First, I would like to thank the delegation of Mauritius for arranging this important meeting. We would also like to express our regret that the Ambassador of Mexico, Mr. Navarrete, will be leaving us soon. He was once his country's Ambassador to China, and he was highly respected in our country. He is also highly respected at the United Nations, and we wish him every success in his future endeavours.

In response to the terrorist attacks on 11 September, the United Nations, including the Security Council, acted promptly. At present, the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee has yielded preliminary results. Most countries have submitted their national reports on the implementation of the provisions of resolution 1373 (2001), which reflects fully the firm resolve and determination of the international community to combat terrorism.

Here, I must express particular gratitude to Ambassador Greenstock and the Committee's Vice-Chairmen for their prodigious work. I particularly appreciate Ambassador Greenstock's excellent working methods.

The success of the global fight against terrorism requires more effective action at the national level. In that regard, all countries should support, and coordinate with, each other. At the same time, the fight against terrorism should also give a full role to the efforts of the world's regions and subregions. I want to mention the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, whose members include Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The Foreign Ministers of the members of the organization issued a joint statement in which they decided that they would soon establish their counter-terrorism mechanism at Bishkek. We believe this will add new force to the international endeavour against terrorism. The Security Council should support regional efforts to combat terrorism. We therefore hope that the Counter-Terrorism Committee will also make relevant efforts in this regard.

The Counter-Terrorism Committee will soon begin to examine national reports. Today's Security Council meeting is very necessary. The views and suggestions of a majority of Member States of the United Nations will help make the Committee's work in its next phase more positive and effective. We also believe that the consideration of national reports is a very important process that will entail an enormous amount of work in the Committee and require very detailed analysis. We believe that particular attention should be paid in that process to the handling of the following issues.

First, the Counter-Terrorism Committee should base its work on resolution 1373 (2001) and the guidelines it has itself adopted. It should also treat all Member States equally and avoid double standards.

Secondly, the United Nations, and in particular the Security Council, should play a leading role in the international fight against terrorism. In that regard, the Counter-Terrorism Committee is the only body mandated by Member States to monitor the implementation of resolution 1373 (2001) and to make decisive judgements on the status of its implementation on the basis of national reports. In that connection, we favour the idea that the Committee should strengthen its cooperation and coordination with other organs and organizations. We believe that relevant international financial agencies and organizations should also provide the Committee with assistance and technical support. We should gradually find effective ways to cooperate.

Thirdly, we support the early establishment within the United Nations framework of an assistance fund to support and aid Member States so they can fully and effectively implement resolution 1373 (2001).

Fourthly, we endorse the statement just made by Ambassador Greenstock on behalf of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. We believe that the work of the Committee should be focused. The urgent task before it is to complete its examination of national reports, rather than be involved in questions beyond its mandate.

In conclusion, I want to emphasize one point. The international community should step up its efforts to solve development-related questions and the causes of regional conflicts, promote international peace and social progress and try to reduce elements of insecurity at their source so as to strengthen the international fight against terrorism.