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PRESS CENTRE

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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