- Mar 22, 2004
- 5,578
- 0
- 0
Link
Annan: We must define terrorism
By HERB KEINON AND AP
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan unveils his new report and list of reforms, titled, "In Larger Freedom: Towards Security, Development and Human Rights for All," at the General Assembly at U.N. headquarters
Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged world leaders Monday to adopt the boldest changes to the United Nations in its 60-year history, including defining terrorism as an attack on all civilians, saying they were essential to tackle global threats in the 21st century.
In a speech to the 191-member UN General Assembly, Annan called for the adoption of his entire reform package at a summit of world leaders in September and warned countries against treating the list of proposals "as an a la carte menu, and select only those that you especially fancy."
But getting leaders to agree on the package won't be easy because many countries have opposing views on issues ranging from reform of the UN Security Council and the creation of a new human rights council to increasing development assistance to poor countries.
Annan said the debate that has waged for years in the UN over the definition of terrorism, and which has kept the world body from adopting a comprehensive convention against terrorism, must end, and that all countries must accept that resisting occupation "cannot include the right to deliberately kill or maim civilians." He called for the adoption of a convention by September 2006 with terrorism defined as any act "intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or noncombatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a government or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act."
Israeli officials welcomed that development, with Ronny Leshno Yaar, the Foreign Ministry's deputy director-general for the UN and International Organizations, saying this is the "beginning of a change in the way the international community regards terror." He stressed, however, that "we are not there yet. There is still a long way to go."
Leshno Yaar said this type of definition would represent a significant step toward delegitimizing terror. Because of 9/11, the attacks in Europe and ongoing attacks in Iraq, the Western world is beginning to wake up to the fact that terrorism is a threat to them, he said. He said Annan should be congratulated on this new approach.
The timing of Annan's appeal for UN reform also raised some questions, coming just before former US Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker releases the results of an investigation into the activities of Annan and his son, Kojo, in relation to the scandal-ridden UN oil-for-food program in Iraq. Kojo Annan worked in Africa for a company that had an oil-for-food contract.
The scandal is one of several that have dogged the world body this year. Sex abuse by peacekeeping troops in Congo and the resignation of the UN refugee chief amid sexual harassment charges have also tainted the UN's image.
Mark Malloch Brown, the secretary-general's chief of staff, dismissed media comments that Annan's report was "a panicked response" to the UN's problems.
"Look at it as the secretary-general refusing to be distracted," he said.
Annan is proposing the most extensive overhaul of the world body since it was founded in 1945. His reform package calls for a realignment of the United Nations to give additional weight to key development, security and human rights issues. It also sets out plans to make the world body more efficient, open and accountable ? including strengthening the independence and authority of the UN's internal watchdog.
Volcker's report on the secretary-general and his son is expected by the end of March, but Annan is operating on the belief that he will be cleared
Volcker's final report is expected in mid-year.
"These are reforms that are within reach ? reforms that are actionable if we can garner the necessary political will," Annan said in the introduction to the report, which was released Sunday. It called 2005 "a historic opportunity" to create a better life for millions of people.
In the report, he urged the leaders to "act boldly" and adopt "the most far-reaching reforms in the history of the United Nations." Asked at a news conference Monday how he thought the United States would respond to the report, Annan said he hoped all countries would find its suggestions in their interests.
"I think there are many things in the report that should please many states, including the United States," he told reporters. "You have to understand that we have 191 member states and I was dealing with the problems of all regions."
Presenting the report Monday in the General Assembly, Annan said, "In any such list of proposals, there are items which seem more important to some than to others, and items about which some have reservations, while others consider them essential." Appealing for support for the entire package, he urged all countries to remember "that if you need the help of other states to achieve your objectives, you must also be willing to help them achieve their objectives." One of the major proposals in the package calls for a new Human Rights Council as a major UN organ ? possibly on par with the Security Council ? to replace the Geneva-based Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR). That panel has long faced criticism for allowing the worst-offending countries to use their membership to protect one another from condemnation.
