G-7 leaders pledge to fight terrorism
June 27, 1996
Web posted at: 9:30 p.m. EDT (0130 GMT)PEROUGES, France (CNN) -- The leaders of the seven richest industrialized nations moved quickly to approve a resolution condemning terrorism Thursday, just two days after a truck bomb killed 19 Americans in Saudi Arabia.
Text of G-7 anti-terrorism declaration Though terrorism is a familiar problem for the leaders gathered at the G-7 summit, a "sense of urgency" unified this gathering, said White House press secretary Mike McCurry.
As he presented the statement, France's President Jacques Chirac said the gathering of nations had shifted its agenda to deal with "this appalling event." The resolution reiterated an "absolute condemnation of terrorism," and said the group would consider Friday several specific measures proposed by the United States to track, capture, and punish terrorists.
"When implemented, many of the recommendations the eight will be considering tomorrow to deal with crime will better equip our law enforcement authorities to work together to combat terrorism," the statement said. Russia, expected to embrace the statement Friday when Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin arrives, was the "eighth" member referred to in parts of the statement.
The group also pledged to hold a ministerial meeting to consider and recommend further actions. According to its joint statement, it will be held in Paris as early as July.
Earlier Thursday, Clinton addressed a crowd in the rural village of Perouges, northeast of Lyon, France. He said that the United States "will not rest in our efforts to discover who is responsible (for Tuesday's bombing), to track them down and bring them to justice."
The leaders from the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, Italy, Canada and France opened an economic summit later in the day in Lyon.
Clinton to attend memorials
Clinton met Thursday afternoon with Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto; the two agreed to settle their differences quickly on nagging trade issues, including semiconductor chip sales and insurance sales. The two leaders agreed that Japan and the United States would settle the issues by July 31.
Clinton also met Thursday with French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister John Major. Clinton said he found Chirac somewhat pessimistic about prospects for new Middle East peace talks since Benjamin Netanyahu's election. However, Chirac promised to do what he could to promote further Arab-Israeli negotiations.
Clinton plans to leave the summit earlier than he originally intended so that he can attend memorial services for the servicemen who died in the Saudi bombing. He is to fly Saturday to Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, for a Sunday morning memorial service.
A second service is planned Sunday afternoon at Patrick Air Force Base in Cocoa Beach, Florida.
Related stories:
- France pledges support for U.S. anti-terrorism package - June 27, 1996
- Clinton expects G-7 action to fight terrorism - June 27, 1996
- Grieving families await bodies of Saudi blast victims - June 27, 1996
- G-7 leaders assemble amid protests, renewed concern about terrorism - June 27, 1996
- Yeltsin to skip G-7 conference - June 19, 1996
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Correspondents Jill Dougherty, Wolf Blitzer and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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