MIDEAST-CRISIS/SPAIN-COUNTER-TERRORISM Madrid hosts special U.N. meeting on counter-terrorism

Record ID: 145907

  • Title: MIDEAST-CRISIS/SPAIN-COUNTER-TERRORISM Madrid hosts special U.N. meeting on counter-terrorism
  • Date: 28th July 2015
  • Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (JULY 28, 2015) (REUTERS) OFFICIALS GATHERED FOR FAMILY PHOTO SPANISH PRIME MINISTER, MARIANO RAJOY, SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER, JOSE MANUEL GARCIA MARGALLO, AND SPANISH INTERIOR MINISTER JORGE FERNANDEZ DIAZ, ARRIVING AND TAKING THEIR POSITION FOR THE FAMILY PHOTO VARIOUS OF FAMILY PHOTO
  • Embargoed: 12th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA900RONIT6E4XD42210XVORAND
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) will present its conclusions on Tuesday (July 28) following a two-day meeting in Madrid on preventing the flow of foreign fighters.
    The meeting, "Stemming the flow of Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTF)" aims at producing a set of strategies and techniques designed to guide member states in their efforts to address the threat posed by foreign extremist fighters, the CTC website said.
    The CTC estimates 25,000 to 30,000 foreign fighters have joined Islamic State as a result of the conflict in Syria.
    U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon addressed the meeting on Tuesday from the U.N. headquarters in New York.
    "Later this year I intend to present to the general assembly a plan of action to prevent violet extremism. The plan of action will propose ways to address the drivers of violent extremism and provide the concrete recommendations for action," he said.
    The U.N. secretary general stressed the need to combat militants adhering to the rule of law.
    "While security measures and some times military action may be necessary our response must always be based on human rights and the rule of law," he said.
    Seventy countries were represented over the two-day period and 16 ministers, including those from Turkey, Iraq, Nigeria and Mali, attended the event on Tuesday.
    Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo and Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz were due to speak at a news conference with the conclusions of the meeting.
    Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy who also addressed the meeting said taking on board security and public order issues was not enough to curb radicalization.
    "Integrated strategies are required. They must coincide in all their aspects and, in addition to acting on security issues and public order, they must address other dimensions," he said. "The fight against radicalization is especially relevant and that is why social and economic measures are important, as are accounts that delegitimize terror."
    Spain has arrested 49 people so far this year suspected of Islamist militant activity.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register