Luxembourg, 04/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - In Luxembourg on Thursday 3 June, the European Union and the United States published a joint statement on tackling terrorism. The Spanish interior minister, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, said the joint statement sent a message to the Muslim world that the EU and the US would stand firm in defending their values but would be tolerant of other cultures. The two-page joint statement sets out aspects of a joint counter-terror policy. It is divided into three sections. The statement stresses the fact that the counter-terror work of the EU and the US should respect fundamental human rights. The policy should also be based on joint and international action in the domains of repression, judicial cooperation, intelligence, diplomacy, financing and security. It adds that it is essential that an effective, global approach is adopted to eradicate extremist violence in the long-term. Rubalcaba said that the EU and the US now had the same counter-terror strategy. The US State Department issued a press release stating that it pledged to respect international law, the rule of law and human rights in combatting terror. EU anti-terror coordinator Gilles de Kerchove said the joint statement would help President Barack Obama in his new strategy now that the idea of a war on terror has been dropped. (B.C./transl.fl)