thr 036                                                               


Press-UN-Terrorism    /GNR/                                           


   Only massive campaign can wipe out global terrorism: daily        


Tehran, Sept 18, IRNA -- `Iran News' on Tuesday warned that terrorism 


has become the scourge of the contemporary world and can only be      


eradicated by a massive worldwide campaign, because of its close      


integration into the political machinery of many countries, where it  


has cultural roots.                                                   


    The English-language daily was noting on the repercussions of the 


worst terrorist attack on US civilian targets in history which        


continues to reverberate across the globe while the awesome American  


war machine prepares to go into action against the Taliban in         


Afghanistan,", stating that "a three day stay of execution has been   


agreed with Pakistan who may still secure the surrender of Osama bin  


Laden, the chief suspect in the `act of war' against America.         


    Elaborating on the dire need to eliminate terrorism, the paper    


however believed that no one nation, be it the US, Russia or the EU,  


can wipe out the threat of terrorism, because of its being a global   


network.                                                              


    "The Taliban and bin Laden are no exception, although there is a  


broad consensus to end the spate of terrorist attacks in recent       


years," it said.                                                      


    The only body which is fully capable of executing a major         


operation to eliminate terrorism is the United Nation, stressed the   


daily. But the UN Secreatay General Kofi Annan has somehow failed to  


face up to the challenge, decried the daily.                          


    Although the paper contended that Annan has been, "eclipsed by    


events", international public opinion has high expectations of the UN 


chief to diffuse the crisis.                                          


    The need of the hour is "sense and reason" to dampen the furor and


indignant rage, it pointed out.                                       


    "The crescendo of hate and belligerence threatens another calamity


which may surpass the tragedy of the first," warned the paper.        


    "The US has preserved the suspense, and a military action may be  


imminent," it pointed out.                                            


    "The American nation is entitled to vengeance and the media has   


conditioned the world for massive American strikes on the Taliban."   


    Yet, the paper stressed, "the allied military strikes must not    


undermine their international support and must be on target and in    


proportion to the sufferance of the American people."                 


FH/HM                                                                 


End                                                                   


::irna    14:00