The current president of the United Nations Security Council, Ambassador Richard Ryan, Ireland, says a committee to monitor the council's resolution against terrorism should be in place by the end of the week.
Late last Friday night, members of the Security Council unanimously adopted one of the most comprehensive and strongly worded resolutions ever issued by the diplomatic body.
The resolution not only condemns terrorism in unequivocal terms. It calls on member states to urgently join forces to share information and to freeze financial assets of persons or groups involved with terrorist organizations and to make the collection of funds for such groups a criminal offense.
In addition, the resolution commits members to deny safe haven to terrorists and to take steps such as issuing identity papers and travel documents to prevent the movement of terrorists across borders.
The resolution also sets up a committee to oversee how member states are implementing the resolution.
Ambassador Ryan, heading the Security Council for the month of October, says he hopes a chair for the committee will be chosen by the end of the week to enable the committee to begin its work.
"This is, if you like, the council leaving the arms of the harbor into uncharted seas. And we will have to look at how this unprecedented decision is to be implemented in the most careful way together," the ambassador said.
Mr. Ryan says he expects member states to rally behind the resolution, which requires member states to submit reports outlining how they are complying within 90 days.