Edwards proposes international anti-terrorism body

NEW YORK, Sep 8 (Reuters) Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards on Friday proposed creating a new international organization to enable allies to share intelligence in the fight against terrorism.

The former US senator and 2004 vice-presidential candidate called existing bodies inadequate. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was a military group and the United Nations included member states which supported terrorism, he said.

The proposed Counterterrorism and Intelligence Treaty Organization (CITO) would be based on what Edwards called the pillars of his counterterrorism policy: strength and cooperation.

''CITO will allow members to voluntarily share financial, police, customs and immigration intelligence. Together, nations will be able to track the way terrorists travel, communicate, recruit, train and finance their operations,'' Edwards said in a speech at New York's Pace University.

Edwards is considered one of the leading candidates for the Democratic nomination, which will be determined in primary elections starting early next year ahead of the November 2008 general election.

He billed the proposal as a ''bold new anti-terror strategy'' and launched it in New York just four days before the city commemorates the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

''CITO is not a panacea, nor will it be perfect. But it would represent a big first step in a new direction,'' Edwards said.

He announced a series of other proposals for his counterterrorism strategy including the creation of 1,000 annual scholarships to improve language skills for students who pursue careers in intelligence and diplomacy, and he pledged an international campaign to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

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