Treaty against terrorism

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32521, 3 February 1971, Page 13

Treaty against terrorism

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, February 2. A majority of the Organisation of American States (0.A.5.) reached tentative agreement in Washington last night on a treaty to combat terrorism against diplomats in the Western Hemisphere.

But a walk-out by six Latin American nations and abstentions by three others placed

the effectiveness of the treaty in doubt, diplomatic observers said. Argentina and Brazil, the two largest nations in South America, were the leaders of a hard-line bloc that walked out of the hemisphere Foreign Ministers' deliberations on the Terrorism Treaty a few hours before the tentative accord was reached. They felt that the draft convention informally approved by 14 nations was too weak because it did not deal with acts of terrorism against nationals. The second blow to the treaty was the abstention in the informal voting by Chile, Peru and Bolivia—all of which have Leftist Governments. The three nations would not agree with an infringement of the traditional Latin American right of political asylum. They also felt that the O.A.S. should deal with the social, economic and political causes of terrorism instead of voting measures which they regarded as repressive. The new inter-American pact, due to be formally voted on tomorrow, provides for extradition or prosecution by signatory States of persons charged or sentenced for kidnapping, assassinations or assaults on foreign representatives.

These acts are declared common crimes with international implications, no matter what the motive behind them.

About 20 Western diplomats have been the victims or targets of terrorist acts in Latin America during the last three years. Twelve of them have been from the United States.

The treaty would leave open the possibility for countries to waive the extradition provisions in cases where they want to make a deal with groups holding diplomats as hostages.