Consensus eludes U.N. on definition of terrorism

UNITED NATIONS, OCT. 2. The United Nations today called for a concerted action to fight terrorism even as differences cropped up between member-states on its definition while India's call for a global convention on the subject drew a favourable response from European states.

As the world body met to seek unanimity for a ``concerted action'' against terrorism, the general assembly president, Mr. Han Seung-Soo of South Korea, said, it ``transcended cultural and religious differences''.

India's proposal asking for a global convention on terrorism drew support from the French ambassador, Mr. Jean-David Levitte, and his British counterpart, Mr. Jeremy Greenstock, who urged members-states to accelerate work on it.

In his opening address, Mr. Annan told the delegates that the governments had a ``clear agenda before them'', and as a first step, they should sign and ratify the legal instruments.

He made a special reference to the convention for the suppression of terrorist bombings, and the 1999 convention for the suppression of the financing of terrorism, which needed another 18 ratifications before it came into force.

The New York Mayor, Mr. Rudolph Guiliani, specially invited to address the week-long meeting, said the U.N. should hold any country accountable if it supported or condoned terrorism, and ostracise it. ``Otherwise, you will fail in your primary mission of peacekeeper,'' Mr. Guiliani said. ``This is not time for further study or vague directives,'' he told a packed general assembly.

Despite the facade of unity presented in the 189- member assembly, the negotiators on the comprehensive convention against terrorism were, however, facing a difficult time especially on the definition of ``terrorism'' and how to differentiate it from liberation movements.

Meanwhile, the legal committee of the U.N. is trying to reconcile differences among member-states especially regarding the definition of ``terrorism'' and how to differentiate it from liberation movements. In his maiden address to the assembly, the U.S. ambassador, Mr. John Negroponte, repeated the Bush administration's position and held Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda responsible for the September 11 attacks.

Israel warned

The Egyptian ambassador, Mr. Amed Aboulgheit, raised the West Asian issue and warned Israel against using terrorist attacks on the U.S. as a cover to crush Palestinians.

Many speakers in today's debate advocated adherence to existing U.N. anti-terrorism treaties as well as the elaboration of new legal instruments to fight the menace.

- PTI

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Section  : International
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