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Quest Means Business

UN Passes Anti-Terror Resolution; Obama Calls for Global Ebola Response; Ghana's Key Role in Ebola Response; UN Security Council Discusses Terror Threat; French Citizen Beheaded in Algeria; Europe Trying to Curb Extremists

Aired September 24, 2014 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE CLOSING BELL)

RICHARD QUEST, HOST: The minister for foreign trade and development of the Netherlands rings the closing bell on Wall Street as global stock

markets close. The Dow at the end of the session, the Dow is up over 100 points. That's the view on Wall Street.

Across town in New York, the United Nations Security Council has just passed a draft resolution aimed at stopping violent extremism and stopping

the flow of militant fighters. It is Wednesday, it's the 24th of September.

Tonight, a powerful show of unity at the UN aimed at stopping the recruitment and global movement of terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If there was ever a challenge in our interconnected world that cannot be met by one nation

alone, it is this: terrorists crossing borders and threatening to unleash unspeakable violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: Also in this hour, Ghana's agreed to be front and center of the Ebola relief effort. I'll be joined here in the studio by the

president of Ghana.

I'm Richard Quest, we're live in New York.

Good evening. The global community has adopted a united front today against the wave of ISIS violence. The UN Security Council unanimously

approved a resolution aimed at countering the growing threat of foreign terrorist fighters. President Obama is chairing the meeting, said the

fight against terror must go beyond military action.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: This resolution recognizes that there is no military solution to the problem of misguided individuals seeking to join terrorist

organizations, and it therefore calls on nations to work together to counter the violent extremism that can radicalize, recruit, and mobilize

individuals to engage in terrorism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: Now, that was the president speaking at the Security Council. Earlier at the General Assembly, Mr. Obama warned the international

community has failed to keep pace with global issues like ISIS, Russia, and Ebola.

And if there was needed to be any reminder of the situation and the severity, gravity of what's being faced, it all happened on the day a

French tourist was beheaded by what are thought to be ISIS-affiliated militants in Nigeria. And the president of France, Francois Hollande,

vowed to press on in the fight against ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): France will never give in to blackmail, to pressure, to barbaric acts. Quite to

the contrary, France knows what is expected. It knows that it carries these values. It knows that it has a role to play, and France will never

renounce this role. And the fight against terrorism will be pursued and it will be accelerated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: What you're going to find over the course of the next hour is that we will keep taking you to the United Nations as we're going to go

there straightaway, where the king of Jordan is now about to speak to --

(CROSSTALK)

KING ABDULLAH, JORDAN: It is the fight of our times. Success requires a united struggle, backed up by strong resources. Success also

requires a holistic approach. Transnational terror grows on the back of crises, grievances, and sectarian conflict.

Winning hearts and minds requires a strong stand against marginalization, poverty, and exclusion. In parallel with security

measures, there must be diplomacy, development, job creation, education, and more.

A second key principle is immediate action. The new breed of extremism is recruiting worldwide through social media and covert

partnerships. The more resource-rich territory they hold, the more self- perpetuating they become. Time is of the essence. We have started taking action, and the coalition must see this through.

The third requirement is transparency. These groups rely for their survival on international transactions and support. Mr. President, there

has to be a zero-tolerance policy to any country, organization, or individual that facilitates, supports, or finances terror groups or

provides weapons or promotes propaganda, whether through media outlets or misusing religious clerics that incites and helps recruit fighters to these

terrorist groups.

Compliance must also be absolute. Countries cannot comply on one theater while making mischief in an other. Senior figures in every

religion and country must speak out against intolerance and distortion.

I and others have made clear that ISIS and related ideologies are in no way related to Islam. Nor should we permit any form of Islamophobia.

Jordan has taken a lead in interfaith initiatives and we are working now on introducing a Security Council resolution that will address the systematic

targeting of religious communities.

The world must also act as one to help solve global injustices. We cannot underestimate the recruitment power of a sense of exclusion from

basic human rights.

First and foremost is a just resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. A united global voice is equally vital in supporting an

inclusive political solution in Syria. And in Iraq, we are encouraged to see a solid start for an inclusive new government that will fight terrorist

efforts to exploit sectarianism.

Finally, I hope that there will be a global call to action to support countries like my own at the forefront of the fight. Jordan is a critical

linchpin of stability. Our borders stand secure with terror threats on two fronts.

