U.N.: No Excuse For Terrorism
The U.N.'s Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Tuesday that says all terrorism is criminal, no matter what the provocation or reason.
U.S. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke called on all nations to stand together and relentlessly combat terrorists and their supporters.
"The United States' policy on terrorism is clear and it is simple: Terrorism is a criminal activity - regardless of circumstance or reason. There are no mitigating factors," he said. "Despite the risks involved, we must summon the political courage to address this threat at home and abroad."
Against a backdrop of recent bombings and killings from Russia and Kosovo to East Timor and Burundi, the council held a formal meeting to adopt the resolution renewing the U.N. commitment to combat terrorism and bring perpetrators to justice.
"We thought that the recent upsurge in terrorist actions, including against United Nations personnel, would warrant a reiteration of the Security Council readiness to contribute to the fighting of international terrorism," Russia's U.N. ambassador, Sergey Lavrov, the current council president, said Monday.
The council's formal meeting follows its threat last Friday of limited sanctions if Afghanistan's Taliban Islamic movement does not deliver Saudi exile Osama bin Laden to stand trial for last year's twin U.S. embassy bombings in Africa.
Holbrooke called this U.S. initiative "a significant example of what can be achieved when we work in a cooperative spirit."
The United States, Britain and Brazil said the next step should be the adoption of a new treaty proposed by France that would make the financing of terrorist activities a crime. Tuesday's resolution doesn't call for sanctions, but instead focuses on the need for global cooperation to fight terrorism.
It unequivocally condemns all terrorist acts as "criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation" and calls on all countries to adopt and implement all international treaties against terrorism.
It urges all nations to cooperate in combating terrorism, to prevent the financing of terrorist activities, and to "deny those who plan, finance or commit terrorist acts safe havens by ensuring their apprehension and prosecution or extradition."
Britain's U.N. ambassador, Jeremy Greenstock, said it was sad that some nations still argue that terrorist acts are justified in some circumstances.
Moscow has become an especially vocal campaigner against terrorism following four recent bombings in Russia, which killed some 300 people. Russia blames the violence on Chechens and other secessionist-minded Islamic militants.
Russia has called for a U.N. conference or a special session of the General Assembly in 2000 on combating terrorism.
Terrorists have been making headlines elsewhere as well.
Last week, two U.N. aid workers were slain by Hutu rebels in Burundi, a .N. civilian official was beaten and shot to death in Kosovo, and seven U.N. workers were taken hostage in Georgia.
Last month, Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka massacred about 50 villagers, and pro-Indonesian militias went on a killing, looting and burning rampage in East Timor after its people voted for independence. Leftist rebels in Colombia have stepped up a wave of kidnappings.