VZCZCXYZ0021
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0096 0332056
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 022056Z FEB 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1268

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000096 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER
SUBJECT: UN COUNTER-TERRORISM TASK FORCE IN HIGH GEAR 
 
 
¶1.  Action Requests paras 7 and 8. 
 
¶2.  Summary:  In a January 31 meeting with UN Assistant 
Secretary General Robert Orr, head of the Secretary General's 
 
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Counter Terrorism Task Force (CTTF), Orr described current 
activities and future projects of the group.  Orr said that 
he expects the Secretary-General to make an interim report to 
the General Assembly on Task Force activities, probably in 
March.  He asked for U.S. support, political and financial, 
for its projects.  End Summary. 
 
¶3.  USUN Legal Officer met with Orr to review UN Secretariat 
counter terrorism activities since adoption last September of 
the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.  The Strategy 
"welcomed the intention of the Secretary-General to 
institutionalize the Task Force in order to ensure overall 
coordination and coherence in the counter-terrorism efforts 
of the United Nations system."  The Task Force, which has 
been meeting since 2006, includes representatives of the UN 
Secretariat and UN system entities engaged in various aspects 
 
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of counter terrorism. Experts from the Security Council CT 
Committees are among the active participants in the group. 
Orr reported that plans to "institutionalize" the Task Force 
by setting up an office with a small staff (one D-2, one P-5, 
one secretary) await budget approval. 
 
¶4.  In the meantime, the CTTF is functioning and has begun to 
identify areas on which to concentrate its efforts.  The CTTF 
met in October and will have three meetings per year, the 
next in March.  They have set up nine Working Groups to focus 
on specific areas of the Strategy.  In selecting these areas, 
an effort was made to identify a task from each section of 
the Strategy that could be made operational within the year. 
The Task Force wants to be able to demonstrate results that 
reflect the Strategy's objectives. 
 
¶5. An initial project is the preparation of training 
materials on counter terrorism for use by Special 
Representatives of the Secretary General.  An "On-line 
Handbook" is also being produced which, inter alia, will make 
available a list of CT related topics and identify offices 
and contact points within the UN system that deal with 
aspects of these matters.  Orr also outlined plans to convene 
a meeting in Europe at which experts could discuss the 
problem of "radicalization".  He hopes the meeting will 
"distill lessons" on how to deal with this problem, which has 
been identified as a condition conducive to the spread of 
terrorism. 
 
¶6.  Orr mentioned that the US is particularly interested in 
concrete, results oriented activities and said that the Task 
Force Working Groups will be focusing on such issues as 
financing terrorism and CT technical assistance, particularly 
enhancing delivery. These topics are central to the work of 
the Security Council's CT Committees and participation of 
experts from those Committees should ensure that the CCTF's 
work is consistent with that being undertaken by the SC. The 
chief of the SC 1267 Committee Monitoring Team will lead the 
Working Group on financing.  Orr added that one "very real" 
issue is the use of the internet for terrorist activities. 
He noted that INTERPOL had urged stronger measures so that 
states could deal with such use of the internet in ways 
similar to those employed to combat its use for child 
pornography.  Orr said that he envisions developing a list of 
"best practices" which states could use.  USUN Legal Officer 
urged caution, reminding Orr (an American) that First 
Amendment considerations could create a situation of conflict 
between the U.S. and the Task Force on this issue. 
 
¶7.  What should be expected of member states?  Orr elicited 
our views on what states should be asked to do to implement 
the strategy.  Legal Officer noted the perennial call for 
states to become parties to the CT treaties and the 
importance of compliance with Security Council CT resolutions 
and promised to pass additional comments to Orr in the near 
future.   Action Request:  Orr has been very open to 
incorporating U.S. ideas into the Task Force's work and his 
request presents an opportunity to help shape the Strategy 
implementation plan.  Please provide priorities for action by 
states ASAP. 
 
¶8.  Orr expressed the hope that the US would be supportive of 
the Secretary General's statement when he gives his interim 
report.  He also asked for a financial contribution to fund 
the Task Force's work.  He said that such a contribution 
could be targeted to a specific working group's activities. 
US participation, he said, would make a strong statement and 
attract other donors.  Action Request.  Department is 
requested to consider making such a contribution. 
WOLFF