Security Council anti-terrorism committees move towards greater cooperation

The heads of the three committees set up by the UN Security Council to support the efforts of member states to combat terrorism on Tuesday reported increased cooperation within the past six months among their respective bodies and their expert groups, and voiced the need for the 15-nation Council's guidance to better coordinate future efforts.

"Cooperation is a crucial element in efforts against the threat of terrorism, in particular in relation to the use of nuclear arms, chemical and biological," said Ambassador Claude Heller of Mexico, in a joint statement on behalf of the chairmen of the Monitoring Team, the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the Expert Group related to resolution 1540 on combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by non-State actors.

"Terrorism and weapons of mass destruction proliferation to non- State actors continue to be a threat to international peace and security," he added in his report to the Council.

Also briefing the 15-member body was Ambassador Thomas Mayr- Harting of Austria, chair of the so-called 1267 Committee on sanctions against individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida and the Taliban, who stated that he planned to "intensify the dialogue between the Committee and the authorities of Afghanistan."

He also noted that his committee was in the process of reviewing all 488 names on the sanctions list by June 30. So far 24 names had been de-listed and five deceased individuals had been removed, with 35 names still pending, as more information was necessary.

【1】 【2】