Statement on behalf of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia by Elvira Cupika-Mavrina, Legal advisor of Latvia to the United Nations on measures to eliminate international terrorism
New York, 2 October 2023
Mr. Chair,
I have the honor to address the Sixth Committee on behalf of the 3 Baltic countries Estonia, Lithuania and my own country Latvia.
As this is the first time we take the floor in this committee, we wish to congratulate the chair and other members of the bureau on their appointment. We would like to assure you of our full support and cooperation towards successful session.
The Baltic states remain committed to international cooperation in the fight against terrorism, recognizing its global nature. We understand that the terrorism knows no boundaries and poses a grave threat to peace, security, and human rights worldwide. We actively engage in intelligence sharing and work closely with international partners to prevent any potential threats from emerging.
Moreover, we encourage the international community to recognize the importance of nurturing strong legal and governance frameworks, which are indispensable tools in the fight against terrorism.
The threat posed by terrorist groups and individual actors across the globe poses a worrying trend worldwide. The ongoing threat by Al-Qaida and Da’esh in Afghanistan, Central Asia as well as the growing threat posed by affiliated groups in Africa and elsewhere attest to this.
The ideologies of terrorists and violent extremists of all forms and manifestations pose a serious threat to our shared values that are vested in the UN Charter. Thus, we need to respond collectively by strong cooperation with rule of law and human rights at the core of this response.
We welcome the latest report of the Secretary-General on measures to eliminate international terrorism. We will continue to support the work of the Secretary General, the UN Office of Counterterrorism CTED and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact entities in their efforts to coordinate international efforts on countering and preventing terrorism and violent extremism.
Although the level of terrorism threat in our region is low, we are interconnected and impacted by multiple geopolitical shifts and growing instability. To respond to those potential challenges, we have developed legal base, which comprehensively allows for application of legal instruments to counter radicalization, violent extremism and terrorism. We continue to fully engage the tools and resources to further develop its capabilities and extend cooperation on issues related to counter-terrorism.
Finally, we once again condemn the unprovoked, unjustified and illegal military aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
The Russian aggression constitutes a clear violation of the prohibition of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State incorporated in the UN Charter article 2(4), a peremptory norm of international law which all states are obliged to abide.
It undermines European and global security and stability. Such actions trigger increased risks of unrest, radicalization and terrorist activity.
On top of that, Russia’s disinformation campaigns are further undermining vulnerable regions. We have taken up the action against terrorism in our most recent work on the strategic documents at the European Union and NATO.
We call on all Member States of the United Nations to join us in the support of Ukraine’s effort to uphold its sovereignty and restore its territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders. It is our obligation under international law to do so.
I thank you!