For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 4, 2003
Statement on Proliferation Security Initiative
Statement by the Press Secretary
Principles for the Proliferation Security Initiative
The United States welcomes the announcement today in Paris of the
Statement of Interdiction Principles for the Proliferation Security
Initiative (PSI). The eleven nations currently participating in this
initiative, which President Bush announced in Krakow on May 31, 2003,
have made significant strides in shaping a new environment to combat
trafficking to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation
concern of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, and
related materials. The commitment of the countries currently
participating -- Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The
Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the
United States -- emphasizes the need for proactive measures to combat
the threat from the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The
PSI principles are fully consistent with national legal authorities,
and with relevant international law and frameworks.
The PSI is a broad international partnership of countries which,
using their own laws and resources, will coordinate their actions to
halt shipments of dangerous technologies to and from states and
non-state actors of proliferation concern -- at sea, in the air, and on
land. The PSI will reinforce, not replace, other nonproliferation
mechanisms. Cooperative and coordinated efforts by participating
countries will give strength and substance to the broad political
consensus against proliferation and help address an increasingly
important challenge to international security. The United States is
encouraged that all participants have agreed in Paris to abide by these
Principles. We support the expansion of PSI to all responsible nations
willing to accept the Principles, and will seek the involvement in PSI
of such countries.
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