Where Industry and Security Intersect
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GOOD MORNING. I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY TO SHARE A FEW THOUGHTS ON HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO FIGHT TERRORISM AND HALT THE PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING WITH FOREIGN OFFICIALS AS THE NEW ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EXPORT ENFORCEMENT-- THE FIRST OF MANY MEETINGS I AM SURE.
AS A FEDERAL PROSECUTOR IN NEW YORK, I SPENT SEVEN YEARS PROSECUTING TERRORISTS, MOST RECENTLY PROSECUTING THOSE INVOLVED IN USAMA BIN LADEN'S ATTACKS ON OUR EMBASSIES IN EAST AFRICA. DURING THESE PROSECUTIONS, I WORKED CLOSELY WITH OFFICIALS FROM MANY COUNTRIES. I HAVE EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND THE DIFFERENCE THAT COOPERATION AMONG NATIONS CAN MAKE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM.
I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN DETECTING, HALTING, AND PROSECUTING THOSE WHO WOULD VIOLATE EXPORT CONTROLS TO DEVELOP WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND ENGAGE IN ACTS OF TERRORISM.
THE WHOLE WORLD WAS SHOCKED AND SADDENED BY WHAT HAPPENED IN NEW YORK AND NEARBY AT THE PENTAGON ON SEPTEMBER 11. WE IN EXPORT CONTROL MUST ALL WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. THIS MEETING IS A GOOD START.
ALL AMERICANS ARE THANKFUL FOR THE INTERNATIONAL OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FROM YOUR COUNTRIES AND MANY OTHERS. TOGETHER WE MUST WORK TO BUILD A BETTER, STRONGER EXPORT CONTROL SYSTEM, A SYSTEM THAT WILL STOP TERRORISTS. IT MUST BE A SYSTEM THAT WILL PUNISH STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM, AND A SYSTEM THAT WILL CUT OFF SUPPLIES TO COUNTRIES THAT ARE ATTEMPTING TO DEVELOP WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
MAKE NO MISTAKE -- TERRORISTS AND THOSE THAT SEEK TO DEVELOP WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ARE NOT JUST TARGETING THE UNITED STATES - THEY ARE TARGETING EACH AND EVERY COUNTRY WHICH PRIDES ITSELF ON HAVING AN OPEN AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY AND WHICH FAVORS THE FREE FLOW OF IDEAS -- ALL OFF THE COUNTRIES REPRESENTED HERE TODAY.
AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL, I WOULD LIKE TO HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM -- OUR FALLEN COLLEAGUES IN THE NEW YORK POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS. TO DO THIS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL CONTINUE IN THIS FIGHT UNTIL MURDERERS WHO KILL ONLY TO INSPIRE TERROR ARE HUNTED DOWN AND THE COUNTRIES THAT SUPPORT THEM ARE PUNISHED FOR THAT SUPPORT. WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT THE TECHNOLOGIES AND COMMODITIES THAT WE PRODUCE ARE NOT TURNED AROUND AND USED AGAINST US.
AT THIS CONFERENCE, YOU WILL BE DISCUSSING A NUMBER OF WAYS TO ENHANCE NATIONAL EXPORT CONTROLS, BOTH TO ENSURE THAT WMD DEVELOPERS AND TERRORISTS DO NOT OBTAIN MATERIAL AND TECHNOLOGY. WE MUST ALSO FIND WAYS TO COOPERATE IN DETECTING AND HALTING SUCH EFFORTS. EXPORT ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN IN THIS BATTLE FOR YEARS NOW -- WE WILL CONTINUE THE FIGHT WITH YOUR HELP.
AT EXPORT ENFORCEMENT WE ARE FOCUSED ON OUR ANTI-TERRORISM MISSION. AS I SPEAK, OUR INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS ARE REVIEWING VISA APPLICATIONS TO IDENTIFY TERRORISTS AND THEIR PROCUREMENT AGENTS. THOSE WHO WOULD USE OUR COUNTRY AS A SPRING BOARD FOR WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT WILL BE FOUND OUT AND BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.
OUR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATORS IN THE FIELD ARE ALSO IN THE FIGHT - EXPORT ENFORCEMENT AGENTS IN NEW YORK ARE WORKING DIRECTLY ON THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS, WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE FBI AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. OTHER AGENTS, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND OVERSEAS, CONTINUE TO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM.
THE THEME YOU CHOSE FOR THIS SYMPOSIUM, A THEME CHOSEN BEFORE THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS - "INDUSTRY-GOVERNMENT RELATIONS IN EXPORT CONTROL" - IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT AFTER THAT TRAGEDY. PERHAPS MORE SO. FOR IT IS THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP OF GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY THAT WE WILL BEST BE ABLE TO UNCOVER AND DEFEAT ILLEGAL EXPORT, RE-EXPORT OR TRANSIT TRANSACTIONS. LATER THIS WEEK AT OUR ANNUAL "UPDATE CONFERENCE" YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE US GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY AND SEE HOW WE APPROACH THAT ISSUE.
MANY OF YOUR COUNTRIES LIE ALONG KEY TRANSIT ROUTES BETWEEN SUPPLIER COUNTRIES AND THOSE WHICH SEEK TO OBTAIN AND MISUSE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY. NO ONE COUNTRY CAN STOP THESE EFFORTS ALONE - NOT THE UNITED STATES NOR OUR ALLIES IN EUROPE, CENTRAL ASIA OR THE CAUCUS REGION. WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO COOPERATE REGIONALLY AS WELL AS BILATERALLY.
I ALSO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING TO WASHINGTON AT THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME. I KNOW THAT YOUR DISCUSSIONS, BOTH IN THE PLENARY SESSION AND IN THE VARIOUS BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS, WILL HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR BATTLE AGAINST TERRORISM AND THE SPREAD OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND ALL OF YOUR SESSIONS, BUT WILL HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM MY OFFICE HERE TO TAKE PART IN ALL THE DISCUSSIONS. I WILL BE AT THE UPDATE CONFERENCE THIS WEEK AND HOPE THAT WE GET A CHANCE TO TALK FURTHER ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT CONCERN US ALL.
THIS IS MY FIRST CHANCE TO MEET MOST OF YOU. AS I SAID EARLIER, IT WILL NOT BE THE LAST. AS LONG AS I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR US EXPORT ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS, I WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH YOU AND YOUR GOVERNMENTS TO DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS A SAFER AND SANER WORLD.
YOUR COUNTRIES HAVE JOINED WITH US IN THIS EFFORT AND TOGETHER WE WILL SUCCEED.
THANK YOU.
In April of 2002 the Bureau of Export Administration (BXA) changed its name to the Bureau of Industry and Security(BIS). For historical purposes we have not changed the references to BXA in the legacy documents found in the Archived Press and Public Information.