REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE
NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF
TRANSPORTATION
APEC NEWS
CONFERENCE
LOS CABOS,
MEXICO
OCTOBER 23,
2002
2:45 PM
Thank you for coming this afternoon.
Today’s press conference is a call to action — a call for faster
implementation of tough security measures by all APEC economies so that we can
secure global trade and spur economic growth.
Before I get to the specifics, I would first like to thank
each of the APEC economies attending this conference for the support you have
given the United States and the more than 80 nations who lost citizens to the
horrific September 11th terrorist attacks.
That day, forever changed the way all of us view the world.
It stands as a reminder of how small our world truly is, and of how
intertwined our economies and our people truly are.
This point was
driven home again, most recently, just over a week ago, when we watched in
horror as a car bomb in Bali killed 183 people, many of them Australian
tourists, and a series of bombs ripped through a popular shopping center in the
Philippines, killing six.
We whole-heartedly condemn senseless acts of violence such
as these, and will stand shoulder to shoulder with you, our friends, to do
everything possible to stop them. An
explosion in any city around the world reverberates across America.
In this morning’s meeting with APEC ministers, we
discussed how the terrorist attacks clearly served as a wake-up call to all APEC
economies.
These events showed the vulnerabilities of the
transportation system, and the importance of awareness and preparedness.
The ministers’ work immediately following the September
11th attacks shifted the focal point of the APEC transportation agenda from
gradual change to a call for immediate change.
We appreciate these
efforts, but an even faster response is needed. All of our economies and our prosperity hinges upon our
actions.
That is why we, in
the United States, have developed a plan for Secure Trade in the APEC Region, or
the STAR Initiative.
The STAR Initiative is designed to expedite the movement of
goods and people even while adding a new layer of security.
For example, to ensure the safety of passengers, the STAR
Initiative:
·
Requires the use of biometric technology, such as fingerprints, on
all entry and exit travel documents;
·
Establishes international standards for baggage and passenger
screening; and
·
Calls for reinforced flight deck doors for all passenger aircraft
by April 2003, which is a year earlier than other international agreements
required.
Examples of improved safety of goods, includes:
·
The installation of automatic identification for certain ships by
December of this year, which is a year earlier than is required in other
international agreements;
·
The implementation of standardized electronic customs reporting to
target high-risk containers; and
·
A call for the private sector to adopt new, higher
standards of supply chain security.
I understand that
this initiative may challenge the resources of some of the economies in the APEC
region. However, a failure to act
will cost even more — not only in potential lives lost, but in business lost
from people who cut back on their travel, as well as in goods that cannot be
shipped.
Thus, APEC must engage in a wide range of cooperative
programs, working together to secure the flow of goods while defeating those who
wish to do evil.
We're committed to a world that lives and trades in
freedom, and together we must meet any challenge that stands in our way.
I ask the members of APEC to join our lead and solidify
what many in the international community have undertaken. And we need to move swiftly to expedite this initiative
because, as we all know, terrorists will not wait for us to be ready before they
attack again.
The STAR initiative lays the foundation for securing and
expanding trade in the APEC region.
Thank you for your time.
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