HEADS OF SECURITY COUNCIL COUNTER-TERRORISM BODIES STRESS NEED FOR STOCKTAKING

HEADS OF SECURITY COUNCIL COUNTER-TERRORISM BODIES STRESS NEED FOR STOCKTAKING
New York, May 26 2009 5:00PM
An important part of the work of the Security Council's counter-terrorism committees is stocktaking and reviewing efforts so as to ensure the effectiveness of United Nations sanctions regimes, the heads of three subsidiary bodies said today.

Indeed, one of the major initiatives undertaken by the Counter-Terrorism Committee, set up pursuant to resolution 1373, over the course of the last six months is the stocktaking exercise, its Acting Chairman, Jean-Pierre Lacroix of France, told a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2009/sc9664.doc.htm">meeting of the Security Council.

"Stocktaking allows the Committee to enhance its regular dialogue with Member States, and to further identify areas where the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) is still inadequate," he stated, adding that the exercise will form a major part of the Committee's work in the coming months.

The review process is also critical to the Council's 1267 (1999) Committee concerning Al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions, particularly with regard to the names on the group's Consolidated List of individuals and entities subject to restrictions.

Committee Chairman Thomas Mayr-Harting of Austria said the review is essential to ensure the List is as accurate and updated as possible to help Member States effectively implement the sanctions.

A serious challenge facing the Committee is the growing number of cases before national and regional courts filed by listed individuals and entities who take legal action against the sanctions measures. "The review is therefore an important step towards both improving due process and strengthening the regime," Mr. Mayr-Harting said.

"By either removing names from the List where listing is no longer appropriate, or adding new identifiers and information regarding names remaining on the List, the review will help to improve due process and the quality of the Consolidated List and to implement the sanctions regime more effectively."

Another important aspect of the work of the three committees is enhancing cooperation among them, noted Ambassador Jorge Urbina of Costa Rica, Chairman of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) on combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by non-State actors.

He said the Committee recently established a working group to promote information sharing, coordination on country visits and workshops, technical assistance and other issues of relevance to all three bodies.

"Terrorism and proliferation continue to be a daily reality and a threat to international peace and security faced equally by States and individuals alike," he stated. "Cooperation is therefore a crucial element in the efforts to counter the threat of terrorism, including that from nuclear, chemical and biological weapons for terrorist purposes."
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UN COUNTER-TERRORISM TASK FORCE SHIFTS INTO NEW OPERATIONAL PHASE

UN COUNTER-TERRORISM TASK FORCE SHIFTS INTO NEW OPERATIONAL PHASE
New York, Mar 4 2009 7:00PM

The United Nations task force charged with coordinating the world body's counter-terrorism efforts has entered a new operational phase, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointing a director for the body.

Jean-Paul Laborde, who for many years led the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the Vienna-based UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), will take up his position as the head of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) next month.

Mr. Laborde, who is also one of the Task Force's founding members, is currently serving as the President of the Chamber of the 2nd French Court of Appeals.

The CTITF updated the General Assembly yesterday in an informal plenary meeting, marking a shift into a more operational chapter for the body, during which it will focus on concrete activities undertaken by its working groups which centre on issues including the financing of terrorism and terrorists' use of the Internet.

The Secretary-General has also transferred the leadership of the Task Force to the Department of Political Affairs (DPA), and seeks to bolster the CTITF office by stepping up funding for its activities.

At yesterday's meeting, Member States expressed support for securing its budget through the regular budget, as opposed to voluntary contributions.

Representatives from nearly two dozen UN entities, as well as organizations such as INTERPOL, are members of the Task Force, which was established by the Secretary-General in July 2005 to ensure coordination and coherence in the world body's efforts to counter terrorism.
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