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International cooperation is fundamental to respond properly to terrorism because terrorism is a "thread that is transnational by nature," a European Union ( EU) official said at a UN meeting on counter-terrorism here on Wednesday.

"The EU considers terrorism to be a crime which should be prevented, prosecuted and punished according to the rules and procedures of criminal law," Jan Grauls, permanent representative of Belgium to the UN, said on behalf of the EU at a meeting of the UN General Assembly to review the current UN strategy to counter- terrorism.

The EU has been hit by terror attacks in the past for several times, and still is considered a potential target for terrorist organizations.

According to Grauls, the EU therefore currently works to internally develop cooperation policies on the operational level.

"The EU will remain the strongest supporter of international standards on human rights and the rule of law. We remain convinced that effective counter-terrorism and the promotion and protection of human rights are mutually reinforcing, not competing, goals," said Grauls.

A UN body tasked with countering terrorism on Tuesday launched a new plan to improve current initiatives to battle terrorism in Central Asia.

Meanwhile, Grauls called for "a speedy conclusion of the negotiations on the comprehensive convention on international terrorism, which would be an important step forward in the UN's counter-terrorism efforts."

"The EU is committed to supporting multilateral approaches, working with regional organizations, but most significantly with the UN system: the General Assembly, the Security Council and the specialized agencies," Grauls said.

A three-day event to review the current UN strategy to counter terrorism started on Wednesday, with some 150 participants discussing the global efforts to fight terrorism. (PNA/Xinhua)

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