20 November 2004	Saturday	07 Shawwal 1425

KARACHI, Nov, 19: The Consul-General of Russian Federation, Vladimir Mikhaylov, on Friday called for collective efforts to tackle the threat of terrorism the world over and said that aggression against Iraq was condemnable.

Speaking at the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology on "Struggle against Terrorism", he said that military action against Iraq by some countries was condemnable because it had caused many problems through out the world.

Mr Mikhaylov said that in order to deal with the menace of terrorism, it was essential to define its parameters and then formulate a strategy for banishing this menace from the world.

He made it clear that Moscow was not supportive of Saddam because he was not a democratic leader yet the military action against Iraq by some countries (he did not name the USA or the UK) was not justified and therefore condemnable.

The Russian Consul-General said that social problems, backwardness and aggressive approach of the state were the main causes of terrorism. In this context, he cited experiences of Pakistan and his country and referred to Pakistan's military action in South Waziristan and Moscow's fight in Chechneya against "terrorists", who he alleged were supported by some foreigners.

He claimed that a non-governmental organization Al-Harmain used to spend US$ 50 million annually, one third of which allegedly was siphoned out for activities in Chechneya. He also claimed that many al-Qaida activists belonging to different countries were involved in terrorist activities in Chechenya.

He further said that people who hijacked a school in Baslan, Russia, were also foreigners and even could not speak Russian or any other local language. He claimed that terrorist organizations were luring uneducated people through sensational slogans and in the name of religion. The consul-general maintained that 95 per cent Russian Muslims were living peacefully and only five per cent were involved in such terrorist activities.