I.P.O. Information Service

International Conference on Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Cooperation
 

Shanghai/Vienna, 16 November 2002/P/RE/18008c-is
 

The International Conference on Terrorism and Counter-terrorism Cooperation concluded its deliberations yesterday at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. The conference was jointly organized by the Shanghai Municipal Center for International Studies, the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and the Shanghai International Culture Association. Experts from China, the United States, Japan, Korea, Russia, Israel, and Austria discussed the root causes, new characteristics and developmental trends of international terrorism, as well as the impact of international terrorism and counter-terrorism on international relations and the global economy.

The keynote speech at the opening session was delivered by Professor Chen Qimao, President of the Shanghai Society of International Studies. Among the speakers were Professor Pan Guang, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Center for International Studies; Ambassador Nicholas Platt, President of the Asia Society (New York); Professor Tom Farer, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Denver (USA); Professor Alexander Lukin, Director of the Institute for Political and Legal Studies (Moscow); Professor Chong-Ki Choi, President of the Korean Institute of International Studies (Seoul); and Professor Hans Koechler, President of the International Progress Organization (Vienna, Austria).

In his lecture on "The United Nations and International Terrorism: Challenges to Collective Security," Professor Koechler explained that terrorism transcends not only state boundaries, but also the traditional notions of sovereignty and international relations. He called for an entirely new approach on the part of the international community and said that the phenomenon of terrorism has to be dealt with comprehensively on all levels: social, political, economic, cultural, as well as legal. He emphasized the need to go beyond a mere security-oriented approach and to deal with terrorism not only as a symptom, but to address the root causes of terrorism in a comprehensive, pro-active approach. The President of the I.P.O. furthermore analyzed the contemporary system of international law and collective security in regard to the threats posed by global terrorism. He said that the United Nations Organization can and must play its genuine multilateral role in combating terrorism and he warned of the marginalization of the world organization if it fails to assert its authority in this field. He suggested that the crime of international terrorism be included into the list of crimes over which the International Criminal Court has jurisdiction, and he elaborated on the basic elements of a legally sound definition of terrorism.

Executive Summary

Summary of Professor Koechler's paper

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