NCJ Number
110646
Journal
Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law Volume: 20 Issue: 2 Dated: (March 1987) Pages: 259-287
Date Published
1987
Length
29 pages
Annotation
This article discusses how the nations of the Economic Summit Seven have cooperated to combat terrorism against international civil aviation.
Abstract
The Economic Summit Seven (the Group) is comprised of the world's seven largest industrialized democratic states: Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Economic Summit Seven is not a formal organization: it has no constitution, no written rules, and no permanent staff. Every year since 1975 leaders of the seven nations have met to discuss critical financial and economic problems affecting them. In 1978, the Summit Seven addressed the political issue of terrorism and issued the Bonn Anti-Hijacking Declaration initiating their cooperation against terrorism. The Seven issued additional statements on international terrorism in 1980, 1981, 1984, 1986, and 1987. Of central concern to the Seven is terrorism that unlawfully interferes with international civil aviation. The author discusses how and why the Economic Summit Seven became involved in counterterrorism and reviews the group's declarations on terrorism. After outlining the international background of the Group's declarations, the author describes the sanctions the Group announced against Ariana Afghan Airlines in 1981. The sanctions are, according to the author, the most important act that the Economic Summit Seven has taken to implement its declaration. The author includes a legal analysis of the Group's counterterrorism activities and concludes that making declarations against international terrorism is easier than carrying them out. 142 footnotes.