Singapore

My warmest congratulations go to you, Sir, on your early election as President of the General Assembly, which was the first fruit of the revitalization efforts of your predecessor, Mr. Han Seung-soo. We congratulate both of you on successfully implementing these new procedures. 9 After the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, the world joined the United States in expressing grief and outrage. Citizens from nearly one half of the United Nations Member States perished. A swift, determined United Nations response set the stage for a united global effort to weed out terrorism. Never in recent history have so many States acted in such unison as members of one international community as they did in the months following 11 September. That was not inevitable. The international community could easily have fractured after 11 September . Hence, it is useful to reflect on the forces that brought us together and on what key lessons we have learned. After 11 September 2001, the international community rallied together because we all realized that the challenges posed by those events affected the common interests of all States. The common menace of terrorism elicited a cohesive psychological response. Everyone is vulnerable. In Singapore, we discovered terrorists belonging to a regional network with links to Al Qaeda, whose tentacles spread to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and even Australia. Its targets were United States, Israeli, British and other foreign interests. But a cohesive response also requires a galvanizing force. The United Nations provided that. The United Nations also legitimizes international action. On 12 September 2001, the Security Council adopted, by consensus, its resolution 1368 (2001), condemning the terrorist attacks and expressing its readiness to take all necessary steps to respond to the attacks. It was followed shortly by a consensus resolution of the General Assembly, resolution 56/1. Within three weeks of the attack, the Security Council negotiated and adopted, again by consensus, its resolution 1373 (2001), a landmark resolution which dealt comprehensively with counter-terrorism and provided a common legal basis for all States to take action against terrorists and their supporters. The Security Council's response to 11 September was impressive and was possible only because all the major Powers agreed on the need to respond decisively to the terrorist threat. Indeed, the war on terrorism has reordered international priorities and has created new opportunities for partnership, casting a new strategic overlay over great-Power relationships. Terrorism is not a new phenomenon. Many of us have long had unhappy experiences with it. But 11 September focused us on its globalized nature and stressed the need for coherence and coordination in international cooperation. After 11 September, a number of international, regional, subregional and national plans of action and strategies to combat terrorism emerged. Some of these proposals took the form of specific and practical counter-terrorism measures. Others assumed a more normative character. These efforts are the building blocks for coordinated international action against terrorism. This commitment to collaborative international action, however, has only recently begun to take shape. Since 11 September, various organs of the United Nations system have examined their respective responsibilities and available tools so as to undertake this collaborative mission in the most effective manner. The report prepared by the Policy Working Group on the United Nations and Terrorism is a clear example. Coordination and coherence within the United Nations system should certainly be enhanced. The common enemy we face has built up a sophisticated and complex global network that requires an appropriate response. But as we consider new international mechanisms to fight terrorism, we should pause to reflect on a key question: how can we ensure effective coordination between the United Nations, other regional and international organizations and Member States? How can we synergize respective international, regional and national competencies to maximize operational effectiveness against terrorism? The United Nations comparative advantage and aptitude reside in its consultative, coordinating and facilitative functions. Ultimately, however, the contributions made by the United Nations must depend on the political will and resolve of its Member States to make its laws and norms work. Achieving the right equilibrium of responsibilities and obligations is crucial if we are to succeed in our common mission to defeat international terrorism. The battle against terrorism has also to be fought at the philosophical level. Some terrorists have tried to depict the current global anti-terrorism campaign as a war against Islam. This is obviously not true. No religion tolerates terrorism, and Islam certainly does not, but we should not ignore the extent to which the 10 appeal of extremists such as Osama bin Laden resonates with the marginalized and disenfranchised, feeding upon stereotypes and prejudices. At a time of confusion and uncertainty, the value of cross-cultural understanding and communication cannot be underestimated. As an international Organization with near universal membership, the United Nations can play a key role in promoting tolerance and understanding between nations, cultures and religions. The United Nations dialogue among civilizations is a key initiative that we should build upon. The dialogue among civilizations celebrates diversity and introduces a new paradigm of international relations, promoting a dialogue among the major world religions and cultures. Dialogue between the different cultures and religions would help to reduce the sources of prejudice and intolerance that currently colour individual and societal perceptions. Another longer-term challenge is to address the economic and social conditions that encourage terrorists. International economic integration is ultimately the only guarantor of prosperity, but the fact is that globalization is both incomplete in scope and uneven in its distribution of costs and benefits. Many developing countries remain imperfectly integrated into the world economy. These problems must be addressed by capacity-building and infrastructure development within developing countries, with whatever international assistance is necessary, and by the elimination of trade barriers and protectionism in the developed countries. The events of 11 September underscored that, in an interdependent world, no one is invulnerable. Local problems can easily be transformed into global problems. Each day that we do not act to address and contain these problems increases their potential to do more harm. Our collective security is dependent on our ability and willingness to confront new challenges. We should not await another catastrophe on the scale of 11 September before we are forced to act on other equally challenging global problems that confront us. The war against terrorism has to be waged with both guns and butter. I would like to conclude by sharing our experiences on the Security Council. Almost two years ago, members of the General Assembly gave Singapore the honour and privilege of serving as one of the elected members of the Security Council. Our term ends this December. I want to thank all those who showed their trust in us by giving us this unique opportunity. Our experience has been a fulfilling and enriching one from which we have drawn important lessons and insights. The Security Council has gone through many phases. Designed first of all to deal with inter-State conflicts, the Security Council has increasingly moved towards handling intra-State conflicts in the post-cold-war era. But the terrorist attacks of 11 September were an unprecedented development. They produced a new era, confronting the Security Council with a new and distinct threat to international peace and security. Singapore has therefore served in two very different Security Councils one before 11 September and another after those tragic events. For the Security Council to remain effective, it has to demonstrate that it can respond effectively to new challenges. Otherwise, its relevance and credibility will be compromised. As a small State, we are vulnerable to such terror attacks. As a member of the Security Council, we have supported initiatives which address this new threat. A key lesson that we have learnt is that, for all its imperfections and occasional failings, the Security Council often does work. It is nevertheless too early to gauge the success and effectiveness of the Security Council in responding to the scourge of terrorism. Whether the Security Council can continue to develop appropriate responses over the long run at this plastic phase of the creation of a new strategic era will be a critical test of its relevance in the new century. It is naive to expect that the swift unity of global action post 11 September will henceforth be demonstrated on all global issues. Our experiences in the Security Council attest to protracted processes being the norm rather than the exception for coalescing international action. But where international consensus has not yet consolidated over situations posing serious and immediate threats, the lack of international consensus in itself cannot be an excuse for inaction. That would be an abdication of individual and collective responsibility. Finally, as one of two Asian elected members of the Council, we were pleased to make a small contribution to the East Timor success story. This success was made possible only by the hard work and sacrifices of its people, with the support of the international community. Today, the United Nations continues to play a critical role in preserving the peace in East Timor and in ensuring that the Government and people of East Timor have the opportunity to succeed in their quest to build a democratic, stable and viable State. We look forward to welcoming East Timor as the 191st Member of the United Nations. Let me conclude by warmly congratulating Switzerland for becoming the 190th Member of the United Nations. Switzerland may be a new member; however, it has also provided the second most important venue for United Nations activities. It has therefore long been a partner of the United Nations and, I believe, this partnership will be deepened with its membership.