REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE
NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION
GW UNIVERSITY
INTERNATIONAL SUMMIT ON AVIATION SAFETY & SECURITY
WASHINGTON,
D.C.
JULY 8,
2002
NOON
Thank you, Don, for that nice introduction, and thank you
everyone for coming to this very important summit on aviation safety and
security. Your participation today
is very much appreciated.
As you know, the horrific terrorist attacks of September
11th put this nation, and the more than 80 nations who also lost citizens, in
mourning and in shock. Never before
had our aviation system been used as a weapon of mass destruction.
In response, our Nation has been forced to completely reassess the way we
look at security. And the continuing threat of future attacks has prompted a
rapid implementation process.
I know that, as a result of these new security measures,
our Nation, and our world, will emerge stronger.
I also know that each of you, and the nations’ you
represent, understand this. We
thank you for your continued willingness to work with us.
We in the Bush Administration, and the entire United States
Government, are genuinely grateful for the support you’ve given to air
carriers with operations to the United States.
We understand fully the challenges these increased measures have borne.
Your efforts, and those of the aviation industry, continue to ensure a
concerned traveling public that their flights are indeed secure.
I know that each one of you here today understands the
importance of keeping our planes flying, and moving people and cargo among our
nations, safely, efficiently and securely.The United States and the countries of
Asia and the Pacific Rim have enormous trade and economic interests in making
this relationship work. Already the
region represents our second largest trading partner, behind only our neighbors
in North America. Trade with our
Asian and Pacific Rim partners provides millions of jobs to workers, and
billions of dollars of income to workers, businesses and investors.
It is a market that cannot be ignored, nor threatened.
I must tell you that the continued threat of terrorist
activities simply does not allow for any reduction of current measures of
aviation security. Security
requirements, such as reinforced cockpit doors and the advanced electronic
transmission of passenger and crew data, must be adhered to if we are to assure
travelers and businesses to continue using air transportation.
The aviation industry must continue to serve as the viable force that it
was before the September 11th attacks.
We, the international community, recognized the need to
immediately address these new security issues.
Just weeks after the terrible events of September 11th, the
International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO, convened its 33rd
General Assembly. The attendees
condemned the use of civil aviation as a weapon and recommended that ICAO create
a universal audit program to ensure that countries around the world continue to
protect the civil aviation system.
ICAO was directed to host a high-level ministerial
conference on civil aviation security to address the new vulnerabilities and
challenges exposed by the terrorist acts of September 11th.
To underscore the importance of this topic, Ministers and other
high-level officials from 154 countries and 24 international organizations
attended ICAO’s High-Level Conference on Civil Aviation Security this past
February. Many of you in this room
attended.
The Conference endorsed the creation of a mandatory and
systematic aviation security audit program.
The program is to be developed by ICAO, drawing upon proven and
successful concepts used in existing programs.
Security audits will determine each nation’s compliance with
international standards by observing measures at airports and assessing each
nation’s capabilities to sustain those measures.
The creation of a security audit program under the auspices
of ICAO is a significant accomplishment. However,
the global aviation system is only as strong as the international standards and
measures that support it. The Conference directed ICAO to strengthen and enhance
security standards and measures in order to deal effectively with existing, as
well as the new and emerging, threats to international civil aviation.
This week’s conference is designed to complement the ICAO
standards by bringing together aviation leaders of neighboring countries so that
you can form partnerships with each other, and with us, to make sure that all of
our interests are addressed, that our security needs are met, and that our
economies continue to grow. Ours
is, indeed, a true partnership between the United States and each of your
countries.
Again, thank you for making the time to come here for this
conference, and thank you for giving me this opportunity to share some thoughts
with you. I look forward to hearing
the results of your deliberations at this summit.
Travel safely!
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