Speeches
Remarks by Deputy Chief of Mission Theodore Allegra at APCSS Closing Ceremony
August 21, 2009
Your Excellency, Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Sok An, Aikoudom, Lok Chumtaew, distinguished guests, ladies and Gentlemen.
I am delighted to be here today to witness the successful conclusion of this seminar on "Security Challenges Associated with Terrorism in Southeast Asia." It is gratifying to see so many dedicated graduates of the course today.
In his report, Brigadier General Hun Manet provided a thorough and detailed summary of the week's proceedings. His report clearly reflects the comprehensive nature of the week's proceedings. His report clearly reflects the comprehensive nature of this seminar. It included not only terrorism, but related security challenges of small arms trafficking, narcotics trafficking, piracy and terrorist use of the internet. Thank you, general, for a very informative report.
I wish to focus on two components of this seminar course: the dynamic human interations of all participants and future next steps.
First, the human dynamic. One week ago, forty strangers from eleven nations gathered together to discuss transnational threats posed by terrorism. The challenge is significant: Terrorism is exceedingly complex. Terrorism does not respect borders. Terrorism does not recognize sovereignty. Terrorism does not adhere to any law, whether domestic or international.
As His Excellency Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen and Ambassador Rodley said at the opening of this seminar, the failure to confront this security challenge in a meaningful way poses a very real risk to the safty of our citizens and the stability of the region.
Today, the forty participants of this seminar sit together not only as professional colleagues, but as friends. The strength and importance of the personal and professional bonds you have established during this week cannot be overstated. These professional relationships will make you better officers. They will also make your contries better partners to serve the region well in the years ahead.
Secondly, I would like to highlight the "next steps" from the seminar. You have gained a deep understanding of the dynamic causes and drivers of terrorism in Southeast Asia. You have assessed a series of contemporary approaches to understanding and countering terrorism in this part of the world.
More importantly, you are now able to look forward in a meaningful way. Success in our counterterrorim efforts requires that we be agile and flexible in our strategies and in our responses to defeat terrorism. Together, I am confident you will develop collaborative approaches to enact effective national and regional systems to deter and defeat terrorism. The future-oriented ideas, perspectives, and approaches you are now prepared to pursue at home is precisely why this seminar has been so valuable.
No nation in Southeast Asia can afford to ignore the threat of terrorism, and no signle nation can stand alone against it. Forging friendships and partnerships at the individual level, the ministry level, the national level and the regional level is a necessary component to any successful counterterrorism strategy. Simply, it is these trusted networks throughout the region that will lead to success.
This seminar has been a small, but an important step in that directioin. To all the participants, thank you for taking that step.
In closing, I would like to thank the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and especially His Excellency Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen, for their hospitality in hosting this important event in Cambodia.
I would also like to thank the co-sponsors, the National Counter-Terrorism Committte and the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies for their efforts in making this seminar a success. The planning and effort to support any multilateral gathering of security practitioners from eleven nations, is not insignificant.
Finally, I wish to thank the forty participants for their contributions to the course and their continued cooperation in efforts to deter and contain terrorism in Southeast Asia. Our citizens and indeed our nations will all be safer as a result.
