R EPUBLIC
P ERMANENT M ISSION OF THE A ZERBAIJAN TO THE U NITED N ATIONS
OF
prevent and combat the scourge. The absence of a clear definition of terrorism in international law hampers the efforts of the international community to bring to account not only individual terrorists and organizations but also States that promote, support or finance terrorist activities. In that regard, Azerbaijan stresses the importance of reaching agreement on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism to serve as an effective instrument to combat terrorism. Achieving agreement on a definition of terrorism and a convention on international terrorism could effectively address some outstanding issues, including the issue of getting States to refrain from organizing, financing, encouraging, providing training or otherwise directly or indirectly supporting terrorist activities. Such an agreement should precede open and holistic discussions on the root causes of terrorism. We need to pay due attention to that issue within the ongoing international efforts, including through United Nations mechanisms, to address issues of social and economic development and education. Low levels of education, coupled with economic hardships, are factors that facilitate the work of terrorist propaganda, which is often promulgated through misinterpretations of religions. The war on terrorism should not be used to target any particular religion or culture. Today, we are living at a time of heightened religious awareness, which in certain instances takes on exaggerated forms and sometimes is maliciously exploited to fuel conflicts on ethnic, religious or cultural grounds. In recent years, the unacceptable “Islamophobia� emerging in some countries confirms the vital necessity of joint efforts and dialogue to counter instances of defamation and misconceptions. Azerbaijan does its best to contribute to the dialogue among civilizations. Our country hosts numerous events aimed at creating a better understanding among representatives of various religions. Azerbaijan is a multinational, multi-confessional country, where people of many nationalities and practitioners of all religions live together in peace and harmony. The multicultural dialogue we enjoy in our country can serve as an example of the peaceful coexistence of
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