Intl organizations urge unified security standards to fight terrorism

A number of international organizations called for unified air cargo security standards on Thursday to prevent terrorists from using packages to commit violent acts.

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) has 192 members that have 192 different security standards, said Daniel Cortez, security program manager at the UPU, a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates postal policies among member nations.

He said they do not have the right to open all the packages for security checks as many countries have various laws in place to protect people's right of privacy, which is likely to cause security loopholes.

Cortez called for nations to establish a unified security standard on air cargo that can be recognized by all the countries to avoid problems like cargo bombs.

On Oct. 29, 2010, two packages, each containing a bomb consisting of plastic explosives and a detonating mechanism, were found on separate cargo planes bound from Yemen to the United States. They were discovered at enroute stop-overs, one in the UK and one in Dubai.

Different security standards cause repeated checks, which affects efficiency and does not necessarily guarantee security, said Enno Osinga, vice chairman of the International Air Cargo Association, at a forum in the central city of Zhengzhou.

A unified security standard can avoid loopholes and improve the circulation efficiency of cargo, he said.

The air cargo industry is exposed under the threat of terrorism with different kinds of safety regulations, said Kazunari Igarashi, an official with the World Customs Organization.

Time is limited for concerted efforts from all countries to deal with the problem, the official said.

Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu, president of the International Civil Aviation Organization, called for nations to strengthen the sharing of information and integration of their security standards.