ERR in Washington: UN ISIS Resolution has Long-Term Significance
The United Nations Security Council unanimously accepted a resolution last week which requires nations to stop its citizens from going abroad to fight for terrorist organizations, and the resolution could have a far broader meaning than initially thought, said ERR's corespondent in Washington, Lauri Tankler.
The document means nations have a legal obligation to forestall and decrease the recruitment, organization, transport and supplying of foreign fighters,and also restrict movement and financing.
“The phenomenon, that in a short period such a powerful organization has popped up, recruiting members all over the world, is new to everyone including Estonia,” Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said, adding that Estonian laws must be reviewed to check if they comply with the UN resolution.
The United States is worried that many European citizens do not require a visa to enter the nation, Tankler said. Estonians need only to fill an online application 72 hours before embarking on a trip to the United States.
The number of Europeans fighting or planning to fight for ISIS, the self designated Islamic State, is thought to be around 3,000.
The United States could freeze visa freedom with those nations not complying with the UN resolution, and could confiscate the passports of US citizens who have fought with ISIS.
Tankler said this could lead to more surveillance by the US government on its own citizens as it will now have a better legal basis to eavesdrop.
US national security adviser Susan Rice said in a press conference at the White House before the resolution was passed that the "unique threat" posed by the group in Syria and Iraq means a new approach is needed in international counter-terrorism policy.
The US has authorized airstrikes against IS targets in Iraq and Syria, but has ruled out U.S. troops on the ground in a combat role. The American military has already conducted almost 200 airstrikes in Iraq since mid-August.