Daily Times

ULAANBAATAR: Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Saturday said that despite international efforts to counter terrorism over the past 15 years, the phenomenon has become more complex and gruesome with home grown terrorists, foreign fighters, and lone wolf attacks by radicalised youth.

Addressing retreat session of the 11th ASEM Summit here in Mongolia, he stressed on defining issue of global terrorism. A wide range of regional and international issues were discussed by the leaders from Asia and Europe. The adviser said that the widespread use of social media by terrorists to spread their message was becoming a major problem.

He emphasised that Pakistan, one of the biggest victims of terrorism, has been at the forefront of efforts to counter terrorism. The complexity of the challenge demands enhanced and shared understanding, and deeper dialogue among countries, cultures and civilizations, he said. He underscored the need for addressing the root causes of terrorism as part of any strategy to counter it and to address the prolonged, unresolved conflicts, like Kashmir and Palestine.

The Ulaanbaatar Declaration was adopted as an outcome document of the summit, in which the participating leaders from Asia and Europe renewed their political will and strong resolve to work together to promote mutually beneficial partnership and cooperation between the two continents, with a view to building a better future for the peoples of Asia and Europe.