And just this week, we foiled yet another terrorist operation against our country. And of course, we remain a major shock absorber for massive

refugee flights from Syria. But we are holding up these critical responsibilities under enormous economic pressures.

QUEST: King Abdullah of Jordan, there, with a powerful call for cooperation, coordination, coalition, reminding everybody that Jordan is on

the forefront, is right at the nature of the attacks and stands to be not only one of those on the front line -- there's His Majesty just finishing -

- but also feels the effect from the enormous number of refugees going across the border.

Let me tell you as the Council's meeting, as the 69th UN General Assembly continues, we've got the Security Council and we've got the

General Assembly.

We are expecting to hear in the Security Council in the next half hour or so from the British prime minister David Cameron, the Australian prime

minister Tony Abbott, the Russian foreign affairs minister, of course, Sergey Lavrov. We're expecting all that and we'll bring them to you as and

when we hear from them.

Now, the resolution approved a short time ago, this is the document here, it calls for a legally-binding three-pronged attack on terror groups

like ISIS. First, it requires the disruption of the finances. Then second, countries have to introduce national laws to prevent extremist

fighters from traveling to conflicts around the world.

And finally, they have to limit access to online resources used to spread extremist messages and recruit new members. In some appalling

cases, such as the transmission and broadcast of the beheading videos.

Our senior UN correspondent Richard Roth joins us now with the latest on the meeting. Richard, you've covered the United Nations for many years.

There's not many occasions where you get not just unanimity, but where they are speaking as one at the same time. This isn't begrudging, what they're

doing here.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT: No. And President Obama said it was only the sixth time that such a session at a

high level Security Council meeting had been held. He chaired one on climate change in 2009.

This was a day of President Obama sort of acting as the leader of the free world, as Washington likes to say, in both chambers, very strong,

aggressive remarks pointed at Arab countries, at ISIS, at all groups, Russia -- he's been everywhere holding nothing back.

And here at this meeting, as you mention, by a 15-to-nothing vote, the Security Council adopted an internationally legally-binding resolution that

compels countries to stop the flow of foreign fighters, people who get caught up in the movement, the violent ideology, as President Obama put it,

and head to Syria to fight for ISIS and perhaps in other parts of the world.

There should be under this resolution much more cooperation, more new laws criminalizing the behavior, stopping the funding of groups that help

ISIS. These types of elements, Richard.

QUEST: And it is the extent of the cooperation and the coalition building that is really quite remarkable here. But we have to look at

those countries that are begrudging. I'm thinking now, of course, Russia in one respect. Clearly didn't abstain, didn't veto this resolution, but

they have serious reservations, as we've heard from Putin, on the actions being taken.

ROTH: Yes, the timing of this -- of the resolution vote coming just a day or so after the airstrikes in Syria. This meeting had been planned for

weeks. The US, I think, said this was -- the attacks were not timed to coincide with the General Assembly session.

It was interesting. I don't think it was Foreign Minister Lavrov at the table, unless my eyes are fatigued. I thought it was Russian

Ambassador Churkin who put his hand in the air for the vote. Perhaps Moscow not wanting to put its highest-level delegate here. But it will be

very interesting to hear what whoever speaks for Russia in the coming hour, what they say.

Argentina used the occasion to support the group that everybody was talking well, but took up a lot of time talking about vulture banks, as

Argentina is in the midst --

QUEST: Right.

ROTH: -- of a huge court war with American bondholders, American banks. So, Russia definitely will be watched closely.

QUEST: Richard, it's an extraordinary day of events, not just because it's the US president. But this also happens while the action -- military

action and the Syrian strikes taking place. And it happens when the beheading is announced, the atrocity, the grossness of that. You couldn't

put this in one place.

ROTH: That is totally true. Even though you're across town, you have captured it perfectly. Last year seemed busy with Iran and Syria chemical

weapons that were big stories. This is all over. And there's an Ebola meeting tomorrow, plus that topic, and Iran nuclear talks and Middle East

and what will the Palestinian leader say on Friday.

They're all over the place, different corridors, different meeting rooms. Cameron of UK meeting with Iran's leader, Rouhani, first meeting at

that level since 1979.

And as you mention, the beheading, the French president Hollande at this special terrorism meeting began his remarks by saying this terrible

thing, this assassination, the beheading of a French citizen in Algeria, the beheading video released probably to time out with this foreign

fighters terrorism resolution vote.

