Taken Questions Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC September 2, 2003 Question Taken at September 2, 2003 Daily Press Briefing Proliferation Security Initiative - Paris Meeting of Core Participants, September 3-4, 2003Question: Please provide details on the Proliferation Security Initiative meeting in Paris. What will be discussed?
Answer: The Proliferation Security Initiative core participants will meet in Paris on September 3-4. The U.S. delegation is headed by Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John R. Bolton. Previous meetings occurred on June 12 in Madrid and July 9-10 in Brisbane. The Paris meeting will focus on the further development of a statement of interdiction principles that will enable countries to better work together within domestic and international law to enhance and expand efforts to prevent the flow of weapons of mass destruction, missiles and related technologies to and from countries of concern. At Brisbane, the governments agreed:
An essential component of our counterproliferation strategy is to work with other concerned states to develop new means to disrupt the proliferation trade at sea, in the air, and on land. The Proliferation Security Initiative reflects the need for a more dynamic, proactive approach to the global proliferation problem.
As the Proliferation Security Initiative moves forward, we hope to involve all countries that have the will and ability to take action on proliferation. Particularly important in these efforts are countries that are key flag, coastal or transit states, as well as countries that are used by proliferators in their Weapons of Mass Destruction and missile trafficking efforts.
The eleven countries attending the Proliferation Security Initiative meetings include Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States
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