6th ASEM Conference on Counter-Terrorism

03 Apr 2008 to 04 Apr 2008
Madrid, Spain

Spain and Indonesia co-hosted in Madrid, the 6th ASEM Counter-Terrorism Conference, which also benefited from the co-sponsorship of Denmark, Italy, Philippines, Portugal, and Singapore. This conference was a follow up from previous ASEM Conferences on Counter-Terrorism held in Beijing (2003), Berlin (2004), Semarang (2005), Copenhagen (2006) and Tokyo (2007), implementing the 2002 ASEM Co-operation Programme.

This meeting was part of a continuous effort to strengthen Asia-Europe mutual co-operation through discussion and exchange of experiences about the subject by engaging a dialogue among the relevant political authorities and experts on counter-terrorism.

The outcome of the Meeting is summarised in the Chairman's Statement (below, or download download here):

Chair’s Summary on the Sixth ASEM Conference on Counter-Terrorism

Madrid, SPAIN

3rd–4th April, 2008

1. The 6th ASEM Conference on Counter-Terrorism was held in Madrid, Spain, on 3rd-4th April, 2008. The Conference was to follow up the results of previous ASEM Conferences on Counter-Terrorism held in Beijing (2003), in Berlin (2004), in Semarang (2005), in Copenhagen (2006), and in Tokyo (2007), guided by the ASEM Copenhagen Declaration on Cooperation against International Terrorism adopted at ASEM4 in 2002. Participants were representatives from ASEM partners as well as relevant counter terrorism institutions: Eurojust, the Council of Europe, OHCHR, CTED, UNODC, OSCE, SEARCCT, and JCLEC. The Conference was chaired by Mr. Ángel Lossada, Director General of International Affairs of Terrorism, Non proliferation and Disarmament (Spain) with the support of Indonesia, as co-host, and Denmark, Italy, Japan, Philippines, and Portugal as co-sponsors.
   
   
2. The Conference recognized terrorism as a threat not only to all citizens nations but also to international peace and security in Europe and Asia. The Conference strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes, irrespective of background or motivation. The Conference also strongly rejected any association between terrorism and any religion, race, nationality, or ethnic group. The Conference focused on the implementation and contribution to the development of the UN Global Strategy against Terrorism by ASEM partners and the participating international organizations.
   
   The Conference, following up on the position manifested by Ministers of Foreign Affairs at the 8th Asia and Europe Meeting, held in Hamburg in May 2007, underlined its support to the implementation of the UN Global Strategy against Terrorism and stated the importance of a comprehensive approach from the international community to fight terrorism, carried out in accordance with international law, in particular the UN Charter, respecting human rights and international humanitarian law.
   
   
3. The Conference analyzed recent terrorism threat assessments in Asia and Europe and recognized that terrorism remains a serious threat to international peace and security, despite an increase of international efforts. The Conference recognized the need to further enhance counter-terrorism cooperation including information sharing, tightening immigration/border control, and combating terrorist financing, terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction, and terrorist use of media, particularly the internet. The Conference agreed that the fight against terrorism requires continued international efforts.
   
   
4. The Conference reiterated ASEM’s firm support for the leading role of the United Nations in the fight against terrorism and highlighted as well the importance of the approval of the UN Global Strategy against Terrorism in 2006 as a fundamental instrument of the International Community to fight, in a comprehensive way, against terrorism. The Conference considered that full implementation of the UN Global Strategy against Terrorism is important to promote comprehensive, coordinated and consistent responses, at the national, regional, and international levels, to counter terrorism.
   
   
5. The Conference looks forward to the formal review of the UN Global CT Strategy in September 2008 to assess the implementation of the Strategy, contribute best practices and initiatives for the development of the Global Strategy and to support the work of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force. The Conference also urged for the early conclusion of the negotiations on the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism and for the ratification of all the relevant UN Conventions.
   
   
6. In relation with measures to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, the Conference emphasized the need for broadening and enhancing mutual understanding among cultures and civilizations and, for this purpose, to promote interfaith, intercultural, and inter-civilization dialogue among ASEM partners as well as international community to promote public awareness and support. The initiative of the Alliance of Civilizations was seen as a positive means to contribute to that end through the implementation of its Action Plan, which has been recently approved. The Conference highlighted the importance of efforts to prevent radicalization and of promoting international solidarity with victims of terrorism, as well as of empowering citizens to reject terrorists’ ideology. The Conference emphasized the positive role that civil society, religious leaders and the media can play in effectively preventing radicalization. The Conference reiterated that peaceful resolution of prolonged unresolved conflicts would contribute to strengthening the global fight against terrorism.
   
   
7. The Conference evaluated different measures to prevent and combat terrorism and underlined that the fight against terrorism requires a comprehensive approach by the international community comprising political, economic, diplomatic, legal and other means, fully respecting the rule of law.
   
   
8. In relation with measures to build States’ capacity to prevent and combat terrorism and to strengthen the role of the United Nations system, the Conference supported the work of different regional and international organizations and countries to provide technical assistance and their role in helping to identify gaps in member-states’ counter-terrorism capabilities. The Conference recognized the importance of the work developed by the UNODC, the European Union, the OSCE, and the ASEAN in order to provide technical assistance to strengthen national systems against terrorism. The Counter-terrorism executive directorate’s work as a facilitator of technical assistance in different areas was also recognized. Information about assistance schemes is a way to strengthen ties between Asia and Europe in order to fulfil the potential of their assistance cooperation.
   
   
9. The Conference reaffirmed that the promotion and protection of human rights  for all and the rule of law is essential to all components of the UN Global CT strategy, recognizing that effective counter-terrorism measures and that protection of human rights are not conflicting goals, but complimentary and mutually reinforcing, and stressing the need to promote and protect the rights of victims of terrorism.
   
   
10. The Conference further suggested that the following steps should continue being taken by ASEM countries:
• Cooperation at the national, regional, and international levels to promote comprehensive responses through information sharing and building adequate counter-terrorism capacity, including at the operational level;
• active participation in the formal review of the UN Global Strategy against Terrorism, making an assessment of its outcome;
• work for the full implementation of the Global Strategy on Counter-Terrorism on international, regional and national levels in close cooperation with the United Nations Secretariat;
• support the work of the CTITF by becoming actively involved in the work of the existing thematic working groups;
• continue efforts to address the issues of conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, which include poverty and education, recalling the importance of peaceful settlement of conflicts, Human Rights and rule of law;
• promote interfaith, intercultural, and inter-civilization dialogue, and support efforts to strengthen the voices of moderation
• study how the ASEM counter-terrorism conference can be used as a forum for exchange of ideas and experiences on preventing radicalization in the context of terrorism
• consider how development of national action plans for the Alliance of Civilizations can contribute to these efforts against radicalization
• call for the ratification and implementation of all the existing international conventions and protocols on fighting terrorism;
• enhance cooperation with regional counter-terrorism centers;
• support the work that is being carried out by all UN agencies in facilitating technical assistance in order for States to meet the requirements set out in the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1373 (2003).

The 7th ASEM Conference on Counter-Terrorism will be hosted by the Philippines in 2009. The results of the Conference will be presented at the next High-Level ASEM Summit, in Beijing, 24th-25th October 2008.

 (download a copy here)