Italy's Role in Mediterranean Security and the Fight Against Terrorism

Creating an area of political stability and security in the Mediterranean has become one of the highest priorities of Italian and European Union foreign policy, at both the bilateral and multilateral levels. Particularly important in this connection is Italy's participation in the fight against international terrorism and in regional peace and stabilization processes. Also important are its significant military contributions to operations led by the United Nations and other multilateral organizations.

As EU high representative for the European Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), Javier Solana pointed out in the European Security Strategy approved by the European Council on 12 December 2003 under the Italian presidency, "In the face of the new threats, the first line of defense will often be abroad."

Italy's Operations in the Fight Against International Terrorism

The terrorist offensive that began with the attack on the World Trade Center in New York—which Italy followed with a deep sense of loss, anguish, and dismay—and whose most recent episodes include the bloody terrorist attacks on the city of London and the Egyptian holiday resort Sharm el-Sheikh, is having a profound impact on the civic conscience of Italian citizens.

In the not too distant past our country suffered greatly from the scourge of domestic terrorism, and has experienced first-hand the suffering created by international terrorism. The cruel attack of November 2003 in Iraq bears witness to this, when Italian Carabinieri, soldiers, and civilians lost their lives while carrying out a peace mission in Nasiriyah.

I wish, therefore, to recall the promptness with which Italy has responded to the terrorist threat in the wake of 11 September, adopting measures and legislative instruments in line with the pertinent UN Security Council resolutions, in particular the wide-ranging antiterrorism resolution 1373 adopted in 2001 (intended to combat terrorism of any kind, anywhere in the world), and with EU legislation.

The Main Forums for Multilateral Cooperation in the Fight Against Terrorism

The role played by the UN in the fight against terrorism is viewed by Italy as being of crucial importance and should, if anything, be further strengthened. Italy has ratified all twelve UN international conventions against terrorism and strongly supports the activities of the Counter Terrorism Committee, which was set up on the basis of resolution 1373 after 11 September. The committee monitors and propels the overall counterterrorist response. Moreover, Italy makes a decisive contribution to the Sanctions Committee against al Qaeda and the Taliban, second only to the United States in proposals that have been adopted. A thirteenth convention—on nuclear terrorism acts—was added to the previous ones in April 2005 and was opened for signatures in September 2005 in New York during the summit for the sixtieth anniversary of the UN. Italy signed this important instrument on that occasion.

Initiatives are, furthermore, under way in the effort to reach consensus on the text of a global convention against terrorism, negotiations for which have been locked in stalemate for many years over the definition of terrorism and the area in which to implement the convention.

The EU also has systematically tackled terrorism-related issues, both at the political and the technical levels, creating two specialized organizations: the Rome-Lyons Group and the Counter Terrorism Action Group (CTAG). The Rome-Lyons Group is the result of the merger, decided during the Kananaskis Summit of 2002, of the Lyons Group—concerned with combating organized crime—and the Rome Group (created during the Italian presidency, and so named in recognition of that presidency's commitment), created after the 11 September attacks with a specific mandate in the field of counterterrorism. In the context of the CTAG, which is in charge of coordinating technical assistance to third countries that are weaker institutionally and more exposed to terrorist threats, Italy has taken on the leadership of a specific security initiative aimed at responding to the threat of terrorism in western Balkan country...