(a) whether the Government have raised terrorism related issues before the United Nations Organisation and the same are pending consideration;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the details of such issues out of the above in regard to which the Government are specifically mounting pressure on the UNO?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI OMAR ABDULLAH)
(a) - (c) Yes Sir. As a victim of cross border terrorism for many decades India has played an active role for many years in drawing the international community`s attention to the need to prioritize the fight against terrorism through enhanced cooperation. Over the years we have repeatedly pointed out that terrorism is a global phenomenon, whose destructive reach and lethal potential has been enhanced by global networks of illicit trafficking in drug, money laundering and arms smuggling. The horrific terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 in USA, on October 1, 2001 on the J&K State Legislature and on December 13, 2001 on the Indian Parliament, have further underscored the urgent need for a comprehensive, coordinated, international approach to combat terrorism. Against this background, India had taken the initiative to circulate a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism to plug the loopholes and gaps that arose from the existing twelve sectoral UN Conventions on Terrorism. Four rounds of discussions have been held on this Convention in the UN so far. Considerable progress has been made on most aspects of the Convention but differences remain on a few issues. Discussions will resume in the UN from October 14-18, 2002. The UN Security Council Resolution 1373, adopted on September 28, 2001, has put in place comprehensive measures to combat terrorism which are mandatory on all States. India has consistently emphasised that to be effective, the fight against terrorism must be comprehensive, sustained and should cover not only the perpetrators of terrorist acts but also those who support them or provide safe havens.