The Non Alignment Movement (NAM) has issued a statement condemning the terrorist attacks that took place In New York, Washington and Pennsylvania and also expressed its deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to the victims and the families of the victims on these attacks. The Statement was issued by the Chair of the Co-ordinating Bureau of the NAM, Ambassador Dumisani S. Kumalo, South Africa's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.

Ambassador Kumalo recalled that the Heads of States or Government of the NAM at the XII Summit Conference held in September 1998 in Durban, South Africa "urged all States to co-operate to enhance international co-operation in the fight against terrorism, wherever, by whoever and against whomever it occurred, at the national, regional and international levels, and to observe and implement the relevant international and bilateral instruments, taking into account the Final Document of the United Nations Conference on the Prevention of Crime held in Cairo in 1995."

The Heads of State or Government affirmed that criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of persons or particular persons for whatever purposes are, in any circumstance, unjustifiable, whatever the considerations or factors that may be invoked to justify them.

The Heads of State or Government stressed the need to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations regardless of race, religion or nationality of the victims or perpetrators of terrorism.

The Heads of State or Government also emphasised that the taking of hostages, wherever and by whoever committed, constitutes a serious obstacle to the full enjoyment of all human rights and is, under any circumstances, unjustifiable. They therefore called on States to take all necessary measures to prevent, combat and punish acts of hostage taking, including strengthening international co-operation in this field.

Issued by: Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations
14 September 2001