|
Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors, at their meeting in Washington last weekend, put up a united front against the financing of terrorism. That was only to be expected amid the ongoing international campaign against terrorism and the growing gloom that grips the world economy in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the United States. Symbolic of their common resolve to block the financing of terrorists was an unusual joint press conference the G-7 finance ministers gave at the end of the meeting.
"We pledge to work together to deliver real results in combating the scourge of the financing of terrorism," the ministers said, referring to an "integrated, comprehensive action plan" they have developed to choke off funds to terrorists and their associates. The statement is a strong signal to the world financial markets that the G-7 industrialized countries, working in tandem with other countries, are ready for a coordinated crackdown on terrorist financing networks.
Blocking terrorist funds is an integral part of the multisided campaign against terrorism, including diplomatic and other nonmilitary efforts to attack its roots. If military action is designed to produce tangible results quickly by destroying terrorist targets, financial action is a slow-motion process of drying up the financial resources of terrorist organizations. In the long run, fund cutoffs may prove more effective than military sanctions.
That is why the action plan is of such importance. The question is how to make it work. For a start, it is essential to put into effect as soon as possible the U.N. Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Financing. Thus far only one G-7 country, France, has ratified the treaty. Japan and other G-7 partners should do the same quickly. It is imperative to freeze the assets and funds of all terrorists around the world and to severely punish those involved in the transfer and payment or receipt of terrorist funds.
In reality, however, tracking all assets held by or linked to terrorists and their associates will be easier said than done. In many cases, funds raised through legal business activities are channeled to terrorists through secret conduits, such as dummies in tax havens. It is money-laundering in reverse. Since the basic method — concealing the origin of money — is the same, the knowledge and experience gained from tracking drug money should help stanch the flow of funds to terrorists.
There are other ways to mount a successful financial battle against terrorism. Essentially, success hinges on the close cooperation of all financial agencies and institutions concerned, including supervisory authorities, investigative and intelligence agencies, and banks where terrorist agents may hold accounts under fictitious names. In this regard, the G-7 communique says the Financial Action Task Force, the Paris-based organization that cracks down on money laundering, should play a vital role.
The G-7 action plan also calls on all countries to set up a "terrorist asset-tracking center" or similar mechanism to share information concerning terrorist financing on a cross-border basis. Japan should cooperate positively. In particular, it should work closely with Southeast Asian countries to reinforce regional efforts to fight the funding of terrorist activities.
The darkening global economic outlook is no less a serious concern than the scourge of terrorist financing. The Sept. 11 attacks have spooked world financial markets and pushed the global economy to the brink of recession. In a concerted effort to shore up confidence and growth, the U.S., Europe and Japan have all cut interest rates. The U.S., meanwhile, is preparing a large spending package to stimulate its flagging economy.
Compared with the specific pledges they made in the fight against terrorism, however, the G-7 countries showed themselves to be less united on the economic front. They expressed a strong determination to stave off a global downturn. But there was no agreement on specific steps to be taken, because of differences in their domestic economic conditions and in their fiscal and monetary latitude.
In a bilateral meeting prior to the G-7 session, Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa and U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill agreed that the world's two largest economies should cooperate closely to maintain global growth. Japan's options are severely limited, however, given its zero interest rates and crushing debt burden. Basically, Japan has only one choice: to keep up its efforts for structural reforms, the key to lasting economic recovery. It is essential, therefore, to speed up the cleanup of bad bank debts, which are putting a heavy drag on domestic growth.
The Japan Times: Oct. 11, 2001
(C) All rights reserved
|
米国同時多発テロ以後、国際社会の反テロ活動が始まり、世界同時不況への懸念が高まる中、ワシントンで開催された先進7ヵ国(G7)財務相・中央銀行総裁会議は、テロ資金封じ込めに向けて結束を示した。その決意の表れは異例のG7財務相共同記者会見で、｢テロ資金との闘いに実のある結果をもたらすために協力を誓う｣として、包括的な行動計画を発表した。共同声明によりG7は、他国に働きかけてテロ資金のネットワークを根絶する覚悟であるという強力なメッセージを世界金融市場に対し発信した。
テロリストの資金源根絶は、外交や非軍事面の努力とともに、世界規模の反テロ対策の要である。軍事行動がテロリストの拠点破壊により迅速に目に見える結果を出す活動なら、金銭面での行動はテロ組織の資金源を枯渇させる、進展の遅いプロセスである。長い目で見れば軍事行動より資金枯渇作戦の方が効果的だ。
問題はいかにこの重要な行動計画を成功させるかである。まず国連テロ資金供与防止条約の早期批准が不可欠だが、唯一の批准国フランスに倣いG7諸国も速やかに批准すべきだ。世界中のテロリストの資産を凍結し、テロ資金の送金、支払、受領に関与する者を厳しく罰するようにしなくてはならない。しかしテロリスト資産の追跡は、言うのは易く行うは難しいだ。追跡の成功は各国の金融機関、金融当局、捜査当局の緊密な協力にかかっている。金融活動作業部会が資金洗浄防止に大きな役割を果たすことになろう。
G7の行動計画はまた、国境を越えて動くテロ資金情報の共有のため、｢テロ資金追跡センター｣を設立するよう各国に求めている。日本は東南アジア諸国との協力の下、積極的に関与しなくてはならない。
同時多発テロは世界の金融市場を震撼させ、世界経済を同時不況の瀬戸際まで追いつめた。市場の信頼と成長を下支えするため、日米欧諸国は軒並み利下げを実施した。米国は大規模な景気刺激策の準備を進めている。しかしテロとの闘いへの結束を示したG7も、世界同時不況を回避する決意を表明しただけで、その具体策に至る合意が得られなかった。
塩川財務相とオニール米財務長官はG7会議に先立って行った会談で、世界経済成長の維持のために日米の緊密な協力が必要であることで合意した。しかし日本の選択肢は一つしかない。持続的景気回復の鍵である構造改革推進の努力を続け、国内経済成長の足かせとなっている銀行の不良債権の早期処理を進めることだ。
The Japan Times Weekly
Oct. 20, 2001
(C) All rights reserved
|
●英字新聞社ジャパンタイムズによる英語学習サイト。英語のニュース、よみもの、リスニングなどのコンテンツを無料で提供。無料見本紙はこちら