QUEST: It shows maybe that ISIS has learned more than a few lessons in terms of their own PR and strategy themselves. Richard, thank you for

joining us. Come back to us the moment, please, the moment there's more to report from the Security Council at the United Nations.

When we come back in a moment, Richard alluded to the fact that Ebola is also on the agenda. Let's remember the CDC has suggested there could be

half a million Ebola infections by January of next year. We're going to go to a break in a moment, and then we'll also come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Welcome back. The world needs a broader effort to stop the spread of Ebola. That was President Obama's message to world leaders

today. The disease has claimed more than 2,800 lives so far.

If you look at the map, you'll get a chance and see exactly just where the deaths have taken place, the size and scale of the problem. And if you

look at the cost of the share of the general of the -- of the GDP of the countries involved, you're starting to get an idea that even if the best

prognosis is followed, it still makes for an appalling situation.

If the worst prognosis comes to fruition, then it's catastrophic, which is why the US president warned the outbreak could kill hundreds of

thousands more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: It's easy to see this is a distant problem until it is not. And that is why we will continue to mobilize other countries to join us in

making concrete commitments, significant commitments to fight this outbreak and enhance our system of global health security for the long term.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUEST: Now, Ghana's expected to play a central role in the whole area of this international force against and response to the crisis. The

Ghanaian president is John Dramani Mahama. Mr. President, thank you, sir, for joining us.

JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA, PRESIDENT OF GHANA: Thank you, Richard.

QUEST: You've criticized some of the measures being taken, particularly the travel restrictions. But you can see why.

MAHAMA: Yes. Initially, there was a panic response to Ebola. It was a new disease in West Africa, and people didn't understand the way it was

spread. And so their initial responses were knee-jerk. And so there were border closures, there was suspension of airline flights. I think that now

we have a better understanding of the disease. Our response should be more measured.

QUEST: More measured, but some -- you saw the CDC yesterday saying if this doesn't get on top of it, you're looking at half a million infections.

MAHAMA: Yes, that's a worst-case scenario if the world did nothing. But the world is beginning to do something, and so the worst-case scenario

is not likely to play out.

QUEST: The world's not doing enough, in some views. What do you think, sir?

MAHAMA: The initial response was very slow, but I think that it's picked up. I visited Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone just about a week

and a half ago, and the treatment centers are beginning to come up, the isolation centers are coming up. The governments have done a lot of work

in putting in place screening procedures to ensure that they don't allow people to infect others.

QUEST: If we look at the map, you see that your country is just a country and a half away --

MAHAMA: Yes.

QUEST: -- from it. You're just Cote d'Ivoire away from one of the most-infected countries. You've got Nigeria on the other side of you. And

if it goes over the top to Burkina Faso, you're also in trouble here. How can you prevent the escalation into your country?

MAHAMA: The World Health Organization has come with guidelines for our response to Ebola in terms of putting in place screening procedures and

creating quarantine stations and getting prepared in case there's an eventuality.

One of the most important instruments a country needs to have is surveillance, tracking, and tracing. To -- if an infected person came into

the country, to be able to tell who he met and be able to quarantine those people as quickly as possible.

That's what Nigeria did successfully. And today, I think Nigeria can say that it has successfully eliminated Ebola.

QUEST: Are you as confident as you can be -- don't worry, I'm not going to throw these words against you in six months' time -- but as you

and I talk today on Wednesday, are you as confident as you can be that Ghana is safe?

MAHAMA: With the response that is taking place, Ghana offered the base for the operations of the new UN mission, and we expect that while the

UN mission is being carried out, we would also benefit from the technical experience in terms of screening and protecting our population.

QUEST: Mr. President, I need to say thank you, sir, because we need to return immediately to the UN Security Council. The British prime

minister, David Cameron, is speaking.

DAVID CAMERON, PRIME MINISTER OF BRITAIN: It is literally medieval in its character. The appalling murder of the French citizen, Herve Gourdel,

is the latest horror, and the French president and the French people have all our sympathies.

But one of the most disturbing aspects is how this conflict is sucking in our own young people from modern, prosperous societies, and the threat

to our security from foreign fighters is far greater today than it's every been in previous conflicts. And I pay tribute to President Obama for his

personal leadership on this critical issue.

