UNITED
NATIONS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Statement by the President of the UN General Assembly
on the Situation in Afghanistan
8 October 2001
The General Assembly of the United Nations, in its resolution 56/1 adopted immediately after the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001, condemned these acts of terrorism in the strongest terms and called for international cooperation to bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers, and sponsors of the outrages. During the General Assembly debate on “Measures to eliminate international terrorism,” held last week with an unprecedented number of Member States participating, we voiced our unequivocal view that international terrorism constitutes a threat to international peace and security as well as a crime against humanity.
The Security Council
also adopted resolutions on this issue, which condemned the terrorist
attacks as a threat to international peace and security, while reaffirming
the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence as recognized
by the Charter of the United Nations. I understand that the current military
action now being undertaken is predicated on these norms.
In my concluding statement to the General Assembly last week, I reiterated
that international terrorism is one of the most formidable challenges
to the international community in the 21st century. I believe now is the
time for the whole world to unite in the fight against terrorism and to
pool our wisdom and resources to eradicate this dire threat.
At the same time,
I urge Member States to extend or continue to provide humanitarian assistance
to the people of Afghanistan. The fight against terrorism should not be
directed against any ethnic or religious group, nor against the Afghan
people who are suffering from the actions of the terrorist elements in
their country that are beyond their control.