Mishal Al-Otaibi Saudi Gazette RIYADH – Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal told an international conference on security Saturday that the “terrorist” threat remains and urged global cooperation to combat it. “The danger of terrorism and terrorists still persists and affects several countries,” Prince Saud said in a speech read out on his behalf by Prince Turki Bin Mohammad Bin Saud, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “We must face up to it using all means and at all levels, local, regional and international. Terrorism threatens us all, without exception,” Prince Saud said, calling for global action to “eradicate terrorist plans through coordination between specialized centers in the struggle against terrorism.” Some 50 countries are represented at the gathering in Riyadh, which has been organized in conjunction with the United Nations. The two-day conference will discuss the four pillars essential for the international strategy for combating terrorism which represent the themes of the conference and include measures to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, measures to prevent and combat terrorism, measures to build the capacity of states to prevent and combat terrorism and strengthen the role of the United Nations in this connection and measures to ensure respect of human rights for all and the rule of law as the fundamental basis for the fight against terrorism. In 2005, Saudi Arabia proposed creating in its capital an international anti-terrorism center, a proposal that was approved in September 2011 by the UN General Assembly. Riyadh has pledged to finance the center for three years at a cost of $10 million. Prince Saud said that the establishment of the international center for combating terrorism under the umbrella of the United Nations is evidence that combating terrorism requires enhanced coordination and cooperation and exchange of experiences between countries and centers. The speech of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was delivered on his behalf by United Nations Representative Eric Plumbly in which he said that the objectives included in the Riyadh conference represent an important point in the United Nations strategy to combat terrorism.
