The FINANCIAL -- Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have officially launched the Global
Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), a multinational venue that is expected to
provide a place to identify problems and threats and devise strategies
to combat terrorism on a global scale.
“Today’s gathering is highly symbolic; our being here shows the determination of our countries to stand together in the face of terrorism and any kind of fundamentalism, and deal more effectively with the problem,” Davutoğlu was quoted by the Anatolia news agency as he addressed participants from some 30 countries at the inauguration of the GCTF in New York on Thursday.
The GCTF, co-chaired by the US and Turkey, was initially announced on Sept. 9 by Clinton, who pledged that the forum would bring together traditional allies, emerging powers and Muslim-majority countries.
During the launch, Clinton reiterated her previous opinion that terrorism posed a threat to people everywhere and that an international response needed to be coordinated to counter the challenge. “All of us have become convinced that a crucial piece of the puzzle is missing: a dedicated global venue to regularly convene key counterterrorism policy makers and practitioners from around the world -- a place to identify essential priorities, devise solutions and chart a path to implementation,” Clinton said, and added that the GCTF would be the venue to meet that need.
Davutoğlu concurred with Clinton on the pressing need for the forum and asserted that Turkey would strongly support the GCTF and “share Turkey’s own experiences, best practices and ideas,” as he nominated Turkey for hosting the administrative units of the forum to be established in the future.
The Turkish foreign minister further noted that Turkey has suffered from terrorism and that international cooperation was essential in combating the issue that “recognizes no ethical or legal limitations.”
The GCTF is described by the US as an effort to build the international framework for dealing with 21st century terrorism. The forum is expected to provide a platform for policy makers and experts both from member countries and outside parties to identify urgent needs, devise solutions and mobilize resources for addressing key counterterrorism challenges. Countries emerging from the Arab Spring, the EU countries, Canada, China, India, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Nigeria and Japan are among the countries currently participating in the forum.
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