Annan urges world to support anti-terror stance

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged politicians all over the world to pass laws enforcing a Security Council resolution requiring every nation to stop providing money, support and sanctuary to terrorists.

He was referring to a resolution adopted on September 28 - less than three weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States - which requires countries ‘‘to co-operate in a wide range of areas’’.

Annan also urged members of national parliaments to provide technical assistance to countries that needed help in implementing a dozen UN legal instruments to fight international terrorism.

‘‘I call on you and your parliaments to provide this assistance promptly and generously,’’ he said.

Last year, 145 presiding officials of national parliaments met for the first time at the UN Millennium Summit and pledged to play a greater role at the United Nations and other international organisations, declaring that their voices were more closely linked to the public than heads of state.

In a speech to parliamentarians attending the current General Assembly session, Annan welcomed their pledge, saying ‘‘the parliamentary voice - the voice of the people - must be an integral component of the work of the United Nations’’.

He urged MPs to ensure that other issues including conflict, poverty, Aids, environmental degradation and advancing the rule of law were not forgotten during the struggle against terrorism.