US embassy cable - 02MAPUTO76

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000076 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC, PTER, SADC, MZ 
SUBJECT: SADC DECLARATION ON TERRORISM 
 
FOLLOWING IS THE SADC DECLARATION ON TERRORISM ADOPTED 
ON AT THE BLANTYRE EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT ON JANUARY 14. 
THE DECLARATION IS TO BE SIGNED BY HEADS OF STATE OR 
GOVERNMENT AT THE NEXT SADC SUMMIT IN FEBRUARY. 
 
BEGIN TEXT 
 
WE, THE HEADS OF STATE OR GOVERNMENT OF 
 
THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA 
THE REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANA 
THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO 
THE KINGDOM OF LESOTHO 
THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI 
THE REPUBLIC OF MAURITIUS 
THE REPUBLIC OF MOZAMBIQUE 
THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA 
THE REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES 
THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA 
THE KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND 
THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA 
THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA 
THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE 
 
CONCERNED WITH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE, SOVEREIGNTY AND 
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AS WELL AS THE SOCIAL AND 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WITH THE STABILITY AND 
SECURITY OF ALL SADC MEMBER STATES; 
 
CONSCIOUS THAT HARMONIOUS COOPERATION IN THE AFRICAN 
CONTINENT AND IN THE REGION IN PARTICULAR, BASED ON 
THE PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE THE AFRICAN UNION CAN ONLY 
BE ACHIEVED IN CONDITIONS OF PEACE AND IN A CLIMATE O 
POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STABILITY; 
 
CONSIDERING THAT THREATS AND ACTS OF TERRORISM IN THE 
REGION, THE AFRICAN CONTINENT AND THE WORLD HAVE 
PROMPTED THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO STRENGTHEN THE 
MECHANISMS FOR PREVENTING AND COMBATING ALL FORMS OF 
TERRORISM; 
 
CONSIDERING FURTHER THAT TERRORISM CONSTITUTES AN 
IMPEDIMENT TO THE FULL ENJOYMENT OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS 
AND FREEDOMS OF HUMANKIND; 
 
CONSCIOUS OF THE IMPERATIVE NEED TO PROTECT HUMAN 
RIGHTS AND INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES IN CONFORMITY WITH THE 
PRINCIPLES ENSHRINED IN INTERNATIONAL LEGAL 
INSTRUMENTS, IN PARTICULAR THE RIGHT TO LIFE; 
 
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT RESOLUTIONS 55/158 OR UN GENERAL 
ASSEMBLY AND 1269 (1999) AND 1373 (2001) OF THE UN 
SECURITY COUNCIL THAT QUALIFY ACTS OF TERRORISM AS A 
THREAT TO INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY AND WHICH 
URGE MEMBER STATES TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION BETWEEN 
THE UN AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE PREVENTION 
OF TERRORISM IN ALL ITS FORMS AND MANIFESTATIONS; 
 
CONSIDERING THE OAU CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND 
COMBATING OF TERRORISM, ADOPTED AT THE ALGIERS SUMMIT 
ON 14TH JULY, 1999; 
 
CONDEMN ALL ACTS OF TERRORISM WHEREVER THEY OCCUR AND, 
THEREFORE, UNDERTAKE TO: 
 
1.  ACCEDE OR RATIFY INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS ON 
COMBATING TERRORISM, ADOPTED BY THE OAU AND THE UNITED 
NATIONS AND INCORPORATE THEM INTO DOMESTIC LAWS; 
 
2.  FIGHT WITH ALL MEANS AT OUR DISPOSAL ALL FORMS OF 
TERRORISM THAT ENDANGER THE LIVES OF INNOCENT 
CIVILIANS, DISRUPT REGIONAL SECURITY, STABILITY AND 
THE CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER OF STATES; 
 
3.  COOPERATE AT ALL LEVELS IN THE EXCHANGE OF 
INFORMATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF PERSONS, 
INSTITUTIONS AND NETWORKS ASSOCIATED WITH TERRORISM; 
 
4.  URGE MEMBER STATES TO CREATE, STRENGTHEN AND 
HARMONIZE LEGAL INSTRUMENTS FOR THE PROSECUTION OF 
GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN TERRORISM; 
 
5.  PREVENT SADC MEMBER STATES FROM BEING USED AS 
BASES OR SUPPORT CENTERS FOR GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS 
INVOLVED IN TERRORIST ACTIVITIES; 
 
6. APPEAL TO COOPERATING PARTNERS FOR FINANCIAL, 
TECHNICAL, AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE 
TO SADC MEMBER STATES TO ENABLE THEM TO EFFECTIVELY 
COMBAT TERRORISM. 
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, WE THE HEADS OF THE STATE OR 
GOVERNMENT, OR OUR DULY AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES, 
HAVE SIGNED THIS DECLARATION. 
 
DONE AT BLANTYRE ON THIS 14TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2002, IN 
THREE (3) ORIGINALS, IN THE ENGLISH, FRENCH, AND 
PORTUGUESE LANGUAGES, ALL TEXTS BEING EQUALLY 
AUTHENTIC. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
WILKINSON