It is an issue that affects us all. The overall figures have been given. But let me say that from my own country, it is 500 of these

fanatics have gone to Syria and Iraq. And the shocking murders of James Foley, Steven Sotloff, and David Haines by a fighter with an apparent

British accent underlines the sinister, direct nature of this threat.

British people are sickened that a British citizen -- a British citizen -- could be involved in murdering people, including a fellow

British citizen, who had gone to Syria to help people in this way. It is the very opposite of what our peaceful, tolerant country stands for.

So, we need a response that involves every part of government and society and every country involved in the widest possible international

coalition. There are no easy answers or quick fixes, and I believe we'll be dealing with the effects of this threat for years.

Because as has been said, this is not just about ISIL, it's about al- Shabaab, it's about Boko Haram, it's about al Qaeda. Everywhere there is conflict, everywhere there is poor governance, the poisonous narrative of

Islamist extremism has taken hold.

But I believe there are three things that we can do. First, we must reinforce our counter-terrorist efforts to prevent attacks and hunt down

those who are planning them.

For our part in the United Kingdom, we're introducing new powers to strengthen our ability to seize passports and stop suspects from traveling,

to allow us to temporarily prevent some British nationals getting back into the country.

To ensure that airlines comply with our no-fly lists and security screening arrangements, and to enable our police and security services to

apply for stronger locational constraints on those remaining in the UK, but who pose a risk.

But second, and I believe crucially, we must defeat the poisonous ideology of extremism that is the root cause of this terrorist threat.

Yes, there are the websites and the preachers of violence and violent extremism, and of course, those must be taken down.

But as the evidence emerges about the backgrounds of those convicted of terrorist offenses, it is clear that many of them were initially

influenced by preachers who claim not to encourage violence, but whose worldview can be used as a justification for it.

And we know what this worldview is: the peddling of lies that 9/11 was a Jewish plot, or the 7/7 London attacks were staged. The idea that

Muslims are persecuted all over the world as a deliberate act of Western policy. The concept of inevitable clash of civilization.

We must be clear that to defeat the ideology of extremism, we need to deal with all forms of extremism, not just violent extremism. That means

banning preachers of hate from coming to our countries. It means proscribing organizations that incite terrorism against people at home and

abroad.

It means stopping extremists, whether violent or non-violent, from inciting hatred and intolerance in our schools, in our universities, and

even sometimes in our prisons. In other words, firm, decisive action to protect and uphold the values of our free and democratic societies.

And as has been said, we need to provide an alternative narrative, particularly for these young people. I was particularly struck by what you

said, Secretary-General, that missiles can kill terrorists, but governance can kill terrorism.

And we have to say again and again that this has nothing to do with the religion of Islam, a religion of peace, and we need Muslim country

after Muslim country, and Muslim leader after Muslim leader to speak out as the king of Jordan did so clearly today, by condemning these people that

say they speak in the name of Islam when they do no such thing.

Third and finally, as well as the action we each take individually in our own countries, we must do much more working together to defeat this

threat. The defeat of ISIL will only come about if we use all of the weapons at our disposal.

Yes, sanctions against ISIL and al-Nusra, and I believe we should do more. But we must use our aid to feed and help the afflicted. We must use

our diplomacy and political settlements to strengthen the countries of the region. And we need governments that represent all of their people and,

yes, deal with their grievances.

The United Kingdom is committed to meeting this challenge. Only a coherent, coordinated response can tackle what is truly a global and

indiscriminate threat. It must be one part of a comprehensive strategy we have to dismantle and destroy ISIL.

Our strategy must work in tandem with Arab states, always in support of local people, in line with our legal obligations, and as part of a plan

that involves our aid, our diplomacy, and yes, our military. We need to act, and we need to act now. Thank you.

OBAMA: I think His Excellency, Prime Minister Cameron for his statement. I give --

(CROSSTALK)

QUEST: There we have David Cameron.

OBAMA: -- the floor now to His Excellency Mr. Tony Abbott --

QUEST: And now, let's go straight to Tony Abbott from Australia.

TONY ABBOTT, PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA: Well, I'm happy to be here at your urging, Mr. President. It is the weightiest of matters that brings

us together today.

And right now, thousands of misguided people from around the world are joining terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq because they claim Islam is

under threat and because they're excited by the prospect of battle.

