RP to host counter-terror conference

The Philippines will host this April the first counter-terrorism experts’ conference, which approaches the war on terror with consideration for distinct economic, political and cultural characteristics of countries involved.

Benjamin Defensor, chairman of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Counter-Terrorism Task Force (APEC-CTTF), said he is meeting with members of the diplomatic community today to seek greater participation from the international community for the conference.

"This is a conference that will be attended by top counter-terrorism experts, a combination of people from law enforcement who are directly involved in combating terrorism, academicians, sociologists and historians as well as businessmen who have a stake in the war against terror," Defensor said.

The briefing with members of the diplomatic corps today is expected to be held at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

He said the meeting with ambassadors is important as countries normally have designated counter-terrorism experts. "This conference has to be coordinated with them."

Defensor said the conference came about after President Arroyo met US States President George Bush and other world leaders during the APEC summit in Busan, South Korea last year and announced that the Philippines would be spearheading such a conference on counter-terrorism.

He said representatives from 21 APEC member-economies would also be invited to the conference.

"The announcement highlighted the President’s commitment to further contribute to international counter-terrorism efforts by focusing experts’ perspectives on the issue," Defensor said.

"The President wanted to show that the Philippines is really contributing substantially to the worldwide effort against terrorism," he said as he pointed out that the Philippine initiative on interfaith and inter-cultural dialogue gained strong international support, including that of a resolution from the United Nations.

He said the Philippines is well-positioned to hold the international conference as the country chairs the UN Security Council 1566 Counter-Terrorism Committee, the APEC CTTF and is the incoming chair of the Standing Committee of the ASEAN, whose top agenda includes counter-terrorism and human security issues.

Defensor also pointed out that the country is not only considered a major non-NATO ally in the global war against terrorism, it is also at the forefront of advocating tolerance and broader dialogue.

The proposed objectives of the conference, he said, is to "extensively explore a realistic middle ground to counter-terrorism, a strategic policy response that is developmental in nature and takes into account sub-regional approaches and peculiar conditions."

"The middle way to fighting terrorism will be developed to complement current international efforts from the perspective of countries that live with and take prime responsibility for dealing with the threat of terrorism," Defensor said. – With Pia Lee-Brago