Of significant lectures which is taken by Turkey during counter terrorism process is the international cooperation which is the key to eradicate terror threat. It, as a country actively fighting against DAESH, is involve in the UN decisions (1373, 2178, 1267, 2170, and 2395…etc.) which are adopted to eradicate terrorism throughout the world. In that regard, the country is one of the leading and significant actors during particular processes of the UN. Especially, Turkey exerted utmost efforts to overcome particular problems related to finance of terrorism, recruitment of terrorist organizations, prevention of DAESH/ISIS’ ideology, etc. In that regard, Turkey, unlike many others, has given amendments as well as proposals while terrorism is a new phenomenon in others.
Turkey which has suffered from terror attacks for many years, has a strong collaboration with the UN Counter Terrorism Committee. In this committee, she aims to adopt effective decisions or amendments as well as regularly submit significant resolutions. In that regard, UN Security Council Resolution 1373[1] is adopted to prevent and detect terrorist funding. While this resolution is passed, Turkey approved the decision as a country affected by terrorism the most. This resolution is passed after 9/11 attack; however, Turkey’s efforts on counter-terrorism in the UN Agenda dates back to earlier times. Under these conditions, Turkey would be one of the countries using 1373 process effectively regardless of the risk cooling ties with the countries against this decision. Another significant decision which was taken after 9/11 attack is the UN Security Council Resolution 1390. While the resolution 1373 is about financing of terrorist groups, resolution 1390 focuses on the list of individual or groups related to terrorist ideology. In other words, it is significant to provide a list for regimes for combating terrorism. While those decisions were approved by the UN, Turkey was on the forefront in the international platform. Therefore, Turkey, among few countries, is mainly focusing on adopting certain UN Security Council resolution without delay. In that regard, the country conducting and pursuing effective policies through requesting from others to freeze financial assets associated with terrorism. Turkey’s this request has always been declared in the international platforms.
Turkey also actively participates in decision-making processes in the UN to eliminate Foreign Terrorist Fighters problem. Thus, it highly recommended significant transformation which is taking part in the literature and law. As a result of this recommendation, “foreign fighters” is changed with “foreign terrorist fighters” in the international platform and countries’ law procedure. In accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2178, “individuals suspected to have links to terrorist outfits which enter Turkish territory by illegal means are transferred to Deportation Centers and are subsequently expelled to their country of citizenship after notifying concerned officials of that country”[2]. Under these circumstances, Turkey established Risk Analysis Groups to detect those illegally passing borders. In the airports and terminals, these officials are intensely working to prevent those suspected individuals’ entry. Within this framework, Turkey mainly aims to promote and enhance the international cooperation to eradicate FTF flow among different countries.
After terror attacks of DAESH/ISIL targeting many countries, the UN Security Council adopted particular resolutions, 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011), 2253 (2015). Those resolutions are focusing on combat DAESH/ISIL, and relevant terrorist groups. These resolutions targets to take effective measures to stop terror threat. These measures include the following measures[1]:
- Freezing assets: all states ratified the decision shall freeze funds and other financial resources of designated individuals and terrorist organizations.
- Travel ban: all states ratified the decision shall prevent transit through and entry into designated terrorist groups or individuals.
- Arms embargo: all states ratified the decision shall avoid supplying as well as transferring arms to designated terrorist organizations or individuals.
After all efforts, UN Security Council adopted three significant resolutions related to terrorism finance. These resolutions, some of which are 1267 (1999), 1333 (2000) and 1373 (2001), 1456 (2003), 1566 (2004), 1624 (2005), 2178 (2014), state that who are in the list of the UN will not be allowed to travel.[2] These resolutions have focused on Recalling the relevant international counter-terrorism conventions and in particular the obligations of parties to those conventions to extradite or prosecute terrorist. Moreover, Resolution 1267, which is under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, is the first measure adopted by the UN Security Council to prevent terrorism through “use of sanctions”.[3] The resolution was adopted to strengthen previously taken measures that necessitate to prevent connection among designated individuals and groups. Under these conditions, those resolutions are modified and related to DAESH/ISIS threat. In that regard, Turkey has also put related regulations and laws into practice as well as ratifying international bilateral treaties in order to strengthen those UN Resolutions’ effect.
[1] Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities, United Nations Website, retrieved from https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267#sanction_measures
[2] Uyar, Tolga (2008), Combating Against the Financing of Terrorism in Turkey, ADMD Law Office, Retrieved
from http://www.admdlaw.com/combating-against-the-financing-of-terrorism-in-turkey/#.Xn22CS3BJQI.
[3] The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Concept, International Federation for Human RightsWebsite, retrieved from https://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/9.25_fidh_final_compressed.pdf
[1] For detailed information, see https://www.un.org/sc/ctc/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/technical_guide_2009.pdf
[2] Turkey’s Contributions to International Community’s Efforts to Fight Terrorism, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, retrieved from http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkey_s-contributions-to-international-community_s-efforts-to-fight-terrorism.en.mfa
[1] The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Concept, International Federation for Human RightsWebsite, retrieved from https://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/9.25_fidh_final_compressed.pdf
In 2014 when DAESH/ISIS took the attention of countries by attacking Iraq, the UN member states have focused on adopting resolutions to prevent the movement of DAESH/ISIS, delivery of weapons and funding to designated individuals or groups. In that regard, the UN Security Council Resolution 2170 adopted in the margin of counter DAESH/ISIS. In decision-making process, Turkey had a significant role despite the participation of plenty of countries. In other words, Turkey’s position in the UN Security Council represents a significant participation through its effective demands on counter-terrorism subject.
A brief glance at Turkey’s position in these decision-making processes states that the country has exerted an intensify efforts in an harmony with other UN member states to increase the efficiency of this international organization across world. Tis efforts is mainly focusing on two important dimensions: solving the paradigms leading security threats stemming from terrorism and producing strong commitments among member states to provide international peace and stability by eradicating terrorism through the UN Security Council resolutions as well as international treaties.
TURKEY'S FIGHT AGAINST DAESH/ISIL 