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Release Date: October 8, 2008
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact 202-282-8010
Washington, D.C.
Secretary Chertoff: This is a very auspicious occasion. It’s the second time we’ve signed an agreement here. And of course, this is the agreement that the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security is signing with the Minster of the Interior for preventing and combating serious crime, which, of course, is a very good thing. I’m delighted to have the Minster of Interior, my friend, here visiting with us and, of course, the Deputy Attorney General, as well.
And I want to begin by expressing my appreciation for our Slovakian counterparts, as we work together to bring the Slovak Republic into the Visa Waiver Program, which of course will benefit both our freedom-loving people. You’ll recall when we were here in March, we signed our memorandum of understanding, which was one significant step forward in implementing the possibility of entering this visa waiver program. And by signing today’s agreement relating to preventing and combating serious crime, we’re taking another major step forward to the goal of expanding the Visa Waiver Program and welcoming the Slovakian people into the program.
What this agreement will do is it will enable law enforcement officials on both sides of the Atlantic to investigate crime more efficiently and more quickly and will help us work together to prevent criminals and terrorists from traveling. Now, this is not a new concept. Sharing law-enforcement information is a fundamental tool that we have used for years to combat transnational crime and to prevent terrorism. And I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge a similar agreement that we signed recently with Germany.
In fact, in the European Union, the member states themselves have an information-sharing agreement known as the Prüm Convention, which deepens and broadens their security cooperation. And that’s the model we want to use with our friends and allies in Europe and around the world.
So before I turn it over to the Minister, I want to emphasize that we remain committed to Visa Waiver Program expansion at the earliest opportunity. That, of course, is enabled by two things: our allies doing their part, just as the Republic -- Slovak Republic has done today, and our doing our part, which we are, of course, carrying out by implementing our Electronic System for Travel Authorization. So I look forward to a day hopefully in the not-too-distant future where we can welcome Slovaks into visa-free travel, as we also hope to do with a number of other countries.
Most important, what we’re doing is we are strengthening the ties between two freedom-loving peoples, and we are strengthening the bands of cooperation that enable us to fight against dangerous people who will travel between our countries to do citizens of each country harm. So it’s a very good day for freedom-loving and law-abiding people. Mr. Minister.
Minister Kaliňák: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary. [Via interpreter] Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived to the end of a long journey. By signing this agreement, we’ve accomplished our long-term efforts to prepare Slovakia to enter the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. Finding our accession to the shining area that made Europe open up to us, we are now close to the point where Slovaks will be able to freely travel to the U.S.A. That is desire that we have had for so many years. We thought, in 1989, free travel was fiction beyond our wildest dreams. Only now, we have changed this historic moment.
The latest development in the U.S.-Slovak relations reaffirms that Slovakia is a highly respected country and reliable partner not only to Europe, but also on a global scale. We wish to convey our gratitude to the U.S.A. for opening these doors to us, and we stay optimistic. And with high self-esteem, we hope that we will be able to convey our happy message to all the citizens of Slovakia, maybe soon. And I would like to say that this agreement will make our two respective countries more safe, and our friendship will be the more stronger. Thank you.
Deputy Attorney General Filip: I’m very honored to join both Secretary Chertoff and Minister Kaliňák today in signing this agreement between the United States and the Republic of Slovakia to prevent and combat crime. It’s also a great honor to be here with Ambassador Obsitnik.
This bilateral instrument is important not only for visa waiver purposes, but in it’s own right, giving the criminal law enforcement authorities in our two respective countries an important new tool to fight transnational crime, including terrorism. Also important are the protections for privacy and civil liberties that are built into the agreement.
Additionally, this agreement provides a proactive mechanism to enable further appropriate sharing of information concerning elements, suspected criminals, and terrorists. And in all, this agreement symbolizes our joint resolve between our two great nations and great friends to stem the growth of international crime and terrorism.
It also is an important milestone -- Secretary Chertoff and the rest of us were discussing this earlier, and he wisely pointed it out. It’s also an important milestone marking the growth of liberty. I had the privilege of visiting Slovakia many years ago in 1990. It is, as the Minister explained it, a different country in many respects now than it was then. And it is a more free and wonderful place even than it was then, and it’s a great day for both our countries and for the progress of liberty in the world.
Minister Kaliňák explained that Slovakia is highly respected nation and partner of the U.S. We certainly view Slovakia that way at the Justice Department. I know the Department of Homeland Security does, as well. So for the growth of liberty and the efforts made by both Americans and Slovaks and Slovak-Americans, it’s a wonderful day for our two nations and for the world in that regard. So it really is an honor to be here and thank you all very much.
Moderator: We have time for two questions.
Secretary Chertoff: I just asked if you want to direct the questions to me, we’ll answer them.
Moderator: Any questions?
Question: Yes, I can ask about one question. My name is [inaudible] from Slovakia. I want to ask you if you were talking with Mr. Kaliňák about exact date, or maybe it’s a day when Czech Republic and maybe Hungary will become member of visa program as well?
Secretary Chertoff: Well, of course we -- we are working with not only the Slovak Republic but the Czech Republic and Hungary and other countries to move to the point of admission to the program. I can’t give you a precise date yet, but I think that our partners overseas have accomplished what they need to accomplish. We have some things that we need to finish up, but I’m optimistic that we’re talking about something that’s going to happen in the very near future.
Moderator: Final question.
Question: Yes, thank you. Is it likely that more countries, Slovakia and its neighbors, will be admitted to the program at the same time?
Secretary Chertoff: Well, we’re talking to a number of different countries at various stages of progress. We’re hopeful that at least a certain number can be admitted in the first group, and maybe another number in the second group. But until we’ve got everything all arranged, I don’t want to raise expectations too much. But I do think we are very close to being able to make some admissions, and we’re working very hard to achieve that goal which I know is important to both our friends overseas and ourselves.
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This page was last reviewed/modified on October 8, 2008.