H. E. MR. YUKIO SATOH

Permanent Representative of Japan

At the Security Council Meeting on Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts

15 April 2002

Mr. President,

Since the heinous terrorist attacks of 11th September last year, significant progress has been made through international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. This progress is encouraging, but the fight is only at its beginning stage, and thus it is essential for all Member States to strengthen their cooperative efforts to attain our common goal of eliminating terrorism.

In this context, I cannot overemphasize the importance of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), particularly its valuable activities to enhance the capacity of countries concerned to combat terrorism. I would thus like to pay my highest tribute to Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock and the other members of the CTC Bureau for the strenuous efforts they have devoted to the activities of this important committee. Thanks to them, the CTC is already a successful institution.

Mr. President,

In the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi affirmed that the Japanese Government is resolved to make the fight against terrorism a task of its own responsibility and to actively engage itself in that fight. The full implementation of Security Council resolution 1373 is a central task in such efforts on the part of the Japanese Government.

In particular, the Government of Japan places high priority on the swift implementation of the Security Council’s measures in order to deprive terrorists of any possibility of withdrawing funds before their assets are frozen. In freezing the financial assets of individuals and entities associated with the Al-Qaida and the Taliban pursuant to resolutions 1267, 1333 and 1390, the Japanese Government has been taking the necessary measures at nearly the same instance when the Sanctions Committee decides to add an individual or an entity to the sanctions list.

The assistance extended by the Sanctions Committee is crucially important in order to make it possible for us to take such swift action. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to Ambassador Alfonso Valdivieso, Chairman of the Sanctions Committee, for his cooperation.

Furthermore, in order to ensure the thorough implementation of resolution 1373 and at the same time to make it possible to conclude the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, the Japanese Government has submitted the relevant draft legislation to the Japanese Diet (Japanese Parliament) and plans to conclude the Convention as soon as the Diet approves it. This will complete Japan’s ratification of all twelve anti-terrorism conventions.

Mr. President,

We highly appreciate the fact that the CTC has been vigorously conducting its work of reviewing the reports that have been submitted by Member States on the implementation of resolution 1373. It is therefore all the more important to urge those countries that have not yet done so to submit their reports to the CTC promptly.

In this connection, the Japanese Government considers it a serious problem that many countries, despite their intention, have not submitted their reports because they lack the capacity to do so. We would therefore like to call on the CTC to urgently consider what needs to be done to help these countries.

Assistance to developing countries is essential in order to secure the global implementation of resolution 1373, and such assistance could be better organized if the CTC could identify countries in need as well as the areas in which they require assistance. Such a step would facilitate cooperation between donor and recipient countries and further promote the implementation by developing countries of resolution 1373. From this point of view, we support the CTC
fs intention to focus its future activities on those countries facing difficulties in implementing resolution 1373.

It is particularly important in this context to upgrade the CTC directory of assistance, which already exists in a limited fashion. To this end, we must urge those countries capable of providing assistance to register their assistance programs in the CTC directory as soon as possible. The Japanese Government, for its part, has already registered its own technical assistance training programs, and has decided to double the number of trainees it will accept for these programs in 2002.

Mr. President,

The Japanese Government supports the intention of the CTC to take advantage of cooperation with regional organizations and other international fora to promote the full implementation of resolution 1373. My government, for its part, will work to see to it that regional organizations and other fora to which it belongs expand their cooperation with the CTC.

I would like to conclude by stressing, Mr. President, that this is the time for all Member States to reaffirm our common commitment to combat terrorism, and to renew our determination to support the CTC so that it can continue its valuable work, building upon the success it has achieved so far.

The tasks that the CTC will have to face in the future will be far more challenging than those it faced during the initial period. With this recognition, the Japanese Government will remain committed to do its best in support of the CTC in the months to come.