UN General Assembly
2002

future. There are still threats to lasting peace in the world and in the region alike. Those threats come from ideological, religious, ethnic and political extremism, which fuel hatred and sow fear among our peoples. Organized crime is often linked with that extremism, and is the lifeblood of terrorism. Even though terrorism and organized crime in South-East Europe are rather specific in their characteristics, there are many links to leading terrorist and criminal groups throughout the world. I am here to reaffirm my country's firm commitment to the struggle against this threat. I am also confident that the United Nations is the right place for the coordination of international efforts to rid the world of this evil. This struggle will not be easy but, together, the community of democratic nations can prevail through cooperation and a unified response to potential threats, regardless of where they may emanate from. In addition to the security and military measures that we undertake, we must also be equally committed to using other methods to eradicate the conditions that