Human Rights Day: OSCE Chairman calls on states to uphold fundamental freedom when fighting terrorism

Bucharest, 10 December 2001 - On the occasion of United Nations Human Rights Day, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana, has called on all OSCE participating States to firmly uphold their international human rights commitments while at the same time fighting terrorism.

"In these days marked by intensified efforts to fight against terrorism, the international Human Rights Day should remind us that our anti-terrorism measures should not undermine fundamental freedoms and human rights, the basic values of our societies", said Mr. Geoana.

Last week in Bucharest, the OSCE Ministerial Council adopted an anti-terrorism action plan with which the 55 participating States committed themselves to combat terrorist threats "by all means in accordance with their international commitments". In a Council Declaration, the ministers reaffirmed their "commitment to protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms".

"Protecting human rights means defying terrorism", said the Chairman-in-Office. "Strictly adhering to our human rights commitments makes us immune to the terrorists' objective of eroding our common values and destabilizing our societies."

Minister Geoană recalled that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains the common standard of achievement, which recognizes the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all people in all nations.