DATE=4/22/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-230058 TITLE=ARABS / TERROR (L) BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF PERIODIC NEGOTIATIONS, ARAB GOVERNMENTS HAVE CONCLUDED A LANDMARK TREATY, PLEDGING JOINT EFFORTS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. V-O-A'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS IN CAIRO REPORTS THE ACCORD TARGETS GROUPS DEDICATED TO OVERTHROWING ARAB GOVERNMENTS, BUT EXEMPTS THOSE AIMING TO LIBERATE ISRAELI OCCUPIED TERRITORY. TEXT: THE TREATY WAS SIGNED HERE WEDNESDAY BY JUSTICE AND INTERIOR MINISTERS REPRESENTING THE 22 MEMBERS OF THE ARAB LEAGUE. THE CEREMONY TOOK PLACE AT THE LEAGUE'S NILE-SIDE HEADQUARTERS, JUST A FEW METERS FROM THE SCENE OF A TERRORIST ATTACK LAST SEPTEMBER THAT LEFT NINE GERMAN TOURISTS AND THEIR EGYPTIAN BUS DRIVER DEAD. THE EGYPTIAN AND ALGERIAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN AMONG THE STRONGEST BACKERS OF THE NEW PACT. BOTH ARE FACING INSURGENCIES BY ISLAMIST MILITANT GROUPS THAT HAVE LEFT THOUSANDS DEAD DURING THE PAST SIX YEARS. THE 42-POINT TREATY COMMITS ARAB GOVERNMENTS TO COORDINATED EFFORTS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. IT CALLS ON THOSE GOVERNMENTS TO DENY SUPPORT OR REFUGE TO TERRORIST GROUPS THAT TARGET OTHER ARAB STATES. IT SAYS NO ARAB GOVERNMENT WILL ALLOW ITS TERRITORY TO BE USED FOR PLANNING OR LAUNCHING TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST OTHER ARAB NATIONS. IT ALSO SETS OUT GUIDELINES FOR THE ARREST, PROSECUTION, AND EXTRADITION OF TERRORISTS. AND IT ESTABLISHES A MECHANISM FOR REGULAR EXCHANGES OF INFORMATION AMONG ARAB GOVERNMENTS ABOUT KNOWN OR SUSPECTED TERRORISTS. THE TREATY IS TO GO INTO EFFECT WITHIN 30 DAYS, ONCE IT HAS BEEN RATIFIED BY AT LEAST SEVEN ARAB STATES. ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY-GENERAL ESMAT ABDEL MEGUID SAID THE PACT WILL HELP BOLSTER COOPERATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM BETWEEN ARAB AND WESTERN NATIONS. THE EGYPTIAN AND ALGERIAN GOVERNMENTS FREQUENTLY COMPLAIN THAT KNOWN TERRORISTS ARE ALLOWED TO RAISE FUNDS AND PLAN ATTACKS FROM EXILE IN WEST EUROPEAN CAPITALS AND ELSEWHERE. THE ISSUE WAS A MAJOR TALKING POINT AT JUST CONCLUDED TALKS AMONG A GROUP OF ARAB AND EUROPEAN NATIONS THAT BORDER THE MEDITERRANEAN. THE CAIRO ACCORD EXCLUDES FROM ITS DEFINITION OF TERRORISTS GROUPS ENGAGED IN WHAT ARE DESCRIBED AS STRUGGLES FOR LIBERATION OR SELF-DETERMINATION. THE SYRIAN AND LEBANESE GOVERNMENTS INSISTED ON THE EXEMPTION FOR ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE LEBANON'S HIZBOLLAH, WHICH IS ENGAGED IN WHAT VIRTUALLY ALL ARAB GOVERNMENTS CONSIDER A LEGITIMATE STRUGGLE AGAINST ISRAELI OCCUPATION. (SIGNED) NEB/DBR/JWH 22-Apr-98 11:15 AM EDT (1515 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .