Saudi Gazette report NEW YORK – The Kingdom reiterated that terrorism is the most serious challenge facing the international community at present and that fighting it is no longer a local matter confined to the borders of a country but a challenge for the entire international community. Addressing the 68th General Assembly on the Fourth Review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy here Friday night, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom to the UN Ambassador Abdullah Almoalimi, expressed Kingdom's deep sorrow over the events taking place in Iraq which led to the storming of the Consulate General of Turkey and the kidnapping of its staff and their families as well as many of the civilians working at a power station, and the act of terrorism in Pakistan in which more than 30 people were killed and many hurt. He hoped that these painful events would make the international community more determined and united in the face of global terrorism. Almoalimi said the Kingdom has been a victim of terrorism and has taken several measures to fight this serious scourge at national, regional and international levels while working on the implementation of the provisions of international law and the relevant international resolutions banning the perpetration, financing and instigation of terrorist acts, participation in them or protecting their perpetrators. The ambassador said that individual terrorists and foreign terrorist fighters pose a grave challenge. He said the Kingdom was one of the first countries to deal with this issue from the legislative and security standpoint through the enactment of laws and regulations that criminalize travel outside the country to participate in terrorist acts. He said the Mohammed Bin Naif Center for Advice and Care has become a point of reference internationally in this area and its unique experience in the rehabilitation of individuals who have been affected by extremist thinking has become a role-model. At the regional and international levels the Kingdom works in all seriousness through all international forums and through its chairmanship of the Advisory Board of the United Nations Centre for Counter-Terrorism (UNCCT). Almoalimi urged all states to support the work of the center not only by financial contributions, but by providing it with expertise and trained human resources. He explained the Kingdom supports many other international initiatives such as the role of the Global Forum on Terrorism Fighting (GCTF), in which it is a member and participates in its work and also commends the efforts of the UN and especially the efforts of the Security Council committees dealing with counter-terrorism.
