On October 5, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN, gave an intervention during the Sixth Committee deliberations of the Seventy-third Session of the General Assembly on Agenda item 111 dedicated to “Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism.”
In his statement, Archbishop Auza expressed the Holy See’s unequivocal condemnation of terrorism and said that effective measures must be taken to prevent the recruiting, training and financing of potential terrorists as well as the commission of terrorist acts. Terrorism should be fought with the mechanisms of criminal law and international mutual assistance of police and judicial authorities, he said, rather than with security or military means. He said that the UN’s Counter-Terrorism Office is uniquely placed to provide leadership and coordination. Fighting terrorism, he added, does not justify policies or measures that sacrifice the rule of law, due process, or human dignity, or that employ repressive measures, a selective approach to human rights, a disregard for cultures and religions, the suppression of religious freedom, or the prevention of humanitarian activities by charitable non-governmental organizations. Heightened international solidarity and coordination are needed to prevent terrorist organizations from using the Internet for recruitment and radicalization. Interreligious and intercultural dialogue are key to deterring a culture that spawns violence. He finished by encouraging the completion of the Comprehensive Convention on international terrorism being led by the Sixth Committee, which would restore to the General Assembly its rightful place in developing counter-terrorism norms.
The statement can be found here.