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Mr. Secretary General, Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank the Secretary General and the briefers for their contributions. I am pleased this briefing on foreign terrorist fighters has drawn so many high-level officials in charge of counter terrorism actions. This clearly demonstrates the importance and urgency of the matter we are discussing today. Today’s  briefing is taking place eight months after the adoption of resolution 2178 at the Security Council summit  meeting chaired by President Obama, and six months after the high-level Australian debate. This allows us to take stock of progress in implementing resolution 2178 and address existing gaps in tackling the FTF phenomenon.

Countering FTFs is only a part of broader counter-terrorism efforts, but it is a significant one, for a number of reasons:

It is an increasingly global threat. As noted before, there are now more than 25,000 foreign terrorist fighters originating from over 100 countries. Most of them end up in Syria in Iraq, where they carry out crimes of exceptional barbarity and brutality. Their eventual return to the countries of origin would pose enormous new problems and challenges to local law and order as well as counter-terrorist bodies;

It is a complex, mutating, and shifting threat. The age, gender, and social background of FTFs; where they come from and why; how they get to conflict zones; how they get recruited; how they organize, train, arm, and finance themselves vary from case to case. No typical profiles or patterns can be drawn, and standard solutions to the problem are hard to apply;

It is a threat that puts existing counter terrorism measures to unprecedented test. While certain frameworks exist to tackle the phenomenon, significant implementation gaps persist, including lack of capacities, resources, or even awareness of the problem at hand.

Our responses to this threat need to be constantly adjusted and modified if not to outpace, then at least to match the level of adaptability and dynamics of FTFs themselves.       The phenomenon must be tackled in a systematic and coherent way, involving the countries of origin, transit, destination, as well as neighboring states, all of whom have their specific role to play.

Let me refer briefly to some of the priority actions that need to be taken with all due urgency. These include the review and update of national criminal laws in the light of resolution 2178; strengthening border protection and border security; improving national judicial and prosecutorial capacities; increasing traveler information collection, analysis and sharing; greater regional and international cooperation; and more robust use of tools and services provided by Interpol, ICAO, FATF, and other relevant bodies. World customs organization and World Tourism Organisation too have important roles to play. The latter in particular, as terrorist recruits are devising new ways to avoid being detected and tracked down by using tourism to disguise their travel to conflict zones, including ever more complex broken itineraries.  

At a  national level, too,  more effective interagency cooperation and coordination among all relevant authorities - Ministries of Foreign Affairs, home affairs, justice and law and order institutions, transport and communications bodies, financial crime investigation service, intelligence, counter-terrorism, and prosecutor general’s offices- are essential.

On the other hand, a more coherent and comprehensive response by the UN system in support of national and regional efforts is needed, including closer and more coherent coordination among the various UN bodies tasked with counter-terrorism mandates, but not only those, to reinforce each other’s efforts and  build on each other’s strengths.

No country can consider itself immune to the threat of FTFs. Waiting until it happens would be the worst possible choice. We all must take very seriously our obligations under resolution 2178, as well as other relevant counter-terrorism resolutions and international instruments.

The Lithuanian Criminal Code, for instance, establishes as criminal offences various FTFs related activities. Those who commit acts forbidden by international agreements, including terrorist acts, can be held responsible under the Lithuanian laws irrespective of their citizenship, their place of residence, the place of the commission of the crime, or whether the act is punishable under the laws of the place where it was committed.

Lithuania relies on some well-established measures to prevent the travel of terrorists across its borders, as well as to disrupt facilitation of their travel. These measures include effective border controls, which is also part of the Schengen system, and routine use of various Interpol databases. Lithuania also employs a variety of measures to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing, in compliance with FATF and European Union standards.  We also stress the importance of providing a determined response at the EU level and within the Schengen space.

Let me also stress that in the fight against terrorism, it is crucial to address not only the consequences but also the underlying factors of radicalization. Our efforts to prevent FTFs will only have a limited effect if the phenomenon itself continues to grow.  In this regard, we need a comprehensive cross-sectorial approach guaranteeing the involvement of all policies concerned to counter radicalization and violent extremism, including through upholding human rights for all, promoting inclusiveness and tolerance, and adequate education, social, development, and regional policies. Creating effective counter-narratives, including on social media, is also important.

Respect of fundamental rights is crucial in the fight against terrorism. Our common work must be based on a proper balance between security and fundamental rights. As we seek to curb and contain this dangerous phenomenon, we must do so in full respect of human rights, fundamental freedoms, pluralism, the rule of law, and democratic governance.

Finally, let me express my thanks to the US delegation for the initiative of today’s PRST, and Council members for their active engagement in negotiating the text which lays down clear guidelines about what needs to be done by all of us to combat the FTF phenomenon.