The texts of delegation statements are available on the U.N. web site 
at: http://www.un.org/terrorism/list011001.html

Following are excerpts from statements made during the first four days of debate:

Paul Heinbecker, Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations:

"This debate is about honouring the memories of the dead in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania and the countless other innocent victims of terrorism around the world. Fate does not play favourites, there is no safe distance from terrorism and there is no diplomatic immunity from evil. This time we have been the lucky ones. But that luck carries with it a most solemn duty.

"And so on behalf of the Government and people of Canada, I express Canada's resolve neither to forget nor to forgive the perpetrators of these heinous acts, nor to rest until they are brought to justice. I am here to pledge Canada's full participation in the struggle that lies ahead.

"The right of Canada, and of the United States and of all U.N. members, to self-defence is clear under international law, enshrined in the United Nations' charter and recognized again most recently in Security Council Resolutions 1368 and 1373. Canada has joined in the invocation by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) of Article V, the mutual defence article, of the North Atlantic Treaty. We are prepared to participate fully in this effort."

Abdulmejid Hussein, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations:

"... my Delegation would like to reiterate two points. Firstly, the urgent need for an agreement on a comprehensive convention in fighting international terrorism. While it is important to have a precise legal definition of terrorism, I agree with Mr. Kofi Annan when he says, 'There can be no acceptance of those who would seek to justify the deliberate taking of innocent civilian life, regardless of cause or grievance.' Surely, the peoples of the world whom we represent here will not understand nor forgive us if we fail to quickly arrive at an agreed comprehensive convention because some of us may descend to being pedantic. I hope that will not happen. Secondly, it is important and fitting that the Untied Nations should act as the focal forum for combating international terrorism.

"However, it must not also be forgotten that if and when terrorists do attack a country, such as happened on September 11, then that country has the legitimate right to defend itself. Not only this, it has an obligation to its people to seek out those who planned, funded, encouraged and harbored the terrorist and hold them accountable."

Sergio Vento, Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations:

"The horrors of September 11 show that terrorism constitutes a global threat that requires an immediate global response. The existence of geographic areas or legal loopholes that provide shelter or protection to criminals and their interests creates zones of impunity and represents a grave threat to international peace and security.

"This threat, as Security Council resolution 1368 so clearly recognizes, is not against individual States or societies, but against the whole set of values that hold the international community together and lie at the foundation of the U.N. Therefore today's challenge is to close these loopholes, to genuinely bar the road to terrorism, suppress its means of support, and eliminate impunity. Last Friday's resolution meets these demands...

"The resolution strengthens several commitments already included in the U.N.'s 12 sectoral conventions against terrorism, making them instantly binding for all Member States, in light of Chapter 7 of the Charter. Nevertheless, it still leaves some gray zones that should be eliminated if we wish to achieve a truly global anti-terrorism strategy. The sectoral approach of the above-mentioned conventions should thus, in our view, be integrated by a general legal instrument that allows the repression of any terrorist act, wherever and by whomever it is committed."

Alexandru Niculescu, Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations:

"In full solidarity with the Government of the Unites States and the American people, on 19 September, Romania's Parliament, taking note of the Decision of the North Atlantic Committee to implement Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty, has passed a resolution aimed at 'providing the facilities of the national sea, land and air space in order to support a possible response action against terrorism' and at 'coordinating Romania's actions with the United States of America and NATO and with their partners and allies in order to put at their disposal available forces and means in keeping with the proposed actions.'

"We take part in this important debate with a deep sense of responsibility and urgency.

"As the Secretary-General said yesterday, 'we are in a moral struggle to fight an evil that is anathema to all faiths.' There must be no political or religious justification for terrorist violence, and no people or religion should be blamed for acts of mindless individuals. Unity and not division of humanity is the right response to this common enemy, which knows no national borders and can target any of our societies."

Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations:

" ... Terrorism must be acknowledged for what it is: deliberate acts of violence aimed at maiming, killing or devastating innocent civilians without hesitation or mercy in the pursuit of the terrorists' objectives.

"In the absence of a specific definition of terrorism, we stress once again the need to differentiate between condemned terrorism and acts of legitimate resistance and national struggle against foreign occupation. International law and the U.N. Charter have guaranteed this legitimate right for all people under foreign occupation and alienate control. The absence of such a definition has seriously undermined the mobilization of international efforts to tackle this grave threat to human society. Such a comprehensive legal definition of terrorism must make a clear distinction between terrorism and the legitimate struggle of peoples, and should take into account all forms of terrorism, including state terrorism or the threat of nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction."

Ernest Petric, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations:

"It is of course very important to face, understand and eradicate [the] long-term roots of terrorism. It is of course necessary to understand political, economic, philosophical, ideological and even religious roots of terrorism. But searching for root causes of terrorism should by no means be a hindrance for our joint action and our strict fulfillment of Security Council resolution 1373 now!

"After what has happened on September 11th, we also don't need to wait to have [a] precise and comprehensive definition of terrorism. Crimes such as [those] committed on that infamous day are just horrible, heinous crimes against innocent people, against humanity, against all religions, they are simply crimes against us all, no matter what purposes might have led the perpetrators and those behind them."

Madina B. Jarbussynova, Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations:

"What happened in the United States was a crime against humanity, an act of horrendous violence against all nations and creeds. We are confident that the international efforts will help to find the authors of these inhuman terrorist attacks and bring them to justice for their crimes. It is essential that reconciliation should be not only effective but also just. We welcome the intention of the Government of the United States to produce evidence before any military strike.

"In this respect, we should not condemn the people of Afghanistan for the terrorist attacks as we must not condemn Muslims and Arabs, the vast majority of whom do not support the religious extremism. As actions are taken against terrorists and their sponsors, we must make sure that the lives of thousands of women and girls in Afghanistan, who have suffered so terribly under the rule of Taliban, are saved and their plight not be forgotten. Afghan women and girls should be at the center of the rebirth of the Islamic State of Afghanistan. They must finally gain their freedom and full rights and get the access to education and health care."

Carlos dos Santos, Permanent Representative of Mozambique to the United Nations:

"Terrorism knows no boundaries and no permanent or defined targets. Not so long ago, some countries in our region went through tragedies provoked by terrorist acts.

"The terrorist bombings of 1998 in Kenya and Tanzania are also clear examples of the nature of terrorism and their total disregard for the life of innocent and defenceless people regardless of their geographical location, race, religious belief or political orientation."

"These events and many other elsewhere in the world, including those of September 11, have proven that only an international concerted action can prevent such tragedies. All states must work together in a coordinated manner to prevent the use of their territories by terrorists, their financing, training, instigation and organization by whomever, whatever the considerations of political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or of any other nature that may be invoked to justify their acts."

Francisco Seixas Da Costa, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations:

"The brutal terrorist attacks that killed thousands of innocent people, citizens from many countries, including my own, shocked the international community and created an unprecedented wave of revulsion. The expression of common grief with the American people took tones never seen before and the global political reaction could not have been more resolute.

"The government of my country made clear, from the very first instance, its firm position.

"We openly share the resolve of the United States to launch and sustain an international campaign, through different means and using diverse tools, to bring to justice those responsible for these criminal acts and to engage the international community in a concerted effort to avoid their repetition in the future.

"We have acted on several fronts, from NATO to the European Union, from bilateral cooperation to the work of this General Assembly.

"We have acted without ambiguity, siding with those who have called for concrete measures to punish the criminals and declaring that we do not accept their impunity nor will we tolerate it."