UN General Assembly
2001

Senior officials at the highest level in the American Administration and in European countries have warned against linking terrorism to Arabs and Muslims and have issued positive statements. But, regrettably, those statements, though important, cannot erase the long history of defamation in books and films that have distorted the image of Arabs and remain in circulation. Moreover, we have recently heard that new films are being made, and books being prepared for publication, that incite feelings of hatred and link terrorism to Arabs and Muslims, thereby manipulating the tragic events of September. Syria has always stressed the need to work on all levels to combat international terrorism in all its forms and in a way that is consistent with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations. Syria was the first country to call, in 1985, for the convening of an international conference under the auspices of the United Nations to define terrorism and to differentiate it from the struggle of peoples for national liberation. In response to a request by Syria, an item was listed on