"The creation of the council would accord human rights a more authoritative position," and put it on the same level as security and development, Annan said.
This move was also applauded by the Foreign Ministry's Leshno Yaar, who just returned from attending the annual UNCHR meeting in Geneva.
"There is no question that what is taking place in Geneva has nothing to do with the real world," he said. "Small and isolated countries are victims of the commission, whereas big and strong countries never get attention. Leshno Yaar said UNCHR work regarding Israel was "unfair and unbalanced, and doesn't reflect the situation on the ground. It totally ignores violations on the Palestinian side."
Annan also called for an expansion of the 15-member UN Security Council to reflect global realities, but he left the details to the General Assembly. He urged its 191 members to decide on a plan before the September summit, preferably by consensus, but if that's impossible, by a vote.
Annan backed two options proposed in December by a high-level panel. One would add six new permanent members to the Security Council and the other would create a new tier of eight semipermanent members: two each from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. He left open the possibility of other ideas.
Leshno Yaar said the Security Council certainly "deserves a fresh look." But, he added, this process was just beginning, and Israel would "continue to study the recommendations and engage in consultations before making its position public." The report said the Security Council already had the authority under the UN Charter to use military force, even in a preventative manner, but it should adopt a resolution specifying the criteria for decisions on whether to use force.
The criteria should include the seriousness of the threat, whether non-military action could stop it, and whether there is a reasonable chance that military action would succeed.
In cases of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, Annan urged all states to accept that there was a "responsibility to protect" those being killed, which requires collective action.
The secretary-general also urged all rich countries to establish a timetable to reach the goal set 35 years ago of earmarking 0.7 percent of gross national product for development assistance no later than 2015, starting with a significant increase no later than 2006. The US currently has one of the lowest levels ? about 0.15 percent.
When you define what terrorism is, you inadvertently define what terrorism is not. We do not need loopholes for those that choose terrorism as their political weapon of choice. We certainly do not need an International body to create and endorse the loopholes that could be created.
At least that's what I think.
Thoughts?
Annan: We must define terrorism
By HERB KEINON AND AP
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan unveils his new report and list of reforms, titled, "In Larger Freedom: Towards Security, Development and Human Rights for All," at the General Assembly at U.N. headquarters
Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged world leaders Monday to adopt the boldest changes to the United Nations in its 60-year history, including defining terrorism as an attack on all civilians, saying they were essential to tackle global threats in the 21st century.
In a speech to the 191-member UN General Assembly, Annan called for the adoption of his entire reform package at a summit of world leaders in September and warned countries against treating the list of proposals "as an a la carte menu, and select only those that you especially fancy."
But getting leaders to agree on the package won't be easy because many countries have opposing views on issues ranging from reform of the UN Security Council and the creation of a new human rights council to increasing development assistance to poor countries.
Annan said the debate that has waged for years in the UN over the definition of terrorism, and which has kept the world body from adopting a comprehensive convention against terrorism, must end, and that all countries must accept that resisting occupation "cannot include the right to deliberately kill or maim civilians." He called for the adoption of a convention by September 2006 with terrorism defined as any act "intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or noncombatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a government or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act."
Israeli officials welcomed that development, with Ronny Leshno Yaar, the Foreign Ministry's deputy director-general for the UN and International Organizations, saying this is the "beginning of a change in the way the international community regards terror." He stressed, however, that "we are not there yet. There is still a long way to go."
Leshno Yaar said this type of definition would represent a significant step toward delegitimizing terror. Because of 9/11, the attacks in Europe and ongoing attacks in Iraq, the Western world is beginning to wake up to the fact that terrorism is a threat to them, he said. He said Annan should be congratulated on this new approach.
The timing of Annan's appeal for UN reform also raised some questions, coming just before former US Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker releases the results of an investigation into the activities of Annan and his son, Kojo, in relation to the scandal-ridden UN oil-for-food program in Iraq. Kojo Annan worked in Africa for a company that had an oil-for-food contract.
