ZAGREB CONFERENCE: FREEDOM IS BEST WEAPON AGAINST TERRORISM

ZAGREB, May 10 (Hina) - The essential duty of all citizens in a democratic society, their elected representatives included, is the preservation of freedom as the greatest good and best weapon against terrorism, the president of the Spanish Senate, Esperanza Aguirre Gil de Biedma, said in Zagreb on Friday. #L# De Biedma spoke at a conference of European parliamentary assembly presidents, focusing on the event's central topic - "Democracies Faced with Terrorism: National Strategies". The Sept. 11 attacks on the United States turned the world's attention to the issue of terrorism, which Spain has been faced with for 30 years, said de Biedma. Terrorism is the negation of democracy, which is a system enabling a free confrontation of ideas with words and reason as the only weapon, she said, adding that dialogue and negotiating had no meaning for terrorism at all. Speaking about Spain's experience, de Biedma said the Basque separatist organisation, whose goal she said was an independent and socialist Basque Country, became active in 1968, claiming 76 lives until General Franco's death and the democratic elections of 1977. De Biedma said that ETA resumed killing, with the number of victims growing to 851, despite the fact that the new authorities immediately passed a decision on general amnesty, in an attempt to show that all ideas could be defended in a democratic and peaceful manner, and despite the fact that the 1978 Constitution gave the Basque Country wide autonomy with its own parliament and government. Freedom, a person as an individual, the law and a law-based state are the concepts we are building Europe on, said de Biedma. These are values which are not accepted by terrorism, which tries to justify itself by referring to big concepts like race, religion or historical motives, she added. Now that parliamentary democracy has replaced communism throughout Europe, it is especially important not to forget the constant threat of terrorist totalitarianism but strongly defend freedom, in which all democrats have to stay united, said de Biedma. She hoped the Zagreb conference would pave the way for the best answer against terrorism, with the weapon that is terrorism's biggest enemy - freedom. De Biedma's address was followed by a discussion. (hina) ha sb