OSCE Chairman welcomes improved co-ordination in fight against global terrorism

NEW YORK, 24 September 2004 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passy, welcomed the increasingly successful efforts of the international community, led by the United Nations, to co-ordinate its response to global terrorism.

Addressing the 59th regular session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, he said international terrorism posed the most serious threat to international peace and security.

"This demands co-ordinated and resolute action by all States and the entire international community," the OSCE Chairman said. "Bulgaria joins those who are firmly convinced that international terrorism threatens all States. It can be dealt with only through joint efforts."

Minister Passy said he was encouraged by the efforts of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to improve co-ordination between the UN and regional organizations including the OSCE.

"We actively support all efforts under Security Council Resolutions 1373 and 1267 to narrow down the perimeters of action of terrorist organizations and suppress their financing," he said. "The measures aimed at including other international, regional and sub-regional organizations in the anti-terrorist struggle are of particular importance."

The United Nations, the OSCE and other organizations had a long history of effective co-operation in the Western Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

"In my view, closer interaction between them is of crucial importance to security, stability, democratic prosperity and tolerance in the world," the Chairman-in-Office added.

The 55-nation OSCE also attached great importance to assisting countries in adjoining regions, for example Afghanistan, where it was deploying an election support team for next month's presidential elections.

This will be the first time the OSCE has been involved in elections in a country which is not an OSCE participating State. Afghanistan became an OSCE Partner for Co-operation last year.