But whatever they think or say, these terrorists aren't fighting for God or for religious faith. At the heart of every terrorist group is an

infatuation with death. What else can explain the beheadings, crucifixions, mass executions, rapes, and sexual slavery in every town and

city that's fallen to the terrorist movement now entrenched in eastern Syria and northern Iraq.

A terrorist movement calling itself Islamic State insults Islam and it mocks the duties of a legitimate state towards its citizens. And to use

this term is to dignify a death cult. A death cult that in declaring itself a caliphate has declared war on the world.

So countries do need to work together to defeat it, because about 80 nations have citizens fighting with ISIL, and every country is a potential

target. Last week, an Australian operative in Syria instructed his local network to conduct demonstration killings. And this week, an Australian

terror suspect savagely attacked two policemen.

Now, it's hard to imagine that citizens of a pluralist democracy could have succumbed to such delusions, yet clearly, they have. The Australian

government will be utterly unflinching towards anything that threatens our future as a free, fair, and multicultural society, a beacon of hope, and

exemplar of unity in diversity.

Already, more than 60 Australians are fighting with ISIL and al-Nusra. More than 60 Australians have had their passports suspended to prevent them

from joining terrorist groups in the Middle East.

QUEST: And there we leave for the moment the Security Council. The leaders echoing pretty much each other in terms of not only their

commitment to work together -- Tony Abbott, there, of course, has made it quite clear that Australia will play its part in providing facilities,

resources, and military assistance in the fight against ISIS. We've also heard from David Cameron.

Let me now bring you up to date on another matter. We have a disturbing development from Algeria to report tonight. A video appearing

to show a French tourist being beheaded has now been posted online, and as was said by the French president at the United Nations, France has

confirmed it was Herve Gourdel, who was kidnapped on Sunday in the eastern part of Algiers.

The video is titled "A Message of Blood for the French Government." A group of armed men behead Gourdel and are heard pledging allegiance to the

leader of ISIS.

Authorities across Europe are now trying to stop militants of European origin from returning home to carry out acts of terror. Not only in the

United Nations today, of course, did the resolution try to prevent the outflow of terrorists and freedom -- so-called freedom fighters, but now,

how to prevent them returning home if they do go to other countries.

CNN's Atika Shubert visited the headquarters of Europol, the European law enforcement agency.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got attacked by a coalition of America and some Arab countries.

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This masked fighter speaks in Dutch and English as he walks through the damage

from coalition airstrikes in Idlib, promising to take revenge.

(MISSILE LAUNCHING)

SHUBERT: A number of foreign fighters were reportedly killed in the attacks. But now, as strikes continue, there are worries that foreign

fighters may attempt to return home by illegal means, undetected.

ROB WAINWRIGHT, DIRECTOR, EUROPOL: We're very concerned about the way in which they're able to travel across Europe in multiple forms from

multiple routes to reach Syria. And of course, mostly concerned about the way in which their experience in Syria and Iraq radicalized them to such a

point that they will come home and pose a clear terrorist threat.

SHUBERT: Europol, the coordinating body for law enforcement in Europe, has just finished Operation Archimedes. It's the largest assault

on organized crime involving more than 30 nations. Over the course of nine days, at least 10,000 illegal migrants were checked. More than 107 were

arrested for people smuggling. But Europol says more cooperation is needed to meet the challenge.

WAINWRIGHT: There are difficulties and challenges involved, and that's why the international police community have to work in a concerted

way, to share their information across borders, to engage in multiple cross-border operations so that we can take the most suspicious of these

travelers, who have a clear intent to carry out terrorist activities.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we will keep on fighting the enemies.

SHUBERT: Like this fighter, already thousands from Europe are believed to have traveled to Syria and Iraq to fight. Now, countries are

grappling with the problem not only of preventing them from going, but what to do when they return.

Atika Shubert, CNN, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: Africa is in the spotlight at the United Nations General Assembly. The continent's facing a rising threat from Islamist terror

groups. As QUEST MEANS BUSINESS comes back, I'll discuss security with the finance minister of Uganda.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Hello, I'm Richard Quest. There's more "Quest Means Business" in just a moment. This is CNN, and here the network where the news always

comes first. U.N. Security Council has unanimously passed a resolution designed to fight back against terrorist activities. U.S. President Barack

Obama whose chairing the meeting, said military solutions alone could not stop extremists and that nations must work together to stop individuals

form joining militant groups.