The scandal is one of several that have dogged the world body this year. Sex abuse by peacekeeping troops in Congo and the resignation of the UN refugee chief amid sexual harassment charges have also tainted the UN's image.
Mark Malloch Brown, the secretary-general's chief of staff, dismissed media comments that Annan's report was "a panicked response" to the UN's problems.
"Look at it as the secretary-general refusing to be distracted," he said.
Annan is proposing the most extensive overhaul of the world body since it was founded in 1945. His reform package calls for a realignment of the United Nations to give additional weight to key development, security and human rights issues. It also sets out plans to make the world body more efficient, open and accountable ? including strengthening the independence and authority of the UN's internal watchdog.
Volcker's report on the secretary-general and his son is expected by the end of March, but Annan is operating on the belief that he will be cleared
Volcker's final report is expected in mid-year.
"These are reforms that are within reach ? reforms that are actionable if we can garner the necessary political will," Annan said in the introduction to the report, which was released Sunday. It called 2005 "a historic opportunity" to create a better life for millions of people.
In the report, he urged the leaders to "act boldly" and adopt "the most far-reaching reforms in the history of the United Nations." Asked at a news conference Monday how he thought the United States would respond to the report, Annan said he hoped all countries would find its suggestions in their interests.
"I think there are many things in the report that should please many states, including the United States," he told reporters. "You have to understand that we have 191 member states and I was dealing with the problems of all regions."
Presenting the report Monday in the General Assembly, Annan said, "In any such list of proposals, there are items which seem more important to some than to others, and items about which some have reservations, while others consider them essential." Appealing for support for the entire package, he urged all countries to remember "that if you need the help of other states to achieve your objectives, you must also be willing to help them achieve their objectives." One of the major proposals in the package calls for a new Human Rights Council as a major UN organ ? possibly on par with the Security Council ? to replace the Geneva-based Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR). That panel has long faced criticism for allowing the worst-offending countries to use their membership to protect one another from condemnation.
"The creation of the council would accord human rights a more authoritative position," and put it on the same level as security and development, Annan said.
This move was also applauded by the Foreign Ministry's Leshno Yaar, who just returned from attending the annual UNCHR meeting in Geneva.
"There is no question that what is taking place in Geneva has nothing to do with the real world," he said. "Small and isolated countries are victims of the commission, whereas big and strong countries never get attention. Leshno Yaar said UNCHR work regarding Israel was "unfair and unbalanced, and doesn't reflect the situation on the ground. It totally ignores violations on the Palestinian side."
Annan also called for an expansion of the 15-member UN Security Council to reflect global realities, but he left the details to the General Assembly. He urged its 191 members to decide on a plan before the September summit, preferably by consensus, but if that's impossible, by a vote.
Annan backed two options proposed in December by a high-level panel. One would add six new permanent members to the Security Council and the other would create a new tier of eight semipermanent members: two each from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. He left open the possibility of other ideas.
Leshno Yaar said the Security Council certainly "deserves a fresh look." But, he added, this process was just beginning, and Israel would "continue to study the recommendations and engage in consultations before making its position public." The report said the Security Council already had the authority under the UN Charter to use military force, even in a preventative manner, but it should adopt a resolution specifying the criteria for decisions on whether to use force.
The criteria should include the seriousness of the threat, whether non-military action could stop it, and whether there is a reasonable chance that military action would succeed.
In cases of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, Annan urged all states to accept that there was a "responsibility to protect" those being killed, which requires collective action.
The secretary-general also urged all rich countries to establish a timetable to reach the goal set 35 years ago of earmarking 0.7 percent of gross national product for development assistance no later than 2015, starting with a significant increase no later than 2006. The US currently has one of the lowest levels ? about 0.15 percent.
When you define what terrorism is, you inadvertently define what terrorism is not. We do not need loopholes for those that choose terrorism as their political weapon of choice. We certainly do not need an International body to create and endorse the loopholes that could be created.
At least that's what I think.
Thoughts?
)
Facebook
Twitter