For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 16, 2002
Joint Statement Between the United States of America and Negara Brunei Darussalam
President Bush and His Majesty, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, today
pledged to reinforce the friendship between the peoples of the United
States and of Brunei Darussalam, and to pursue our common interests of
peace, prosperity, and stability in Southeast Asia.
The two leaders recommitted themselves to the global war on terror,
declaring terrorism a threat to all civilized societies and the
exploitation of religion to promote violence an abomination. President
Bush and His Majesty reiterated the importance of strengthening
international cooperation in combating terrorism in a comprehensive
manner and affirmed the importance of working with multilateral
institutions, including the United Nations. The two leaders also
recognized the importance of promoting tolerance and understanding
amongst the diverse cultures, societies, and religions.
The President praised Brunei Darussalam's long tradition of
religious tolerance and cooperation with its neighbors, friends, and
partners. In the wake of the tragic Bali bombings, the President and
His Majesty agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation to identify
and destroy terrorist networks; exchange information and intelligence
about terrorists and terrorist organizations; disrupt the movement of
terrorists and the tools of terror across international borders; and
cut off sources of funding for terrorist acts, especially in Southeast
Asia. His Majesty welcomed President Bush's offer to assist Brunei
Darussalam in building its capacity to counter terrorism.
The President welcomed the recent accession of the Government of
His Majesty the Sultan and Yand Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam to the
International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of
Terrorism. The President and His Majesty also look forward to
cooperating with other ASEAN partners in supporting the proposed
regional counterterrorism center in Malaysia.
President Bush expressed appreciation for Brunei Darussalam's
contribution toward the humanitarian relief efforts and reconstruction
of Afghanistan. Such contributions demonstrate the compassion of the
Government and people of Brunei in its commitment to build a peaceful,
prosperous Afghanistan.
The President and His Majesty welcomed the growing, mutually
beneficial bilateral defense relationship between the United States and
Brunei Darussalam, and reaffirmed their desire to see such cooperation
increase.
The two leaders agreed on the importance of a strong and united
ASEAN, and President Bush offered all appropriate assistance to support
capacity-building within ASEAN. President Bush praised Brunei
Darussalam's strong leadership role in ASEAN in recent years, and
reaffirmed our commitment to expand U.S. engagement with ASEAN as a
pillar of stability in Southeast Asia. The two leaders agreed on the
importance of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and APEC in promoting
regional stability and prosperity. The President welcomed Brunei
Darussalam's support for our Secure Trade in the APEC Region, or
"STAR," initiative, aimed at transforming the movement of goods and
people to increase both security and economic competitiveness. The
President pledged to work with the Government of Brunei Darussalam to
assist Brunei Darussalam in building its own capacity to provide
increased border and customs security and efficiency.
His Majesty welcomed President Bush's Enterprise for ASEAN
Initiative, or "EAI," as an initiative designed to promote increased
investment, economic growth, and free trade between the United States
and ASEAN countries. The President and His Majesty welcomed the
signing of a bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement
(TIFA). This TIFA will provide the foundation for increased trade and
economic cooperation between Brunei Darussalam and the United States as
both economies adapt to the economic challenges of the 21st century.
The two sides agreed to coordinate their efforts bilaterally,
regionally, and multilaterally, including working together to complete
successfully the Doha Development Agenda.
To further deepen understanding between our two nations, the
President and His Majesty have pledged to increase educational
opportunities for Bruneian students, government officials, and other
professionals to study and train in the United States. Toward this
end, the President announced the establishment of a Fulbright Program
in Brunei.
The President and His Majesty also reiterated their mutual
commitment to advance the rule of law and to promote respect for human
rights, including freedom of religion, as enshrined in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and cherished by the people of both the
United States and Brunei Darussalam.
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