The Islamist militants in Algeria have released a video which appears to show the beheading of a French tourist kidnapped over the weekend. A

group of armed men are shown to murder Herve Gourdel and then they pledge allegiance to the leader of ISIS. The French President Francois Hollande

said France would continue its fight against extremists.

President Obama and President Hollande remind the leaders who have called for greater international cooperation in the battle against Ebola.

Speaking to me on "Quest Means Business" a moment ago, the president of Ghana said the initial response to the crisis was slow. He's confident now

that West Africa will be able to contain the epidemic.

The Iranian President Rouhani has met with British Prime Minister David Cameron at the U.N. President Rouhani tweeted out a picture of them

shaking hands. Number 10 Downing Street said it was the first such meeting between these heads of government since 1979. David Cameron is recalling

Parliament in the U.K. on Friday to discuss the response to ISIS and to seek possible authority for the British to join in airstrikes.

The radical preacher Abu Qatada has been acquitted of terrorism charges and released by a court in Jordan. The 53-year-old was accused of

plotting to bomb millennium celebrations in Jordan in 2000. The Jordanian court cleared him of those charges. Qatada was deported from Britain last

year after a long legal battle. British officials say he will not be allowed back to the U.K.

Straight to the United Nations Security Council - the Russian foreign minister is speaking.

SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, VIA INTERPRETER: -- reported as a crime is fueled by drug trafficking at cease oil fields and extremist

ideas including on a faith and ethnic basis. Terrorism penetrates the fiber of regional conflicts. ISIL and other terrorist units/groups have

long come of age in the Middle East. They have acquired additional capacities for their criminal activities and the conditions where not

without citizens from outside, they're a weakening state institutions. And due to the support of varying outside sponsors, having regained a strength

extremist groups jeopardize the future of entire states as is clearly seen from Iraq, Syria, Libya and Lebanon, Yemen, Mali and the Central Republic

are being hit. Russia's consistently advocated building up international cooperation to curb terrorism in any form and abandoning double standards

and dividing terrorists into good and bad terrorists. We need all states to consciously implement their resolutions and decisions of the U.N.

Security Council that call for ending incitement to terrorism and closing off all channels of illegal oil trafficking and establish sanctions against

the Taliban in Acarta (ph) and also that prohibit the dissemination of weapons from Libya.

We supported the resolution 2170 that is aimed at ratcheting up the sanctions pressure on terrorists that are operating in Syria and Iraq.

These examples reaffirm the ability of the Security Council to agree on fundamentally important issues and to take agreed decisions, relying on the

U.N. Charter. After the intervention in Iraq at a bombing of Libya and support from outside of anti-Saud extremists in Syria, the problem of

foreign terrorist fighters has seriously worsened. Those that are fighting in the ranks of terrorism organizations - countries -- in the Middle East,

Africa and in the Afghan/Pakistan boundary area. Here we need a comprehensive approach when it comes to financial, administrative,

sociological components of this issue. And also that would ensure respect for the sovereignty of all states. We support that the initiative of the

U.S. presidency and the Security Council to adopt a resolution that is aimed at choking off any activities of foreign terrorist fighters.

At the same time we would like to caution against the temptation to narrow down the problem because the Islamic state with its inhuman ideology

and revolting executions of journalists, is not at all the only sole threat to the region. There is a need to comprehensively consider the problems of

terrorism in all its dimensions in the area of the Middle East and state (ph) North Africa.

We propose to establish under U.N. auspices a representative forum involving countries of the region, the African Union, the League of Arab

States, the permanent five members of the U.N. Security Council and other stakeholders. The agenda of this forum also should address long-standing

conflicts, the primary of them being the Israeli conflict. It is specific that a failure to resolve these Palestinian issue for many decades that is,

according to a widely-held viewpoint, one of the primary reasons enabling terrorists to receive moral support and to recruit ever-new members into

their ranks.

We call upon - we call for - looking at the deep-rooted cause of the problems and avoid responding so late to their symptoms. We'll be prepared

to cooperate on an equitable basis beginning with a - an - honest joint analysis of the situation as to how this problem came up and how to work

our way out of this chaos. Thank you for your attention.

BARACK OBAMA, U.S. PRESIDENT: Thank you His Excellency Minister Lavrov for his statement. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Wang

Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China.

QUEST: And there we have the words of His Excellency --

Female: Mr. President -

QUEST: -- Mr. Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. We're now going to rejoin our colleagues at CNN in the United States.

END