A/RES/57/196 Alarmed and concerned at the danger that the activities of mercenaries constitute to peace and security in developing countries, in particular in Africa and in small States, Deeply concerned at the loss of life, the substantial damage to property and the negative effects on the policy and economies of affected countries resulting from criminal mercenary activities, Convinced that, notwithstanding the way in which they are used or the form that they take to acquire some semblance of legitimacy, mercenaries or mercenary-related activities are a threat to peace, security and the self-determination of peoples and an obstacle to the enjoyment of human rights by peoples, 1. Welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the question of the use of mercenaries as a means of impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination; 4 2. Reaffirms that the use of mercenaries and their recruitment, financing and training are causes for grave concern to all States and violate the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations; 3. Recognizes that armed conflict, terrorism, arms trafficking and covert operations by third Powers, inter alia, encourage the demand for mercenaries on the global market; 4. Urges all States to take the necessary steps and to exercise the utmost vigilance against the menace posed by the activities of mercenaries and to take legislative measures to ensure that their territories and other territories under their control, as well as their nationals, are not used for the recruitment, assembly, financing, training and transit of mercenaries for the planning of activities designed to impede the right of peoples to self-determination, to destabilize or overthrow the Government of any State or to dismember or impair, totally or in part, the territorial integrity or political unity of sovereign and independent States conducting themselves in compliance with the right of peoples to self-determination; 5. Stresses the importance of the entry into force of the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries,5 and calls upon all States that have not yet done so to consider taking the necessary action to sign, accede to or ratify it, as a matter of priority; 6. Welcomes the cooperation extended by those countries that have received visits from the Special Rapporteur; 7. Welcomes also the adoption by some States of national legislation that restricts the recruitment, assembly, financing, training and transit of mercenaries; 8. Calls upon States to investigate the possibility of mercenary involvement whenever and wherever criminal acts of a terrorist nature occur and to bring to trial those found responsible or to consider their extradition, if so requested, in accordance with domestic law and applicable bilateral or international treaties; 9. Welcomes the convening by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights of the second meeting of experts on the question of traditional and new forms of mercenary activities as a means of violating human _______________ 4 5 2 See A/57/178. Resolution 44/34, annex.