United Nations – Leaders from around the world pledged solidarity against terrorism and applauded President Bush on Wednesday for expanding the fight to include attacking poverty and injustice.
Speaking to the largest gathering of world leaders in history, Bush outlined a strategy that involves both military force and policies that promote economic development and democratic values.
More than 160 presidents, prime ministers and kings convened at the United Nations for a summit marking the organization’s 60th anniversary.
“We know that this war will not be won by force of arms alone. We must defeat the terrorists on the battlefield, and we must also defeat them in the battle of ideas,” Bush said.
“We must change the conditions that allow terrorists to flourish and recruit.”
The U.N. delegates, dressed in business attire, African robes, Arab head scarves and other native garb, gave Bush a noticeably more enthusiastic response than he received on some of his previous U.N. visits, especially during the run-up to war with Iraq.
But the gathering exposed differences over the best way to deal with terrorism.
Leaders from developing countries tended to put far more emphasis on attacking the root causes of terrorism, rather than the terrorists themselves.
World leaders began signing a global treaty Wednesday making it a crime to possess radioactive material or weapons with the intention of committing a terrorist act or to damage a nuclear facility.
Tackling nuclear terrorism
Main points of the global treaty known as the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism:
Outlaws possession of radioactive material with the intent of killing or seriously injuring someone or of causing substantial damage to property or the environment.
Makes it illegal to use or damage a nuclear facility with the intent of killing or seriously injuring someone, substantially damaging the environment, or coercing a person, organization or a state to do something.
Does not cover nuclear attacks committed within a single state by citizens of that nation and if no victim is from another country.
Stresses that the treaty “does not address, nor can it be interpreted as addressing, in any way, the issue of the legality of the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons by states.”
Requires signatory nations to adopt measures making clear that acts designed to provoke terror in the general public or in specific groups cannot be justified “by considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or other similar nature.”
Calls for participating states to cooperate and exchange “accurate and verified information in accordance with their national law.”
Requires that any person taken into custody or otherwise affected by the treaty “be guaranteed fair treatment, including enjoyment of all rights and guarantees” of the law.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
