TEXT OF FINAL DECLARATION OF ZAGREB CONFERENCE

ZAGREB, May 11 (Hina) - Following is the text of the Final Declaration adopted at a conference of European parliamentary assemblies, which ended in Zagreb on Saturday: "The delegates to the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of European Assemblies, meeting in Zagreb from 9 to 12 May 2002, debating the theme 'Democracies facing terrorism: national strategies' 1. Condemn strongly and without reservation terrorism as a crime against humanity, because it is a denial of human life and dignity as well as a denial of democracy and its fundamental values and basic principles; 2. Warn that terrorism has become more sophisticated, organised, broadly financed, networked and internationalised than ever and therefore requires determined and concerted action at national and international levels; 3. Reiterate their firm condemnation of the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 in the United States, which provoked world-wide outrage and solidarity, and fundamentally changed the international political scene; 4. Condemn equally the terrorist attacks that have taken place since, including in the days preceding this Conference, and express their sympathy for the innocent victims of those crimes; 5. Commend the emerging international anti-terrorist coalition, to which a large number of countries have made significant contributions in combating the scourge of terrorism; 6. Convinced that national strategies to protect citizens against all forms of terrorism should be implemented or reinforced while fully respecting democracy, human rights and the rule of law; 7. Convinced that parliamentarians as democratic representatives of the people have the supreme duty to preserve the most valuable of treasures in society, namely freedom; 8. Reaffirm that the role of parliaments and parliamentarians is more crucial than ever in raising legislative barriers against terrorism and in ensuring transparency, democratic accountability and safeguarding common values; 9. Convinced of the need for maximum alertness within national parliaments, through regular parliamentary debates and the creation of specialised committees for evaluating and controlling governmental action on combating terrorism; 10. Stress the need for developing a synergy between national and international action at parliamentary level and, in this context, use all existing institutions engaged in the fight against terrorism at regional and global level; 11. Convinced of the relevant role played in this respect by the Parliamentary Assembly, and the Council of Europe as a whole, taking into account its achievements and existing legal instruments in the field of fighting terrorism; 12. Stress the importance of national and international action to prevent and eliminate the causes of terrorism by fostering greater social cohesion, by promoting cultural and inter-religious dialogue and understanding and by fighting against all forms of discrimination, racism and xenophobia; 13. Recall and reaffirm therefore the Final Declaration adopted on 28 March 2002 by the St Petersburg Interparliamentary Forum for Combating Terrorism, that created a significant momentum towards strengthening mutual understanding and supporting increased inter-parliamentary dialogue to counter terrorism; 14. Support the draft Charter of the Duties of States presented at the Conference, considering the fundamental principles enshrined in the Charter as the key tools for States in tackling the causes of terrorism, and recommend bringing it to the attention of national parliaments and presenting it to the next Conference of the Inter- Parliamentary Union, to be held in Santiago de Chile in April 2003. 15. Agree to develop, in a direct and pragmatic way, an exchange of views on their reflections and actions for defining national and international strategies on how democracies can efficiently face terrorism while respecting and safeguarding human rights and democratic values." (hina) rml