Egyptian minister calls special anti-terror session

The United Nations should convene a meeting of senior officials from across the globe to formulate a plan to deal with terrorism effectively, the Foreign Minister of Egypt has told the General Assembly in New York as it continued its annual debate.

Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the recent terrorist attacks which struck many countries, including Egypt, "made it now clear that terrorism is a danger that does not distinguish between peoples or cultures or religions, it is rather a threat to human civilization without any distinction.”

He said response strategies must include measures to combat terrorism as well as attention to the underlying causes. Egypt has proposed convening a high-level meeting of the General Assembly to examine "a comprehensive action plan that includes the necessary legal and practical procedures to deal effectively with terrorism until it is completely eradicated, without affecting the ability of people under occupation to acquire their independence consistent with international law."

Also on Wednesday, Pakistan's foreign minister Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri reaffirmed his country's commitment to tackling terrorism in the region, telling the assembly "there should be no self-serving questions or quibbling about Pakistan's commitment and contribution to peace and security in Afghanistan."

He added that his country is actively engaged in halting illegal cross-border movement and containing the threat posed by the Taliban and Al-Qaida, the AKI reports.