UN terror resolution: A step in the right direction

In the post-Oct. 6 excitement and discussions, a very important development that we believe will be instrumental in the shaping of a new world order, particularly in our part of the world, has failed to attract much attention. Meeting late Friday evening, the U.N. Security Council adopted a new Russian-sponsored resolution stepping up the global campaign against terrorism.

Although Russia, in an effort to win the backing of all 15 members of the Security Council, abandoned its demand that the council authorize a new list of terrorists and terror groups which could be subject to global sanctions and punishment by an international anti-terrorism coalition, the anti-terror resolution introduced a revolutionary and broader scope to the definition of terrorism.

According to the resolution, hostage-taking and other acts against civilians aimed at provoking a "state of terror" can never be justified on political, philosophical, ideological, racial, religious or ethnic grounds. Furthermore, the resolution orders all countries to take effective measures against terrorists and to prosecute or extradite anyone supporting, financing or participating in acts of terror.

The Security Council "condemns in the strongest terms all acts of terrorism irrespective of their motivation, whenever and by whomsoever committed, as one of the most serious threats to peace and security," the resolution said.

Isn’t this what Turkey has been demanding over the past decades? Was there a need for a tragedy like Beslan — the hostage-taking of a school in a North Ossetian town that resulted in the murder of hundreds of civilians, mostly school children — for the world body to take such a step? Unfortunately, that appears to be the case.

Turkey struggled to secure international understanding and support for its struggle against separatist terrorism — which claimed lives of over 30,000 of its citizens — tried to convince its Western allies to stop sheltering terrorists and to take practical steps to prevent their countries from becoming a breeding ground for terrorist dens, but failed to get its message through. On the contrary, it was subjected to the open and covert arms embargoes of its friends on grounds that it was using those weapons and military equipment in fighting the terrorists.

We hope the Security Council resolution sends a very loud and clear signal to all parts of the world that the international community is determined to fight terrorism wherever it comes from and wherever it takes place.

The anti-terrorism resolution is a major step in the right direction on the part of the international community, but it needs to be supported by actions on the ground. The world must abandon hypocrisy in fighting terrorism. Providing save haven to terrorists is now as much of a crime as is financing them or getting directly involved in acts of terror.