CONTRIBUTION OF THE WORLD'S PARLIAMENTS TO THE STRUGGLE AGAINST TERRORISM, IN CONFORMITY WITH RESOLUTION 55/158 OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Resolution adopted by consensus by the 105th Inter-Parliamentary Conference
(Havana, 6 April 2001)

The 105th Inter-Parliamentary Conference,

Guided by the purposes and principles set forth in the United Nations Charter (first preambular paragraph of UN General Assembly resolution 55/158),

Aware that the Inter-Parliamentary Union shares the principles and objectives of the Charter and that its activities complement and support the work of the United Nations (third preambular paragraph of the Cooperation Agreement between the UN and the IPU),

Deeply disturbed by the persistence of terrorist acts and their intensification worldwide (seventh preambular paragraph of UN General Assembly resolution 55/158),

Mindful of the importance of resolution 55/158 (Measures to eliminate international terrorism) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly,

Stressing the need to strengthen further international cooperation between States and between international organisations and agencies, regional organisations and arrangements and the United Nations in order to prevent, combat and eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomsoever committed, in accordance with the principles of the Charter, international law and relevant international conventions (eighth preambular paragraph of resolution 55/158),

Convinced that all parliaments can make a major contribution to combating international terrorism in accordance with the above-mentioned resolution,

Stressing the importance of taking appropriate steps to deny safe haven to those who finance or commit acts of terrorism by ensuring their apprehension and prosecution or extradition (nineteenth preambular paragraph of resolution 2000/30 of the Commission on Human Rights),

1. Strongly condemns all acts, methods and practices of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation, wherever and by whomsoever committed (operative paragraph 1 of resolution 55/158 and operative paragraph 1 of resolution 2000/30 of the Commission on Human Rights);

2. Reiterates that criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstances unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or other nature that may be invoked to justify them (operative paragraph 2 of resolution 55/158);

3. Urges all States and governments to renounce and outlaw the financing, encouragement, provision of training or support for terrorist activities, as well as the conduct on their territory of terrorist activities against other States, individuals or groups of individuals;

4. Also urges all parliaments in the world to promote the adoption of further measures in accordance with the United Nations Charter and the relevant provisions of international law, including international standards of human rights and the principle of self-determination, to prevent terrorism and to strengthen international cooperation in combating terrorism (operative paragraph 3 of resolution 55/158);

5. Reaffirms the determination of all parliaments to help strengthen international cooperation in this field in order to promote, both nationally and internationally, the adoption and application of effective measures to combat international terrorism and to repress it by prosecuting and punishing the perpetrators.

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