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UNITED STATES RATIFIES OAS ANTI-TERRORISM TREATY, RENEWING
COMMITMENT TO HEMISPHERIC EFFORT AGAINST TERRORISM

  November 15, 2005

The United States government today formally deposited its instruments that ratified the Inter-American Convention against Terrorism and reaffirmed its highest priority on hemispheric initiatives to fight terrorism. The United States is now the 14th member state to ratify the Organization of American States (OAS) treaty, adopted on June 3, 2002, at the OAS General Assembly in Barbados.

“In the Americas, the Inter-American Convention against Terrorism is central to this important collaborative effort,” declared Ambassador John F. Maisto, the U.S. Permanent Representative, after delivering the ratification instruments to OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza. He argued that among the highest priorities for the U.S. in the fight against terrorism is the long-term institutional stability of the CICTE. “Together, we can defeat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever reason.”

Ambassador Maisto observed that “the democratic nations of this hemisphere are engaged in a global campaign to combat terrorism” and he pointed to CICTE as “an outstanding—perhaps the best—example of a region pulling together to defend itself, to defend its democratic way of life, and to defend its freedom to live and to prosper peacefully—all shared values among OAS member states.” He further applauded “those member states that have pledged resources and manpower to sustain CICTE through its formative period, helping it to emerge as a premier instrument for improving our states’ capabilities to address the terrorist threat.”

The Secretary General meanwhile hailed this latest deposit of ratification instruments, stating that “it is going to be a big boost for the Convention” against terrorism. He urged those member states that have not yet done so to ratify as soon as possible.

Mr. Insulza also urged member states to continue vigorously striving “to keep terrorism out of our hemisphere, and to help each other.” He underlined the common hemispheric interest against the terrorism scourge, saying that shared interest should spur cooperation to root out terrorism and make sure it never happens again in this hemisphere.

In addition to the Chairman of the OAS Permanent Council, St. Kitts and Nevis Ambassador Izben Williams, several senior officials of the US State Department as well as from the OAS Secretariat attended the ceremony to witness the deposit of the anti-terrorism treaty ratification instruments.

Reference: E-264/05