OEA/Ser.G CE/GCI-94/97
21 March 1997
Original: Spanish

REPORT OF THE CHAIR OF THE WORKING GROUP ON TERRORISM
TO THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON INTER-AMERICAN SUMMITS MANAGEMENT

In my capacity as Chair of the Working Group on Terrorism, I submit to the Chair of the Special Committee on Inter-American Summits Management the following report on the work of the Working Group on Terrorism in implementation of the Plan of Action of the Summit of the Americas, and on the resolution adopted at the twenty-sixth regular session of the General Assembly of the Organization.

I. Inter-American Specialized Conference on Terrorism

In her report of March 15, 1996, the Chair of the Working Group gave a report on the preparatory work for the Inter-American Specialized Conference on Terrorism. This Conference gave rise to the Plan of Action of the Summit of the Americas in which the heads of state and government, in the section on "eliminating the threat of national and international terrorism" requested the governments of the American states to convene a special conference of the OAS on the prevention of terrorism.

Consequent to this request, in 1995, the General Assembly of the Organization of American States resolved to convene an Inter-American Specialized Conference on Terrorism, and the Permanent Council subsequently resolved that it should be held in Peru from April 23 to 26, 1996.

In accordance with the resolution of the Permanent Council, the Specialized Conference was held which gave rise to the Declaration of Lima to Prevent, Combat and Eliminate Terrorism and the Plan of Action on Hemispheric Cooperation to Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism. In addition, by means of resolution CEITE/RES. 2/96, the Specialized Conference recommended that the General Assembly consider appropriate ways and means to follow up on the measures recommended in the aforementioned Declaration and Plan of Action.

II. Resolution on Hemispheric Cooperation to Prevent, Combat, and Eliminate Terrorism

In its resolution AG/RES. 1399 (XXVI-O/96), the General Assembly resolved:

1. To instruct the Permanent Council to consider appropriate ways and means to follow up on the measures recommended in the Plan of Action and to submit a progress report on its work to the General Assembly at its next regular session.

2. To request the Permanent Council to consider convening a meeting of government experts to examine ways to improve the exchange of information and other measures for cooperation among the member states to prevent, combat, and eliminate terrorism.

The Working Group has been considering these mandates and has agreed to recommend to the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs to convene a meeting of government experts for the purposes mentioned in the aforementioned resolution, to be held in Washington, D.C. from May 5 to 6, 1997. The Working Group also submitted a draft agenda and draft budget for this meeting.

At the meeting of the Special Committee held on March 20, 1997, the recommendations on these mandates were accepted and the Committee awaits their adoption by the Permanent Council. The Working Group was also asked to prepare a draft schedule of the meeting of government experts.

The conclusions of the meeting of governmental experts are awaited to prepare the report of the Permanent Council to the General Assembly at its twenty-seventh regular session on appropriate ways and means to follow up on the measures recommended in the Plan of Action of Lima.