Address by dr. Dimitrij Rupel, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Slovenia at the Warsaw Conference on Combating
Terrorism
Republic of Slovenia firmly supports and welcomes Polish initiative
for regional meeting of Heads of States of Central, Eastern and
South-Eastern Europe in fight against terrorism. We see this
Conference as important regional element and step forward in combating
international terrorism.
Slovenia confirms its solidarity with the United States and we are
determined to participate in the activities of the international
anti-terrorist coalition to the best of our abilities. We are
morally bound to the thousands of victims of terrorism to put the
fight against terrorism on the top of our agenda.
Today, in the process of overwhelming globalisation, the world is
interdependent. International peace and security are marked by
this interdependence, too. Barbaric terrorist attacks on targets in
United States clearly demonstrated that international terrorism is a
threat to the world community as a whole.
Danger, posed by international terrorism, is clear and present. It
affects all states and all individuals equally. Slovenia as well is
not exception in this regard. New terrorist threats are
emerging. Global communication system, internet and new technologies,
openness of borders, transparency and widespread movement of persons
and goods can be used for terrorist activities, too. Proliferation of
all kind of weapons, among them extremely dangerous weapons of mass
destruction and technologies for their delivery, remains acute
concern. Such weapons can be used everywhere, anytime. Therefore, our
answer to the new threats has to be universal, comprehensive, firm and
persistent. It must consist of national, regional and global measures.
The action of international community has to be strengthened by
regional approach. We believe that this regional conference
will complement the efforts on global and European level, in which we
are all already taking part. Slovenia wants to exchange experiences,
knowledge and information with other States of Central, Eastern and
South-Eastern Europe, with which we share common political goals and
values.
Slovenia is engaged in many regional projects in Central and
South-Eastern Europe. Already existing regional mechanisms, including
this Conference, certainly offer room for close cooperation also in
the field of counter-terrorism. All these mechanisms should be used
in a complementary way, to ensure the most efficient results and to
avoid duplication.
The process of inclusion of our states to the Euro-Atlantic
integrations, though the status and pace of this process differs
from state to state, will definitely facilitate and intensify this
cooperation and help establish uniform measures and methods in fight
against terrorism. Slovenia, as a candidate country for EU and NATO
membership, is committed to taking its part of responsibility
to contribute to the fight against terrorism and to the preserving
international peace and security. Slovenia aligns itself with the
decisions, positions and statements of the United Nations, European
Union, NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe and other relevant international
organizations.
With domestic measures, Slovenia follows the guidelines, set out in
the EU Action Plan, adopted by the European Council on 21
September. Slovenia is also implementing UN Security Council
Resolution 1373, which represents one of the cornerstones of
international action to combat terrorism. In this regard, we
appreciate the idea of exchanging the information on national anti-
terrorist measures among the participating states at this Conference,
as set out in Action plan.
Slovenia is paying special attention in the field of the police
work, legislative branch, to the adherence to the international legal
instruments, preventing of financing terrorism, improvements in air
traffic safety and also to the protection against potential biological
and chemical threats. Counter-terrorist measures demand enhanced
and coordinated inter-agency process of all relevant national
institutions.
We believe that the first step in fight against terrorism is
adherence to all relevant international legal instruments on
terrorism. I would like to stress that Slovenia is a party to the
majority of anti-terrorist conventions and agreements. We have already
started internal procedures to sign and ratify the international
conventions for the suppression of financing terrorism and for the
suppression of terrorist bombings. We believe we will complete this
process by the end of the year.
Slovenia is adopting additional measures and internal legal acts to
prevent financing the terrorist activities. Slovenia's
legislation on money laundering is harmonised with the EU and other
international standards. We will promptly freeze the assets of persons
and groups identified on the UN Security Council list, if such assets
will be find in our country.
Regarding the potential danger posed by illegal migration I
would like to reiterate that Slovenia is already adjusting to the
Schengen Action Plan and thus tightening the control on its
borders. In addition, Slovenia's police and customs cooperate
bilaterally with the relevant institutions of its neighbour
countries. We are aware of the necessity of broader regional
co-operation in the field of combating illegal migration.
Slovenia also joins the international community in its efforts to
minimalize the consequences of anti-terrorist actions for civilian
population of Afghanistan and broader region. Humanitarian
assistance has already been deployed and it will be repeated, if
necessary.
Extensive counter-terrorist measures and comprehensive approach
also present a challenge to the sensitive balance between human
rights and security. Heavily gained human rights and liberties,
for which our countries of Central and Eastern Europe fought in the
past decades, are the basis of our democracies.
This Conference should give a strong political message of
our states to the international community of our commitment to the
basic principles of democracy and of our determination to fight all
forms of terrorism. With the endorsement of Joint Declaration and
Action Plan, we clearly demonstrate our readiness to transform our
political commitments into actual activities in the field.
At the end, let me stress once again that Slovenia fully supports
all the efforts of the international community in the fight against
terrorism. We condemn all acts of terrorism, no difference what the
so-called "purpose" or who the perpetrators might be. The
cooperation of the international community as a whole and on all
levels is essential to fight and eradicate terrorism and its roots -
hatred, fanaticism, prejudice, discrimination, poverty and all kind of
injustices.
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