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DATE=11/24/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-242116 TITLE=LATAM/TERRORISM (L-ONLY) BYLINE=DAWN MAKINSON DATELINE=BUENOS AIRES CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THIRTY-FOUR MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES HAVE SIGNED A JOINT SECURITY TREATY AIMED AT COMBATTING TERRORISM IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. THE TREATY WAS SIGNED AT A CONFERENCE IN MAR DEL PLATA, ARGENTINA -- AS WE HEAR FROM DAWN MAKINSON. TEXT: THE TREATY ESSENTIALLY POOLS RESOURCES. COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE SIGNED IT WILL, AMONG OTHER THINGS, SHARE A DATA BASE ON SUSPECTED TERRORISTS AND DEVELOP UNIVERSAL CRITERIA FOR CARRYING OUT EXTRADITIONS. THE TREATY ALSO HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH TERRORISM. IT CALLS FOR ESTABLISHING LAWS WHICH PROHIBIT MONEY LAUNDERING -- LAWS WHICH DO NOT EXIST IN SOME LATIN AMERICAN NATIONS. THE IMPETUS TO CREATE THIS JOINT EFFORT AGAINST TERRORISM BEGAN WITH THE SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS IN CHILE EARLIER THIS YEAR. AT THAT POINT, ARGENTINA -- ONE OF THE STRONGEST PROMOTERS OF A JOINT TREATY -- HAD ALREADY EXPERIENCED TWO TERRORIST ATTACKS. THE UNITED STATES ALSO CAME TO THE MAR DEL PLATA CONFERENCE STRONGLY SUPPORTING A JOINT TREATY FOLLOWING THE ATTACKS ON U-S EMBASSIES IN AFRICA IN AUGUST. U-S OFFICIALS IN ARGENTINA SAY WASHINGTON HAS INCREASED FUNDS TO COMBAT TERRORISM - AND WILL BE STUDYING WAYS TO SEE HOW THE UNITED STATES CAN MAKE A GREATER CONTRIBUTION TO THE O-A-S' FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. DESPITE THE OVERALL TONE OF COOPERATION AT THE CONFERENCE, FEARS OF TOO MUCH POLICING ARE BEING EXPRESSED. ABOUT 50 HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS WERE PRESENT AT THE CONFERENCE SITE TO WARN THAT WHILE THE TREATY TARGETS THE CONTROL AND EXPULSION OF TERRORIST THREATS, IT FAILS TO CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT A TERRORIST IS. THE FEAR OF THE GROUPS IS THAT GOVERNMENTS MAY USE HEMISPHERIC BACKING ON THE NEED TO FIGHT TERRORISM TO CONTROL DOMESTIC THREATS. ///REST OPT/// THERE IS ALSO A FEAR AMONG SOME GOVERNMENTS OF THE AMERICAS ABOUT THE TREATY'S IMPLICATIONS FOR DEALING WITH DOMESTIC POLITICAL STRUGGLES. COLOMBIA AND MEXICO ARE TWO NATIONS THAT WERE RELUCTANT TO SIGN THE TREATY BECAUSE OF DOMESTIC POLITICAL PROBLEMS. THOSE TWO NATIONS ALSO PUSHED FOR A CLEARER DEFINITION OF WHAT A TERRORIST IS. (SIGNED) NEB/DM/WFR 24-Nov-98 7:30 PM EST (0030 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .