OAS Signs Hemispheric Agreement to Fight Terrorism

 
The 32nd Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), held in Barbados in June, made terrorism, democracy and poverty its top priority. The main accomplishment of the meeting was the introduction of an Inter-American Convention Against Terrorism, signed by 30 of the 34 foreign ministers attending.

Terrorism
The goals of the agreement include cutting off avenues for the financing of terrorist activities, strengthening border controls and increasing international cooperation. Four of the countries that sent representatives, Canada, Trinidad & Tobago, Dominica and the Dominican Republic, held off on signing the accord until they had a chance to address internal legal issues. The convention will go into effect 30 days after at least six countries have submitted their ratification to the OAS Secretary General.

The approved text codifies the list of crimes categorized as terrorism in 10 existing conventions, among them ones signed at The Hague and Montreal. The listed offenses relate to hijacking, kidnapping, bombings and terrorist financing, among other issues. Earlier, in the Lima Declaration to Prevent, Combat and Eliminate Terrorism, the OAS member states defined terrorism as "a serious form of organized and systematic violence, which is intended to generate chaos and fear among the population" and "results in death and destruction and is a reprehensible criminal activity."

For the first time, the new convention excludes political motives as a reason for denying the extradition of suspects accused of terrorist attacks. In addition, the member states pledged to refuse asylum or refugee status to persons believed to have participated in acts of terrorism.

The text commits the signatories to step up their cooperative efforts and the exchange of intelligence information. They are also called upon to implement strict border controls and to confiscate money and other assets belonging to groups identified as being affiliated with terrorists. Article 4 of the convention orders each state party, to the extent it has not already done so, to "institute a legal and regulatory regime to prevent, combat, and eradicate the financing of terrorism and for effective international cooperation with respect thereto." Included is a "comprehensive domestic regulatory and supervisory regime for banks, other financial institutions, and other entities deemed particularly susceptible to being used for the financing of terrorist activities."

Peruvian Foreign Minister Diego García Sayán told a press conference that the convention "is very aware that terrorism must be confronted within a legal framework, using a multilateral and multidimensional approach." He added that existing treaties regarding the issue of asylum and refugees already exclude "heinous crimes," including acts of terrorism.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell called the treaty "very important, because it takes on all aspects of terrorism, including its financing, the need for intelligence sharing and extradition, so that those responsible can find no safe havens."

Venezuela
Another topic taking center stage at the General Assembly was the state of democracy in Venezuela. The member states strongly condemned the attempt to alter the constitutional order in that country and supported the decision of the Venezuelan National Assembly to form a Truth Commission to investigate the events of April 11-14, 2002. That effort is designed to contribute to the transparent exercise of democracy in Venezuela.

OAS Secretary General César Gaviria cited Venezuela as the most difficult test to date of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. In his opening remarks to the General Assembly, Gaviria stated that "Venezuela at this very critical juncture needs the solidarity and cooperation of all the people and governments of this hemisphere. The OAS is ready to do anything demanded of it by the government of Venezuela to strengthen democratic institutions."

The US has urged Venezuela to accept OAS mediation in an internal dialogue to reduce political tensions and promote stability. The Venezuelan government has rejected this possibility, thanking the organization for its willingness to lend the support and assistance that the country needs to consolidate its democratic process.

Poverty
Finally, the General Assembly turned its attention to the persistent problem of poverty in the hemisphere. The prime minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur, argued that "more equitable economic development, in the context of the hemispheric integration pursued for the last 200 years, is the most urgent priority for the region." He criticized what he called the tendency of industrialized nations to blame poverty and underdevelopment on a lack of democracy and respect for law and human rights.

The Peruvian foreign minister echoed this view when he cautioned that the new emphasis on terrorism should not overshadow the need to continue fighting poverty. He called extreme poverty a threat as grave as that posed by terrorism, for it too "is a proven source of tensions and instability." Poverty does not justify terrorism, he added, but it creates the conditions that breed it.

García Sayán recommended a regional accord to reduce military spending as an essential step in combating poverty. This Peruvian proposal has already received the backing of the Rio Group, which includes the majority of Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Argentine Foreign Minister Carlos Ruckaus agreed with the need for equitable development to relieve poverty, but he rejected the suggestion that poverty is a synonym for terrorism. "Terrorism is not the child of poverty, it is the child of political or religious fanaticism," he argued. "The overwhelming majority of poor people on this continent want good jobs, not bombs or terrorist attacks."

For more information about the 32nd OAS General Assembly and the Inter-American Convention Against Terrorism, see www.oas.org