alone. Third, because it recognizes the links between terrorism and other forms of transnational crime, such as drugs and arms smuggling, and money laundering. The British government applauds the Saudi government's initiative in recognizing all these trends and in launching such an important conference to address them."
In a report published today, Arab News quoted French Ambassador Bernard Poletti as saying a high-level French delegation, led by Gilles Leclair, head of the Unit of Coordination of Terrorism Prevention (UCLAT) at the French Ministry of Interior, will participate in the conference. It will include representatives from different French anti-terror agencies. The French delegation will
co-chair one of the working groups.
The ambassador said: "Defining terrorism is difficult. Social roots, education and poverty have either indirect or no links with terrorism. Quite wealthy and educated people often enter terrorist organizations, being educated enough to share political goals. Surely, oppression and humiliation reinforce this phenomenon."
Describing terrorism as "the common enemy that threatens and destabilizes the international community," Chinese Ambassador Wu Chunhua said his country will depute a seven-member delegation of counter-terrorism experts with Chen Weixiong, counselor at the International Affairs Department of Foreign Ministry as the head.
In his view, "the root causes of terrorism are complex and multiple with factors in politics, economy, culture and society. As the victim of terrorism, China suffers the same with Saudi Arabia. China opposes terrorism in all its forms. We advocate that counter-terrorism needs clear targets and sound evidence. Both the symptoms and causes of terrorism should be addressed, and especially,
the hotbed fostering terrorism should be eliminated by solving the development issues and regional conflicts in the international arena."
Malaysian Ambassador Wan Mokhtar Ahmad said the roots of terrorism could be traced in the unjust policies of the major powers. He said the search of a "just solution" through "a balanced approach" could go a long way in reining in the elements of terror.
