United Nations Security Council Resolution 1269
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1269, adopted unanimously on October 19, 1999, after expressing concern at the increasing number of acts of international terrorism
, the Council condemned terrorist attacks and called upon states to fully implement anti-terrorist conventions
. It was the first time the Security Council had addressed terrorism in a general manner, though it did not define what constituted terrorism.
passed by the General Assembly
including Resolution 49/60 (1994) concerning measures to eliminate international terrorism. There was a necessity to intensify the fight against terrorism at the national level and strengthen international co-operation with respect for international humanitarian
and human rights
law. To this end it supported efforts to promote worldwide participation in and implementation of existing anti-terrorist conventions and the development of new anti-terrorist instruments.
, the resolution unequivocally condemned all acts of worldwide terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable regardless of the circumstances in which the acts were committed. All countries were called upon to implement international anti-terrorist conventions to which they were party to; states that had not adopted such measures were urged to do so immediately. The Council stressed that the United Nations played a vital role in strengthening international co-operation in the fight against terrorism.
All countries were urged to take the following steps:
co-operate with each other through mutual agreements to prevent terrorist acts and prosecute perpetrators; prevent and supress the preparation and financing of terrorist acts through all possible legal means; deny safe havens for those who commit terrorist acts through prosecution and extradition
; ensure that asylum seekers are not terrorists before granting them refugee
status through appropriate measures; participate in information exchanges and judicial co-operation to prevent terrorist acts.
The Secretary-General Kofi Annan
was asked to pay close attention to the need to prevent threats to international security as a result of terrorist acts. Finally, the Council expressed its readiness to take further measures in order to counter terrorist threats.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1269, adopted unanimously on October 19, 1999, after expressing concern at the increasing number of acts of international terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
, the Council condemned terrorist attacks and called upon states to fully implement anti-terrorist conventions
Anti-terrorism legislation
Anti-terrorism legislation designs various types of laws passed in the aim of fighting terrorism. They usually, if not always, follow specific bombings or assassinations...
. It was the first time the Security Council had addressed terrorism in a general manner, though it did not define what constituted terrorism.
Observations
The Security Council was mindful of resolutionsUnited Nations General Assembly Resolution
A United Nations General Assembly Resolution is voted on by all member states of the United Nations in the General Assembly.General Assembly resolutions usually require a simple majority to pass...
passed by the General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
including Resolution 49/60 (1994) concerning measures to eliminate international terrorism. There was a necessity to intensify the fight against terrorism at the national level and strengthen international co-operation with respect for international humanitarian
International humanitarian law
International humanitarian law , often referred to as the laws of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus that comprises "the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law." It...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
law. To this end it supported efforts to promote worldwide participation in and implementation of existing anti-terrorist conventions and the development of new anti-terrorist instruments.
Acts
Actin under Chapter VI of the United Nations CharterChapter VI of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter deals with peaceful settlement of disputes. It requires countries with disputes that could lead to war to first of all try to seek solutions through peaceful methods such as negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement,...
, the resolution unequivocally condemned all acts of worldwide terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable regardless of the circumstances in which the acts were committed. All countries were called upon to implement international anti-terrorist conventions to which they were party to; states that had not adopted such measures were urged to do so immediately. The Council stressed that the United Nations played a vital role in strengthening international co-operation in the fight against terrorism.
All countries were urged to take the following steps:
co-operate with each other through mutual agreements to prevent terrorist acts and prosecute perpetrators; prevent and supress the preparation and financing of terrorist acts through all possible legal means; deny safe havens for those who commit terrorist acts through prosecution and extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
; ensure that asylum seekers are not terrorists before granting them refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
status through appropriate measures; participate in information exchanges and judicial co-operation to prevent terrorist acts.
The Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
was asked to pay close attention to the need to prevent threats to international security as a result of terrorist acts. Finally, the Council expressed its readiness to take further measures in order to counter terrorist threats.
See also
- Counter-terrorismCounter-terrorismCounter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
- List of terrorist incidents
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1201 to 1300 (1998 – 2000)