Qatar Confirms World Needs Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism

Qatar Confirms World Needs Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism

New York/ Information Office/13 October 2015/The State of Qatar has confirmed that the world today is in dire need more than ever for the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. Qatar also renewed its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and regardless of its motives or objectives and by whomever and wherever it committed, stressing that it will continue its efforts to implement its obligations in the fight against terrorism and addressing its roots and causes in accordance with the international law and the UN resolutions, and in cooperation with the UN relevant agencies and Member States. This came in a statement of the State of Qatar to the UN sixth Committee (Legal) on "Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism", delivered by Yasser Ali Al Malik, a member of Qatar's delegation participating in the 70th session of UN General Assembly in New York. Yasser Ali Al Malik said that the international developments confirmed that the international community has become more aware of the seriousness of the threat that terrorism poses to international peace and security due to the expansion of terrorist groups across the borders. He renewed Qatar's conformation that the desired counter-terrorism results will not be achieved through military and security means only. He also reiterated the importance of addressing the root causes of terrorism and eliminating the circumstances leading to it, stressing that this requires commitment to international conventions and resolutions. He added that the last period has shown that the absence of the rule of law, violations of the rights of peoples and individuals, atrocities committed in many parts of the world and the international community's delay or reluctance to take actions adopted by the international law contributed to the creation of favorable conditions for the growth of terrorism, and that linking terrorism with a particular religion, doctrine or race helped extremist organizations to target the minds of young people and recruit them. He stressed that the State of Qatar rejects and strongly condemns any attempt to link the crime of terrorism with any religion, culture or race, considering that the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is the basic document guiding our collective efforts, praising in this regard the cooperation and efforts of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate and the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. Al Malik said that Qatar will participate very effectively in the working group in order to complete the process relating to the comprehensive convention on international terrorism, and in holding a high-level conference under the auspices of the United Nations for this purpose, and in accordance with what is stated in the decision of the 69th session of UN General Assembly. In this regard, he stressed that the convention should include a specific definition of terrorism and not linked to a particular religion, race or culture and confirm the international community's commitment to strengthening international cooperation in the fight against terrorism, as well as the need to distinguish between terrorism, legitimate resistance to foreign occupation, self-defense and the right to self-determination of peoples under occupation. The member of Qatar's delegation participating in the 70th session of UN General Assembly believed that the lack of such an convention is a legal vacuum for terrorist organizations and international criminals to benefit. The member of Qatar's delegation participating in the 70th session of UN General Assembly in New York Yasser Ali Al Malik said that the State of Qatar has continued its efforts at the national, regional and international levels to implement the UN Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the UN resolutions, noting to the latest decision of the 69th session of UN General Assembly. Meanwhile, he pointed out to some of the actions taken by the State of Qatar as following: - Depositing instrument of ratification of the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material of 2005. - Depositing instrument of ratification of the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation of 2005, and the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf for 2005. - Competent authorities in the state are working with the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate to develop a comprehensive national strategy to combat terrorism. - Exchanging visits and workshops between the competent national authorities and between the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the Implementation Task Force in the fight against terrorism. - "Silatech", a Qatar-based social enterprise, intensified activities at the regional level in organizing workshops for young people from countries in the region, and is working to train them and raise their awareness to prevent them joining extremist organizations. - Continuing the cooperation within the framework of the Global Forum for combating terrorism and providing financial support for the Forum programs to combat violent extremism. - Signing several bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding in the field of security cooperation to combat terrorism with a number of countries. - Enhancing cooperation between national and foreign and international judicial authorities in the field of counter-terrorism. - Hosting the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in April 2015, which resulted in the adoption of an important declaration by world leaders to confront the challenges posed by crime and strengthen efforts to combat terrorism. - Strengthening the legislative structure on the fight against terrorism and its financing, as well as the fight against money laundering. - Issuing new legislations that ban the illegal use of electronic means for targets linked to terrorism, as well as organizing the work of charities and preventing them from financing terrorist. Yasser Ali Al Malik explained that the Qatari concerned institutions played an important role in the fight against terrorism, noting to the National Committee for Combating Terrorism and the National Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism Committee. He also stressed that the State of Qatar is the first regional state achieves a high degree of commitment in the fight against money laundering and the financing of international terrorism. In conclusion, he reiterated Qatar's delegation's commitment to work with the relevant international institutions to fight terrorism.