United Nations -- UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, opening a high-level meeting on counter-terrorism, urged the world not to use the war against terrorism to demonize political opponents and sacrifice civil liberties.

Foreign ministers of UN Security Council nations conducted a high-level meeting to keep on weapons of mass destruction from terrorists, a session at times overshadowed by heightened tensions in North Korea and fear of war in Iraq.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and a dozen other ministers from Europe, Latin America and Africa as well as Russia and China came to a Security Council session to take stock and strengthen counter-terrorism measures, an initiative of French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, whose country holds the council's rotating presidency, Reuters said. Calling for sustained action against terrorists, Annan said, "The tragic loss of life in terrorist attacks, such as those in Moscow, Bali and Mombasa, is a Dramatic reminder that success in countering this threat remains elusive." But he said "The danger is that in pursuit of security, we end up sacrificing crucial liberties, thereby weakening out common security, not strengthening it -- and thereby corroding the vessel of democratic government from within."