(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Ministers recalled the Declaration against terrorism, adopted in Bridgetown, Barbados, on the 8th of December 2005, during the Second Cuba-CARICOM Summit. In this context, they reaffirmed their strong and unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, as well as all acts, methods and practices of terrorism, wherever, by whosoever, and against whomsoever committed, including those in which States are directly or indirectly involved, which are unjustifiable whatever the considerations or factors that may be invoked to justify them.
The Ministers also recalled the terrorist attack on a Cubana de Aviación aircraft in October 1976, which caused the death of 73 innocent civilians from different countries, including nationals from Cuba and from a CARICOM Member State. The Ministers noted with concern the recent release in the United States of Luis Posada Carriles, one of the perpetrators in this despicable crime, and who is accused of being responsible for several other terrorist actions against Cuba and other countries.
The Ministers reiterated their continuing concern that all the perpetrators of this horrific act be brought to justice and their expectation therefore that the Government of the United States of America take appropriate action in respect of the accused terrorist in its jurisdiction in accordance with its commitments in keeping with the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions on the subject of terrorism.
The Ministers bore in mind that the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has requested the extradition of Posada Carriles, and reiterated their call upon the Government of the United States to favorably consider the Venezuelan request to ensure, in conformity with its international obligations, that Posada Carilles is tried for the crimes of which he has been accused.
The Ministers urged all States, in conformity with the UN Charter, to fulfill their obligations under international law and international humanitarian law in the fight against terrorism, including by prosecuting or, where appropriate, extraditing the perpetrators of terrorist acts; by preventing the organisation, instigation or financing of terrorist acts against other States from within or outside their territories; by refraining from organising, instigating, assisting, financing or participating in terrorist acts in the territories of other States; and by ensuring that refugee status or any other legal status is not abused by the perpetrators, organisers or facilitators of terrorist acts, and that claims by them that the extradition requests are politically motivated should not be grounds for refusing to consider such extradition requests.
The Ministers also affirmed the importance of international cooperation, in conformity with international law, in the fight against terrorism.
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