For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 21, 2003
Fact Sheet
APEC Announces Important Commitments on Security
Presidential Action
Today, President Bush welcomed APEC Leaders' agreement to new
security commitments to dismantle terrorist groups, eliminate the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and confront other direct
threats to the security of the region. These commitments on security
will complement APEC's landmark 1994 Bogor Goals on free trade and
investment.
Bangkok Security Commitments: APEC Leaders agreed to "dedicate
APEC" not only to advancing prosperity, but also to the "complementary
mission of ensuring the security of our people." Recognizing that
terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are
"direct and profound challenges to APEC's vision of free, open and
prosperous economies", Leaders pledged to take "all essential actions"
to:
"Dismantle, fully and without delay, transnational terrorist
groups" that threaten the APEC economies.
"Eliminate the severe and growing danger posed by the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of
delivery" by strengthening international non-proliferation regimes,
adopting and enforcing effective export controls, and taking other
legitimate and appropriate measures against proliferation. "
"Confront other direct threats to the security of our region."
To operationalize these goals, Leaders pledged to discuss at each
Leaders meeting their progress toward these security commitments, and
to take specific actions in pursuit of them.
# # #
|