Working Group on International terrorism

Working Group on International Terrorism: Adoption of Convention on Financing of Terrorism

Statement by Mr. Narinder Singh, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York on October 6, 1999 in the Sixth Committee (legal)

Mr. Chairman,

The Indian delegation appreciates the adoption of a Convention on this important subject of the suppression of terrorist financing. This is yet another step in redeeming the political mandate set by the General Assembly to take concrete steps to fight the menace of terrorism. It is also a step in response to the demand of the international community and civil society that the United Nations and all member States have to play in uprooting the evil of terrorism which takes a toll of innocent lives. This Convention is the second in the line of international legal instruments developed by the United Nations in the arsenal of counter terrorism, the first one being the Convention on Terrorist Bombings adopted by this Committee a couple of years ago.

Mr. Chairman, India is committed both nationally and internationally, to fight terrorism, especially the worst form of it, international terrorism and cross-border terrorism, financed and nurtured from abroad. All countries, developed and developing, and all peoples everywhere, irrespective of colour, region and religion, are affected by the menace of terrorism, of which this Convention addresses one important aspect, namely, financing.

The objective of the Ad Hoc Committee and the Working Group was, in our view, to set practical and effective legal norms and standards for all States to follow in prohibiting and preventing the financing of terrorism and terrorist activities without any loopholes or discrimination. Unfortunately, the Convention that is now adopted is a dilution of that objective. We were astonished that during negotiations some viewpoints were expressed which sought to dilute these objectives to counter financing of terrorism on one or other ground. This trend raises questions at a fundamental and ethical level.

Mr. Chairman, despite its weaknesses, my delegation still welcomes the Convention in a positive spirit. Like the Convention on Terrorist Bombings, the next step is to bring this instrument, too, into force. Parenthetically, may I say that India recently ratified the Terrorist Bombings Convention.

Mr. Chairman, the next step according to Resolution 51/210, supplemented by Resolution 53/108, is to start work on a Comprehensive Convention on Terrorism. The Indian delegation would look forward to the same cooperation among delegations to prevail in this common fight to save the international community and humanity from the scourge of terrorism, which is a war by proxy.

Finally, I wish to thank the French Government for their initiative in bringing forward this proposal, and to congratulate you, Mr. Chairman, personally, for your leadership, as well as the other Members of the Bureau, and Mrs. Sylvia Fernandez, for facilitating the negotiations and adoption of the Convention.