M A I N   N E W S

India to sign UN convention
By A. Balu

India has informed the UN that it will be signing “in the near future” the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism adopted by the General Assembly in December, last year.

The announcement by the Indian delegate, Mr Narinder Singh, came earlier this week during a meeting of the General Assembly’s ad hoc committee on terrorism currently addressing among other things, the question of convening a high-level conference to formulate an organised response by the international community to terrorism.

It seems there is no consensus on the feasibility and utility of an international conference. The USA, which is expected to include terrorism among the major issues to be discussed with New Delhi during the visit of President Bill Clinton has voiced reservations on the proposed conference, expressing scepticism over the practical benefits of such a global meeting.

The US delegate, Mr Robert Rosenstock, told the ad hoc committee that he was concerned that an international conference would distract from pragmatic measures that could and should be taken, such as steps to facilitate and encourage universal adherence to the existing terrorism conventions. He questioned whether a conference was a useful stimulus or a costly distraction. Mr Rosenstock thought that the General Assembly or a special session of the Assembly was the proper forum to discuss international terrorism.

The Indian delegate said his country supported the idea of an international conference and would work for its success.

Both Russia and China have announced support to the conference Pakistan endorsed the idea, but cautioned that before discussing such items, it is important to agree on what the conference will achieve. The conference should address the outstanding definitions of the term ‘terrorism’.

At present, there are two international conventions — the 1997 Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings and the 1999 Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. Both were described by the chairman of the ad hoc committee, Mr Rohan Perera of Sri Lanka as “significant achievements” in the struggle against terrorism.

The number of contracting states to the two conventions has steadily grown. Of the 58 states that have so far signed the 1997 convention, five have ratified it. Twelve states have signed the 1999 convention which was opened for signature on January 10.

The USA has signed both the conventions, and in the case of the 1997 convention, has transmitted it to the Congress for approval. It is currently developing internal legislation to ratify the convention. It has also begun the steps for ratifying the 1999 convention. Washington has urged all member states to sign and ratify the convention.

During the committee’s deliberations, some countries have pointed out that the absence of a legal definition of terrorism in the recent anti-terrorism instruments is a notable “weakness” and added this should be rectified.

The committee is now considering the outstanding issues relating to the draft anti-nuclear terrorism instrument. The draft convention, originally proposed by the Russian Federation, is intended to fill the gaps left by the existing anti-terrorism instruments. It seeks to cover targets, forms and manifestations of nuclear terrorism.