INTER-AMERICAN COMMITTEE AGAINST TERRORISM

THIRD REGULAR SESSION                                                                          OEA/Ser.L/X.2.3
January 22-24, 2003                                                                                           CICTE/DEC. 1/03 rev. 2
San Salvador, El Salvador                                                                                  29 January 2003
                                                                                                                        Original: Spanish

DECLARATION OF SAN SALVADOR
ON STRENGTHENING COOPERATION
IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM

(Adopted at the sixth plenary session,
held on January 24, 2003)

            The member states of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) of the Organization of American States (OAS), meeting at the third regular session, in San Salvador, El Salvador, from January 22 to 24, 2003,

CONSIDERING that terrorism attacks the values and principles that underlie inter-American order and the democratic institutions and freedoms protected and promoted by the OAS Charter, the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and other international instruments;

            RECOGNIZING the historic adoption by the General Assembly, at its thirty-second regular session, on June 3, 2002, of the Inter-American Convention against Terrorism and the deposit by various member states of their instruments of ratification, which strengthens the fight against terrorism; and

            RECOGNIZING also the singleness of purpose and points of agreement expressed during the dialogue of heads of delegation at the third regular session of CICTE, both with regard to strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism and its international, regional, subregional, and national aspects and with regard to emerging terrorist threats,

DECLARE:

            1.         That terrorism constitutes a serious threat to democratic values and to international peace and security.

2.                   That the links that often exist between terrorism and illicit trafficking in drugs, illicit trafficking in arms, and other forms of transnational organized crime aggravate this threat and are used by terrorist groups to finance and support their activities, which calls for stronger measures to prevent and suppress them.

3.         That emerging terrorist threats, such as the activities of international terrorist groups and threats to cyber-security, require ongoing dialogue among member states so that they may take effective preventive measures to anticipate and address them.

4.         That member states have made considerable progress, and must continue to do so, in taking effective measures at the national level to prevent, combat, and eliminate terrorism as well as to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism bilaterally, subregionally, regionally, and internationally.

            5.         That the various initiatives adopted by subregional groups represent a valuable contribution for the Hemisphere in the fight against terrorism, and that such groups should continue to strengthen their cooperation and coordination in the CICTE framework.

AFFIRM:

            6.         Their emphatic condemnation of terrorism inasmuch as it attacks democracy, hinders the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, destabilizes and undermines the foundations of society, and seriously affects economic and social development in the states of the region.

7.         That it is important that member states that have not yet done so sign, ratify, or accede to the Inter-American Convention against Terrorism, the 12 United Nations (UN) conventions and protocols on terrorism, the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three supplementary protocols, and the Inter-American Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters; that they implement the measures required by UN Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001) and the recommendations of the second and third regular sessions of CICTE on border and financial control measures; and that they adopt domestic legislation against terrorism.

8.         Their commitment to expand and intensify their efforts to strengthen cooperation among themselves and with pertinent regional and international organizations and to develop activities for training and the exchange of experiences and information, in accordance with the CICTE Work Plan.

9.         Their commitment to continue to strengthen their cooperation in the framework of CICTE and to strengthen and support CICTE and its Secretariat as the technical organ responsible for following up on the Committee’s decisions, executing its programs, and facilitating the broadest possible assistance to all member states to help them to fulfill their commitments to prevent, combat, and eliminate terrorism.

            10.        Their resolve to strengthen cooperation among CICTE, the OAS member states, the permanent observer states to the OAS, the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the UN Security Council, other regional organizations, and other organs of the inter-American system.

11.        Their conviction that the fight against terrorism and cooperation in this respect must be carried out with full respect for the personality, sovereignty, and independence of member states, the rule of law, human rights, and fundamental freedoms, in compliance with their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, the international law of refugees, and international humanitarian law.

12.        Their resolve to carry out the CICTE Work Plan, adopted at this session, to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism, and to make the greatest possible effort to provide financial and technical support to facilitate implementation of that Work Plan.