s distinguished expert, Ambassador Curtis
A. Ward.
Mr. President,
In closing, I would like to express my deepest
gratitude to Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, Chairman of the
CTC, and to the other members of the bureau for their excellent
work, which they have conducted in a very transparent manner.
I would also like to refer to the efforts of Ambassador Alfonso
Valdivieso, Chairman of the Committee established under the
Security Council Resolution 1267 and his staff. Without their
dedication and extraordinary contributions, the Security Council
could not have accomplished its tasks so successfully. I wish
to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to them
as well.
Thank you very much.
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