All is set for 3-day anti-terror confab

It's all systems go for the three-day First Counter-Terrorism Experts Conference that will formally start tomorrow, April 20, at Shangri-la Mactan Island Resort, Lapu-Lapu City.

Ambassador Benjamin Defensor Jr., the conference chairman, said that about 160 prominent personalities from over 30 countries have promised to attend, headed by ambassadors and ministers of embassies in the Philippines as well as other officials.

President Gloria Arroyo was the one who announced this three-day workshop of CTEC during the ASEAN leader's meeting with US Pres. George W. Bush in the APEC Leaders Summit in Busan, South Korea, last November.

The president is also expected to grace the affair as the keynote speaker.

Strengthening the networking with other participating countries in the global fight against terrorism is one of the key objectives of the three-day conference.

Defensor, in a press conference yesterday, said that the conference will be to extensively explore a realistic middle ground to counter-terrorism, a strategic policy response that is developmental in nature, takes into account sub-regional approaches, rationalizes capacity building, addresses peculiar causes and conditions and allows developing countries to strike a balance between receiving counter-terrorism assistance and protecting their cultures and religions.

At the end of the conference, participants are expected to come up with a concluding declaration, to be called "Cebu Concord," establishing the common counter-terrorism position of experts, particularly on the "middle way" for those that live with and take direct responsibility for dealing with the threat.

Defensor explained that there were so many conferences on anti-terrorism that have been held all over the world but the one to be held in the Philippines is the first for terrorism experts.

Defensor added that Shangri-la Mactan Island Resort and Spa was chosen as the venue of the conference as it is away from the hustle and bustle of nearby Cebu City. - Gregg M. Rubio