BRIEFINGS BY CHAIRMEN OF SUBSIDIARY BODIES OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL, STATEMENT BY H.E. AMBASSADOR ALDO MANTOVANI, DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF ITALY TO THE UN
New York, May 22, 2007

Mr. President,

Allow me to begin by reiterating Italy’s unwavering commitment to the implementation of all SC resolutions aimed at preventing terrorist organizations from committing acts that, sadly, still pose tremendous threats to international peace and security. In voicing our convinced support for the activities of the 1267, Counter Terrorism, and 1540 Committees, we wish to express our most sincere appreciation to their respective Chairmen – Ambassadors Verbeke, Arias, and Burian – for their leadership on these delicate and important tasks. Let me also thank the groups of experts that support the action of the three Committees, in particular ASG Ruperez, who will soon be leaving the post of Counter Terrorism Executive Director.
Italy, while aligning itself with the statement that the EU Presidency will deliver shortly, will limit itself to a few points concerning the actions of the three Committees.

Mr. President,

On the Al Qaeda and Taliban Committee Italy, one of the major contributors to the List, is fully convinced of the continued value of this instrument in preventing terrorists that belong to the Al Qaeda network from committing more of the heinous crimes we have too often experienced. In order to ensure its continued effectiveness, the Committee should make every effort to encourage other member states to fulfill their responsibility to contribute actively to the List.
Italy commends the steps in the right direction that the Committee has taken in recent months – particularly after the approval of SC resolutions 1730 and 1735 – to improve the effectiveness of the sanctions regime, while developing clearer and fairer procedures for listing, delisting and humanitarian exemptions. In particular we welcome the fact that a focal point for delisting is now established and we are already at work in this particular field, examining with due care all the relevant requests that are brought to our attention.
Let me underline the need to keep the List updated and consistent with the threat: to do so requires the constant action not only of the Committee members but of the whole UN membership. This is particularly true for the Taliban section of the List where, as Ambassador Verbeke noted in his briefing, an urgent update is needed also in light of the complex situation and of the most recent evolution of events on the ground.

Mr. President,

The CTC and its Executive Directorate are fully engaged in carrying out their duties with the huge responsibility of monitoring the implementation of a resolution as broad as 1373.
Many significant results have already been achieved (for example, on the ratification of the international conventions and protocols against terrorism). Nevertheless, if we want new and more specific results in increasing the implementation of resolution 1373 as a whole, we need to strengthen the action of the Committee and its Executive Directorate.
Italy believes that much can be done to streamline the internal procedures that may have overburdened relations between the Council, the Committee, the Executive Directorate, other Committees and the membership at large. Italy hopes that CTC can rapidly deliver on the preliminary assessment on the compliance of resolution 1373 by all member States. This is the precondition to start a genuine and new interactive dialogue with the membership, which is essential in the many cases where technical assistance is needed. In this particular field we have to explore new ways for the CTED and the Committee to bring together recipient States that have expressed their consent and interest, donor countries, relevant bodies within the UN system, and other international organizations. The review of the CTED mandate, which expires by the end of the year, creates the opportunity for a new reflection. Italy is willing to contribute to this process.

Mr. President,

We praise the results achieved by the 1540 Committee, in particular its extensive outreach activities to raise membership’s awareness of the scope and obligations of the Resolution. The recent debates on international assistance were also useful to seek synergic cooperation among States and relevant international organizations aimed at fostering compliance with non-proliferation standards of the above Resolutions.
Bearing in mind next year’s review of the mandate of the 1540 Committee, it is essential to step up the initiatives to increase the number of national reports on the implementation of the Resolution. At the same time, the matrices prepared by Committee’s experts (whose work we highly value) should be used to identify loopholes in national legislation, draft best practices, and facilitate the matching of assistance requests and offers.
In responding to the multifaceted nature of proliferation, the 1540 Committee should continue to focus on strengthening, inter alia, the safety and security of dual-use items and technologies, export and border controls, and law enforcement efforts to stop the trafficking and brokering in these items. The Committee should also pay due attention to the proliferation of illicit financing networks. Combating these networks should be an integral component of the fight against WMD proliferation.
We are confident that, in the coming months, a new program of work for the Committee may be agreed upon (the current one expires in October 2007) to enhance our common endeavor to promote full implementation of resolution 1540 and to pave the way for a renewal – in spring 2008 – of the Committee’s mandate.

Mr. President,

Let me conclude by saying that the action of the SC against international terrorism will be more effective if its fundamental objectives are mutually shared by all relevant partners within and outside the UN. In this regard the work of the Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) is of particular importance: among other things it may be crucial to the achievement of the shared objectives of the organs of the Security Council because it can facilitate the technical assistance delivery, through the resources available in the various UN agencies represented in the Task Force. This is why Italy is fully committed to the process of implementation of the Global Strategy approved by the GA last September, where all Member States have a direct responsibility in elaborating projects so as to make its various components move forward. At the same time Italy reiterates its firm commitment to finding a positive, swift conclusion to the negotiation of the Global Convention.