Igad nations

Sudan Somalia Uganda Kenya Ethiopia Eritrea Djibouti

But differences between the countries, who make up the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad), in particular over the definition of terrorism, ensured that the proposal did not include any actual concrete policies.

Two of the participants - Sudan and Somalia - have been mooted as possible targets in any second phase of the US-led war against terrorism.

Decisions on specific action were postponed until the next Igad summit, due to be held in Uganda next year.

A draft proposal suggesting ministers of justice and heads of security meet within two months to begin work on a joint campaign against terrorism was dropped because leaders could not agree on the meaning of the concept.

Sudan's Foreign Minister, Dr Mustafa Osman Ismail, said it was up to the United Nations to decide on its definition.

Division rules

The BBC's Richard Lee in Khartoum says it is clear that long-standing divisions between some of the countries, in particular between Ethiopia and Somalia, are at the root of the group's indecision.

IGAD leaders are concerned about US action in the region

Somali authorities recently accused Ethiopian troops of committing a terrorist act by crossing into Somalia. Members of Igad have often provided support to armed opposition groups operating in other member states.

The meeting provided a chance for leaders to distance themselves from terrorism.

Sudan's President Omar el-Beshir told the summit's opening: "We have to remove the image of being associated with terrorism".

Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, blamed for the 11 September attacks on New York and Washington, is thought to have cells in Sudan and Somalia, and Sudan is still on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.

President Beshir said his people had suffered as a result. Four years ago American cruise missiles destroyed a pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum, said to be involved in making chemical weapons.

However, Sudan has recently been thanked by US Secretary of State Colin Powell for handing over hundreds of intelligence files on al-Qaeda.

Action on Somalia

The Igad meeting is also aimed at ending Sudan's 18-year-old civil war and civil strife in Somalia.

Somalia - represented at Igad by its transitional government - remains largely lawless, and is regarded as a possible destination for members of the al-Qaeda network fleeing from Afghanistan.

Bin Laden - and thousands of his followers - remain at large

To prevent this and monitor suspected terrorist camps within Somalia, US warships have already been stationed off its coast.

Ethiopia says the new government there is linked to Al Ittihad Al Islamiya, an Islamist group whose assets were frozen by US President George W Bush after the 11 September attacks.

Somalia looks an increasingly likely candidate for the much-discussed next phase of the war, but the other conference members have reason to be wary too.

Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia have all been named by Washington as housing al-Qaeda cells.

The region remains attractive to terrorist groups because large swathes of it are beyond central government control.

Igad was originally set up to deal with drought in East Africa and the seven leaders will also be looking at development issues.