The governments of the G-8 countries reaffirm their resolve to work together for the purpose of protecting people against terrorist attacks and to combat the international crime network which supports terrorism.

We declare that all terrorist acts, no matter where and by whom they are carried out, have no justification and are criminal regardless of the motives behind them.

Terrorism represents a threat to peace and the stability of all states, the security and wellbeing of their citizens. We note with profound concern that terrorists increasingly resort to inhumane actions aimed at causing the maximum number of victims among innocent people and maximum damage to property. All the states should take the necessary steps to protect their citizens against terrorist attacks. All the states should use legislative and practical means within the framework of international human rights standards and international law to prevent terrorist acts and punish the persons guilty of perpetrating them.

All the states should prevent and stop on their territories actions to prepare and finance terrorist acts. The persons guilty of committing terrorist acts should be prosecuted or extradited to the country of relevant jurisdiction. Terrorists should not get refuge anywhere.

We are full of determination to increase our contribution to combating this global lethal challenge on the basis of the accumulated experience of anti-terrorist interaction, including the 25 recommendations of the Paris ministerial meeting of 1996 and the additional measures approved by the Birmingham summit in 1998. Our main task is to strengthen practical cooperation as one of the more effective means of counteracting terrorism in whatever form. Political decisions should be translated into practical actions. We should also reinforce our political will, collectively and individually, in order to call for absolute intolerance of terrorism everywhere.

We intend to step up exchange of information required to prevent and stop terrorist acts as well as exchange of experience in anti-terrorism.

At the same time, it is necessary to take measures to deny terrorist organizations access to sources of financing. We have supported the negotiations on the draft international convention against financing of terrorism and intend to continue our resolute efforts to limit the possibilities for terrorists to obtain and transfer money for their criminal activities.

We welcome the progress achieved in the course of the work on the UN convention on combating acts of nuclear terrorism.

We call on all the countries which have not yet done so to accede to the 11 universal anti-terrorist conventions and to continue work to strengthen the international legal framework for the struggle against terrorism.

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Source: Canada, Dept. of Foreign Affairs and International Trade