STATEMENT BY MR. M. KOTESWARA RAO, COUNSELLOR [LEGAL], ON AGENDA ITEM 107 - ‘MEASURES TO ELIMINATE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM’ AT THE SIXTH COMMITTEE OF THE 69^TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON OCTOBER 08, 2014

Mr. Chairman,

At the outset, I congratulate the Chairman, and you Mr. Vice Chairman and other members of the Bureau on your election to the Sixth Committee. I assure you of the full cooperation and support of the Indian delegation during the proceedings of the Committee.

I take this opportunity to thank the Secretary-General for his report A/69/209 dated 30 July 2014 entitled ‘Measures to eliminate international terrorism’.

My delegation would like to associate with the statement made yesterday by the Iranian delegate on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Mr. Chairman,

Terrorism is the brutal and inhuman scourge of our times. The beheading of innocent people and abduction of school girls are, regrettably, the headlines that are forced onto us. Terrorists wage an asymmetric war and terrorism has emerged as a major destabilising force and threat to world order. It threatens the stability of governments and also the very existence of some countries. It undermines the very foundation of democratic societies.

India condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. No cause whatsoever or grievance can justify terrorism, including state-sponsored cross-border terrorism. The international community needs to adopt a policy of zero-tolerance towards terrorism.

Mr. Chairman,

India had participated in the open debate on Foreign Terrorist Fighters in the Security Council on 24 September 2014.  In our view, Foreign Terrorist Fighters is only one facet of the broader challenge of international terrorism.  It is, nevertheless, one that needs to be addressed and the Security Council is to be commended for establishing a new legal and normative framework to address this threat.  We hope it will be followed up and implemented effectively. 

Mr. Chairman,

The General Assembly has an important role to play in the fight against international terrorism as well.  More than anything else, we need a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

In this context, the work done by the Ad-hoc Committee established by the UN General Assembly for elaborating the CCIT assumes importance. We take this opportunity to reiterate support for the text of the draft convention that was proposed by the Coordinator of the Ad Hoc Committee in 2007. It is our hope that all States will, during discussions in the Working Group of the Sixth Committee in the present session, consider steps for finalizing the text of the draft Convention. 

This will go a long way in strengthening the normative framework by expanding the scope of legal instruments available to us.

India is also supportive of all other efforts, especially within the purview of the United Nations that strengthen international and regional cooperation in the fight against terrorism. We attach importance to strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation and exchange of information at the international, regional and sub-regional level. We have been in the forefront of global counter-terrorism efforts and are part of all major global initiatives, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Mr. Chairman,

We have taken a number of steps for strengthening our strategic, legal and operational framework in the fight against terrorism. We are a party to 14 of the international counter-terrorism conventions and protocols listed by the Secretary-General in his Report A/69/209 of 30^th July 2014. 

Mr. Chairman,

Regionally, within the framework of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), we have the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism of 1987, and it’s Additional Protocol of 2004 on the financing of terrorism, and the SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters of 2008.  India is working with the fellow SAARC nations to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation.

At the national level, India has enacted laws to deal with all aspects of terrorism. Among them, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act incorporates provisions dealing with all aspects of terrorism including conspiracy and incitement to terrorism. The Act criminalizes the raising of funds for terrorist activities, holding of proceeds of terrorism, harboring of terrorists, unauthorized possession or use of any bomb, dynamite or hazardous explosive substance or other lethal weapons.

The Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention) Act, 2005 provides detailed measures to prevent falling of weapons of mass destruction or dual use materials in the hands of terrorists and non-state actors.

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 seeks to further streamline monitoring of all foreign contributions received by non-governmental organizations and religious, educational and charitable organizations.

Mr. Chairman,

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, the fight against terrorism has to be unrelenting and fought across all fronts. The international community cannot afford selective approaches in dealing with terrorist groups or in dismantling the infrastructure of terrorism. We must step up our collective efforts with real cooperation among member States to confront the scourge of terrorism squarely and decisively. Resort to the use of terrorism as an instrument of State Policy cannot be tolerated. Indeed, those who have taken recourse to it have invariably suffered themselves it proving the age old dictum that those who play with the sword, shall also perish by it.

Thank you.