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Terrorism Center hosts Ambassador Forum 7 January, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Diplomats Call For Intensified International Cooperation in Combating Terrorism at the 2004 Ambassadors’ Forum at the National Press Club (January 7, 2004) Four distinguished diplomats urged greater efforts to strengthen international cooperation in combating terrorism at the 2004 Ambassadors’ Forum held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on January 7, 2004. This annual event was co-sponsored by the International Center for Terrorism Studies (ICTS) at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, the Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies (a consortium of universities and think tanks in some 30 countries coordinated by the Potomac Institute), and the Inter-University Center for Legal Studies based at the International Law Institute in Washington D.C. Speakers at the Forum were Sri Lankan Ambassador Devinda R. Subasinghe, Algerian Ambassador Idriss Jazairy, Turkish Ambassador Dr. Osman Faruk Logoglu, and the Spanish Political Counselor Juan Sell. In his opening remarks, Michael S. Swetnam, Chairman and C.E.O. of the Potomac Institute, stressed that terrorism is not a local phenomena, but a global threat and without cooperation of the world community, we will not be able to address the challenge. Professor Yonah Alexander, Director of Potomac’s International Center for Terrorism Studies, chaired the event. He stated that, from history, we learn the significance of international collaborations in combating terrorism. He noted that 23 years ago on January 20, 1981, 52 American hostages were released after 444 days in captivity in Tehran as a result of an agreement between the United States and Iran, made possible through the good offices of Algeria. Ambassador Subasinghe observed, “Sri Lanka is just emerging from a brutal 20 year conflict in which more than 65,000 people, both combatants as well as civilian, perished. During this time the country experienced the full spectrum of terrorism in all its manifestations.” The Ambassador added, “being a small nation, Sri Lanka nevertheless, participated actively in the Global War on Terrorism. The country is staunchly supportive of the necessity to protect all democratic values and the requirement to actively participate in global markets and related economic growth.” Ambassador Jazairy explained that terrorism did not start in his country in the early 1990s after the parliamentary elections but “…the idea of violent pursuit of some kind of misguided vision of Islam came to Algeria in 1964 when we imported, wholesale, large numbers of Egyptian leaders to help us “Arabize” the country.” He also noted that the President of Algeria Abdelaziz Bouteflika, was one of the first leaders to express support to President Bush after the September 11th attacks “because we knew very well what he was going through…” Ambassador Jazairy also remarked that the bilateral cooperation between the United States and Algeria is important and has been “described by the [American] coordinator for counterterrorism as being magnificent.” Ambassador Logoglu stated that Turkey is a country that gained terrorism experience “at tremendous cost. In the 1980s and 1990s, we lost tens of thousands of our citizens and had to devote billions of dollars to this fight… Turkey lost more than a score of its diplomats to ASALA terrorism. The latest attacks in Istanbul targeted Turkish democracy, the secular way of life, and inter-religious and international harmony that my country represents.” Ambassador Logoglu concluded that the 21st century “will be defined by terrorism” and therefore “we must be prepared for it and combat it with all our might, but always within the confines of the law.” Spain’s Political Counselor Juan Sell stated “we should not fall into the trap of confusing terrorism and terrorism activity with the cause and objectives that terrorists say they are defending. Neither al-Qaeda is being persecuted because they are radical Islamists, nor is the ETA being persecuted because they say that they defend the independence of the Basque country. But simply because they are criminals.” He quoted Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, asserting, “Whoever murders in the name of a country, a god, or a social and economic system, is neither a patriot, a believer, or an idealist, just a murderer.” Counselor Sell concluded by saying, “Spain lastly appreciated the high international cooperation it received from many countries, and especially from France…Spain, of course, is very grateful for the support that the United States provides because Spain and the United States are today full-fledged [and] supportive partners in the fight against terrorism.” The Forum was attended by over 80 participants representing 15 countries and was covered extensively by U.S. and international media. The Potomac Institute is an independent, not-for-profit public policy research center. The International Center for Terrorism Studies conducts interdisciplinary research on different aspects of terrorism and share its findings nationally and internationally. ###
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