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STATEMENT
September
21, 2001 (10:00
a.m. EDT) Mr. Chairman,
Secretary-General, fellow Ministers, and friends : In the past ten
days we have lived a dark moment in history that shall never be
forgotten. Nations and individuals have striven to find the right words
to express their outrage, their grief, and the full force of their
resolve to combat the evil of terrorism. I do not wish
to use many words this morning; so much has already been said.
Our sadness - including for the many Canadians caught in the
terrible attacks of September 11th - is without bounds; our
support, without question; and our solidarity, without end. The terrorist
acts of September 11th took place over US skies and on US
land, but they were an attack against us all.
Their victims came from all parts of the world, representing many
ethnicities, and many faiths. Moreover,
these acts have violated the values and principles which all
peace-loving nations - all of the members of this hemispheric family -
hold dear. It is critical
now that the international community stand united against terrorism and
its perpetrators. There can
be no cracks in our defence - no rifts to exploit, no vulnerabilities to
embolden the terrorists. This will
require more than words; we must also act, and act together - and, in
doing so, we must all be guided by the principles that have made our
nations and our peoples strong - democracy, diversity and a profound
respect for the rule of law. Our actions shall never be dictated by fear or intimidation. The response
both of governments and of individuals has been resounding.
In Canada, our citizens have given blood, volunteered their time,
money and services, and opened their towns and even their homes to the
over 33,000 stranded, anxious passengers who came to Canada on the 224
international flights diverted to our territory in the immediate hours
following the attacks of September 11th. On a political
level, the groundswell of international solidarity over these ten days
has indeed been impressive - from
the United Nations, to NATO and the G8.
The EU and we in the OAS today are both holding extraordinary
meetings. Countries of the
Middle East, Asia and Africa have also - some with much courage -
expressed support for the United States and for the international
campaign to end terrorism. In this room,
no one needs reminding that terrorism is neither a new nor a
geographically limited problem - it has affected a number of OAS states,
over many years. This painful history, however, offers us wisdom and a unique
expertise. The OAS can make
an important contribution to eliminating the scourge of terrorism. This may
include : information exchange and mutual support as countries review
their domestic anti-terrorism frameworks, recognizing that this may
include a wide array of elements, from financial regulation to security
measures; strengthening cooperation among our respective law enforcement
and security agencies; making full use of OAS bodies - such as the
Committees on Terrorism and on Hemispheric Security - to share our
experiences and to consolidate political will in this fight.
I would also urge all member states to promote our newly-adopted
Inter-American Democratic Charter as a badge of the values and principles
which unite us. Some of the key
instruments of hemispheric cooperation have already been put into motion
this week - the application of the OAS Charter to call this meeting of
Foreign Ministers, and the invoking of the Rio Treaty by its parties.
While Canada is not a party to that treaty, we applaud your action
and pledge our support and cooperation with you. Common cause
and concerted action - that is the meaning of solidarity, and that will be
the foundation upon which the campaign to eliminate terrorism is built,
and upon which it will - and must - ultimately succeed. THANK YOU
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