UN General Assembly
2003

quest for shared peace, progress and justice. To small nations like ours, the United Nations is and should be the bulwark of sovereignty and defender of freedom. It has stood up to such challenges in the past, and it must prepare itself to face the future just as boldly through a process of strengthened multilateralism. Today, the world faces a number of threats to its peace, progress and harmony. Terrorism is now by far the most immediate threat that afflicts countries, rich and poor, large and small. After 11 September 2001, the concerted battle we have launched has pushed terror into retreat, but the decisive war against it that we must win has yet to be won. This scourge has not left the United Nations untouched either. For instance, two bombs exploded within the first two months of the United Nations presence in Baghdad at its offices there, killing Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello and others, and serving as a grim reminder of the indiscriminate dark threat of terrorism. We condemn the assault on the United