Spread democracy to fight terrorism

Spanish King Juan Carlos I (L), Queen Sofia (2L), Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero (2R) and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan (R) attend the International Summit on Democracy, Terrorism and Security in Madrid. Spain's King Juan Carlos on Thursday paid an emotional tribute to the victims of the Madrid train bombings last March, vowing that their suffering will never be forgotten. PHOTO: AFP

"A government can win a battle against terrorism, but the war is more difficult," Fernando Hernr-ique Cardoso, the former Brazilian president heading up the Club of Madrid which organised the conference on terrorism, told a media conference.

For that, democratic principles need to be upheld and developed in other countries, he said, presenting a document summarising the results of the three-day meeting that ended Thursday.

The text, titled the Madrid Agenda, said: "Ours is a call to action for leaders everywhere. An agenda for action for governments, institutions, civil society, the media and individuals. A global democratic response to the global threat of terrorism."

It also suggested that a similar conference be held on September 11 next year at a venue to be announced "to take stock of the progress made in realising the Madrid Agenda."

The date of that future symposium would coincide with the fifth anniversary of the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who unveiled a global strategy for fighting terror on the last day of the conference, appealed for nations to support a proposed fund to promote democracy around the world.

"We are going to need money, and that will have to come from governments," he said, calling on them "to give willingly so that we can tackle this scourge."