Warsaw,
Poland
22 Feb. 2002
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Speech
by
Prof. Adam D. Rotfeld,
Under-Secretary of State
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland
at the Seminar the Role of EAPC in Combating Terrorism
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me welcome all of you in Warsaw at the EAPC Seminar on
Combating International Terrorism. I would like to begin with
paying tribute to Sweden and Finland who were the first to come
up with the idea of organising the event which we are honoured
to host.
This is the second important conference devoted to terrorism-fighting
Warsaw is hosting after the tragic events of September 11th.
The first was the November 2001 Conference on Combating Terrorism.
The Heads of State and Government of the Central, Eastern and
South Eastern European countries reflected upon the common struggle
against international terrorism while retaining at the same
time the guiding principles of democracy and freedom.
The participants of the Warsaw Conference adopted the common
Declaration and the Action Plan. These documents encourage us
to take appropriate measures to provide conditions necessary
for full implementation of the relevant international conventions
on anti-terrorism issues and for far wider co-operation to fight
international terrorism.
Standing united against terrorism all the present in Warsaw
agreed on deepening co-operation enabling us to provide quick
and effective information exchanges on possible sources of international
terrorism and possible terrorist threats. In his address to
the Warsaw Conference President Kwasniewski noted:
"Terrorists fully enjoy all benefits of globalisation:
access to modern technology, full information, free communication
between various parts of the world, as well as free movement
of capital. In their pursuits, terrorists resort to corruption,
drug trafficking, illicit trafficking in arms, in persons, illegal
capital transfers. We cannot agree to the situation where the
processes originally meant to assist mankind's development are
now turning against us."
Mr. Chairman,
Today, this time in a different format, we meet to discuss
how to enhance the role the EAPC may play in combating terrorism.
Our meeting and our work reflect the common efforts made in
building an antiterrorist network. As one expert said, 'to fight
a terrorist network we need a network as well'. I am sure that
the EAPC has every capacity to serve as such an antiterrorist
network, constituting at the same time a significant chain in
the global antiterrorist effort.
First, let me offer two remarks of a general nature: I do not
share the quite widespread view that the world has changed since
11 September. The world did not change-it was the perception
of the world that has changed. Problems remain the same; qualitatively
new, however, is the grasp of the issues. Consequently, priorities,
or the hierarchy of major issues, need to be rearranged. The
other remark is that the 11th of September events were catalytic-they
gave a boost to the processes that were already under way on
the international agenda.
As we will discuss ways and means of combating terrorism, we
have to be clear about the fundamental assumptions for an effective
fight against terrorism.
There is no justification for terrorist acts. US Deputy Defence
Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz was right in his intervention at
the Munich conference on security policy on 2 February 2002,
when he said: There can be no reason substantiating a claim
that any given terrorist act serves any purpose other destruction
and humiliation. We have to try to understand, what is conducive
to the growth of this menace. Is it poverty? Is it politics?
Is it frustration? Or a combination of different factors?
We should try to comprehend what makes us so vulnerable to
terrorism. Aren't we conscious enough? Or is our world too exposed?
Could we agree with Thomas Humer Dixon, who wrote recently that
"high societies are filled with supercharged devices
pocked with combustibles and poisons, giving terrorists ample
opportunities to divert such non weapon technologies to destructive
ends".
In short, a great deal has been written and said in recent
months about terrorism, though not all have told the whole story
yet. We must bear in mind that the outcome of the terrorist
attack will in fact determine the foundations of the international
security system. Indeed, it turned out that the norms, procedures,
mechanisms and institutions of the system are hardly adequate
to effectively handle this kind of threats. To put in a nutshell,
in search of responses to the new challenge, some seek to point
to the safety laxities at the world airlines, while others put
emphasis on the need for leveling out the living standards and
dividing more equitably wealth between the North and the South.
Both approaches testify to the lack of understanding of what
really happened. The former argument claims that it was a criminal
act, that could have been prevented by enhancing controls at
airports. The latter one argues that on 11 September a gang
of desperate idealists devoted their lives (plus those of several
thousands of other victims) to defend the rights of the poor
and deprived. It is, however, extremely idealistic to believe
that if the United States and other democratic states are fair
and honest in their relations with the Islamic world and other
poor countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, such terrorist
acts as those of 11 September can be prevented.
On the basis of the above assumptions, one has to look into
our possibilities of combating terrorism. I would venture to
say that first of all we have to establish the criteria for
effective fight against terrorism. Let me suggest such criteria
for your consideration:
- Unity - to use the holy phrase of the tragic victim
of 11 September events: "United we stand..."; Terrorism
is a direct threat to every state's security. Since the threat
is common and unconventional, it must be fought effectively
only in common and unconventionally. The answer to the question
what it means will, I hope, bring our seminar.
- Comprehensiveness - it is not just a military operation
as it should embrace all aspects of terrorism-political, military,
financial, social, etc.
- Long-lasting efforts: we have to eliminate not only
the syndromes of a disease, but its root causes, as well;
- Patience: we have to win a war, not just a battle,
which will be a long-standing effort.
Combating terrorism requires a well-functioning system of the
mutually supporting institutions: the UN, NATO, OSCE, Council
of Europe, European Union and various regional bodies. The UN
conventions against terrorism, the OSCE Plan of Action for Combating
Terrorism adopted last December by the Ministerial Council in
Bucharest and the Bishkek Programme of Acton to Counter Terrorism
adopted in December 2001, all are of crucial importance, and
deserve our consideration.
Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished Colleagues and Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The problem of stability and security in Euro-Atlantic area
is also of our common concern. We are aware that the political,
social and economic conditions in many states differ and that
this has an impact on stability and the human rights record.
The struggle with terrorism and aggression, the maintenance
of peace, conflict prevention and efforts to secure stability
are integrally linked with the respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law. A view
has emerged that since combating terrorism is a priority, human
rights are receding to the background; in the face of the existing
threats they are an unnecessary luxury and should be pushed
aside. This view is not only erroneous but also harmful as it
tolerates the abuses of human rights and dignity.
On the occasion of the EAPC Warsaw Seminar I would like to
pay tribute to the work against terrorism done so far by the
Participating States. I am glad that the coalition aiming to
fight terrorism is constantly broadening the range of its activities
in a variety of ways.
An enormous task is ahead of the Seminar Participants. All
possible problems and difficulties may be raised in the area
of combating terrorism, so important for the security and stability
of today's world. I am, however, convinced that the work to
be done during the coming two days will be fruitful and constructive
and that our mutual understanding will help in the achievement
of our common goals.
I wish you fruitful cooperation in the work we are to do.

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