Anti-terror solution

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor ERIC T. LORETIZO Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Hosting the counter-terrorism experts conference will be a defining moment in the Philippine's security history that will highlight the country's role in handling terrorism. Counter-terrorism is a security issue worldwide and our country can make a difference in trying to produce a middle ground approach in developing an anti-terrorist culture in the country.

Ambassador Benjamin Defensor, Jr., chairman, of the Counter-Terrorism Experts' Conference Task Force, said the gathering may give partial solutions during the plenary-panel discussion-plenary format that features two distinguished speakers for each session. The conference will end today in Cebu City and will try to design a strategic policy response that takes into account sub-regional approaches, addresses peculiar causes and conditions that allows developing countries to strike a balance between receiving counter-terrorism assistance and protecting their cultures and religions.

The CTEC hopes to come up with a paper that will convey stronger appreciation of the root causes of terrorism and its underlying conditions in the context of third world societies, and a clearer view of the various policy approaches to countering the spread of radicalism in current and future settings and relevant policy recommendations.

We just hope that whatever the outputs of this anti-terrorism conference are, they will quickly be put in action, and not just remain glowing words about solving terrorism and later be forever shelved in the archives of our national library.*