Statement by

Mr. Yedla Umasankar

First Secretary/Legal Adviser

on

Agenda Item 111

“Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism”

at the

Sixth Committee

73rd Session of the UNGA

3 October 2018

Mr. Chairman,

Let me join others in congratulating you and other members of the Bureau on your election. I assure you the full cooperation and support of my delegation.

2.     We thank the Secretary General for his Report on “Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism”, for its useful information on measures taken at the national and international levels based on the inputs provided by Governments and International Organizations for the prevention and suppression of international terrorism.

3.     Terrorism is a matter of serious concern. It is posing a serious challenge to the entire international community as its reach has spread to an extent that the terrorists can strike at places and at times of their choosing with intent to cause maximum possible damage, destruction and death of innocent persons. All acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable irrespective of motivations.

Mr. Chairman,

4.     As a country that has been facing the scourge of terrorism, India understands the implications of this global problem and has been very active and played a constructive role in the discourse on counter-terrorism. Indeed, our entire region, South Asia, has been impacted by the activities of terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda, Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jamat-Ud-Daawa and others. The growing interlinkages between terrorist groups, cross-border operations including terror financing networks, propagating ideologies of hatred through exploitation of modern technologies and funding arms and weapons have certainly left no country aloof from the impact of terrorism. In addition, some States are sponsoring the terrorist entities including providing safe havens to fulfil their political agenda.

5.     The only effective way to tackle an international threat like terrorism is by way of genuine collaboration among the States. We strongly believe that terrorism can be countered by combined international efforts and that the UN is best suited for developing this transnational effort. Over the last decade, the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GCTS) being discussed by the UN General Assembly has witnessed little practical impact on the ground. The Sanctions Committees established by the UN Security Council have become selective tools due to opaque working methods and politicised decision making.

Mr. Chairman,

6.     On the legal front, India considers that the intricate linkages and networks that unite terror groups can only be challenged through concerted international cooperation and efforts by way of extradition, prosecution, information exchange, and capacity building. The major UN instruments relating to specific terrorist activities remain fundamental tools in the fight against terrorism and India is a Party to all of these instruments.

7.     India is of the firm belief that a Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism (CCIT) will provide a strong legal basis for the fight against terrorism and will be in the interest of all Member States to have a multilateral and collective dimension of counter terrorism effort.

8.     We all need to work together to expose and destroy the linkages that exist between terrorists and their supporters.We need an international mechanism to ensure accountability and justice, enhanced dialogue and broaden understanding amongst Member States. The inability of the United Nations to agree on a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, even when terrorism hovers over us, remains one of the most important lacunae in the international legislative framework that would expand enforcement efforts to destroy safe havens for terrorists, their financial flows and their support networks. India wishes to highlight the importance and need for early finalization and conclusion of the Draft CCIT which will reflect our commitment to cooperate in combating terrorism. We all have to realize the gravity and move forward for adopting the draft text of CCIT which is a balanced one and has emerged after long discussions.

7.     India stands committed in its effort to counter-terrorism by exchanging information, building capacities for effective border controls, preventing misuse of modern technologies in the area of communication, monitoring illicit financial flows and cooperating in investigation procedures and judicial processes.

8.     India welcomes Secretary-General’s initiative to establish the Office of Counter Terrorism (OCT). This is a positive development. As part of our continuing commitment to strengthen multilateral efforts to counter-terrorism and support to the work of this newly established office, the Government of India has announced a voluntary contribution of US $550,000. We also welcome the initiative of Secretary-General to convene the first UN High Level Conference onHeads of Counter Terrorism Agencies held in June this year.

Mr. Chairman,

9.     In conclusion, India reiterates its strong support to the GA Resolution 72/123 of 18 December 2017 which,in para 25, recommends for the Sixth Committee at the 73^rd Session of the General Assembly to establish the Working Group with a view to finalising the process on the Draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

I thank you.