U.N. Leader Delivers Address

Secretary-General of the United Nations Boutros Boutros-Ghali called for global cooperation to stop terrorism in an address last night before an overflow audience of 800 at the Kennedy School of Government's ARCO Forum.

Boutros-Ghali named two factors that create conditions which favor present-day terrorists: globalization and fragmentation.

Globalization, he said, reduces the ability of governments to maintain order.

"Terrorist activity has escalated because terrorism has successfully adapted to globalization while anti-terrorism remains provincial and national," Boutros-Ghali said.

"The time has come for the international community to work toward the achievement of a general international instrument of a binding nature against terrorism," Boutros-Ghali said.

He said the U.N. has assumed leadership in the worldwide fight against terrorism and carries a global mandate to continue the effort.

According to Boutros-Ghali, the U.N. has three directives regarding terrorism: to use re-existing international instruments of law, to encourage nations to overcome difficulties arising from international coordination and to widen the scope of the international conventions. He listed 11 international conventions currently sponsored by the U.N.--nine of which have already been ratified--addressing diplomatic immunity, hostage situations, air travel, industry and weapons of mass destruction. Boutros-Ghali said, however, that major obstacles stand in the way of global cooperation.

Some nations resist the international effort because they have agreed to secrecy in exchange for immunity from terrorist acts against their people, according to Boutros-Ghali.

The diversity of legal systems around the world also allows terrorists to seek refuge in countries with lax extradition laws, Boutros-Ghali added.

The Secretary-General also said he feared that some countries' anti-terrorism initiatives may be too extreme.

The U.N. "can best ensure that the anti-terrorist struggle is not pursued at the expense of human rights," he said.

Boutros-Ghali began his speech with a personal appeal to curb terrorism, recalling the assassination of his grandfather, who was prime minister of Egypt. "In recent years, my homeland Egypt has been the target of terrorists," he said. "They seek to intimidate the population. They seek to destroy the tourist industry. They care nothing for the innocent lives they destroy.

He said the U.N. has assumed leadership in the worldwide fight against terrorism and carries a global mandate to continue the effort.

According to Boutros-Ghali, the U.N. has three directives regarding terrorism: to use re-existing international instruments of law, to encourage nations to overcome difficulties arising from international coordination and to widen the scope of the international conventions. He listed 11 international conventions currently sponsored by the U.N.--nine of which have already been ratified--addressing diplomatic immunity, hostage situations, air travel, industry and weapons of mass destruction. Boutros-Ghali said, however, that major obstacles stand in the way of global cooperation.

Some nations resist the international effort because they have agreed to secrecy in exchange for immunity from terrorist acts against their people, according to Boutros-Ghali.

The diversity of legal systems around the world also allows terrorists to seek refuge in countries with lax extradition laws, Boutros-Ghali added.

The Secretary-General also said he feared that some countries' anti-terrorism initiatives may be too extreme.

The U.N. "can best ensure that the anti-terrorist struggle is not pursued at the expense of human rights," he said.

Boutros-Ghali began his speech with a personal appeal to curb terrorism, recalling the assassination of his grandfather, who was prime minister of Egypt. "In recent years, my homeland Egypt has been the target of terrorists," he said. "They seek to intimidate the population. They seek to destroy the tourist industry. They care nothing for the innocent lives they destroy.