01 February 2005	Tuesday	21 Zilhaj 1425

ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: Saudi Arabia is organizing a four-day 'International Conference on Countering Terrorism' in Riyadh from February 5, said the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, Ali Asseri.

"The problem of terrorism is not confined to a few countries. It is an international phenomenon that has engulfed the world, and many countries have become a target of this menace," said the ambassador.

It was the first international conference of this scale to discuss this dangerous phenomenon and strive for developing a mechanism that could help the international community deal with this menace, he said.

"Over the last many years, Saudi Arabia has also been a target of the terrorists," said Mr Asseri. "The conference will prove to be a historic step towards countering terrorism," the ambassador said.

More than 50 countries, including the United States, are expected to attend the conference. The main objective of the conference was to highlight the Kingdom's role in fighting terrorism, he said.

The conference also aimed to bring to light the relationship between terrorism, drug trafficking, smuggling of weapons and money laundering. It would also focus on efforts made by some countries in countering terrorism and drawing lessons from their experiences, said Mr Asseri. APP