Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and the U.S. State Secretary Condoleezza Rice signed today, June 22, 2005, the Statement on the occasion of the signing of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).
Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and the U.S. State Secretary Condoleezza Rice signed today, June 22, 2005, the Statement on the occasion of the signing of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).
Below is the entire Statement text:
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, the Croatian Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister, and Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. State Secretary On June 1, the Republic of Croatia and the United States of America signed a bilateral Agreement on cooperation and prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems and related materials at sea. This is another step taken in partnership with like-minded people all over the world, in order to cut the risk of terrorists or the anarchist countries seizing upon the weapons of mass destruction, or the risk of its ending up on the black market.
The Republic of Croatia recognised early the threat of global terrorism and of the weapons of mass destruction. From this point, the Republic of Croatia joined the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), and took the active lead in the region in order to stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related materials. Moreover, it has closely cooperated with its partners, the United States of America and the European nations, as well as with its neighbours, in order to stress the importance of cooperation in eliminating the threat of global terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The signing of the Agreement on cooperation and prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems and related materials at sea reflects a joint commitment and determination of Croatia and the U.S. to make a joint effort in creating a prohibited zone for terrorism and dangerous weapons in the open sea. Croatia's recent history points to the need for an efficient answer to the challenges of terrorism. This is why Croatia is particularly interested, and has experience as well as knowledge in fighting terrorism. Besides, in 2002, Croatia reacted quickly and prevented a ship from delivering a suspicious cargo to Iraq, which would have breached the U.N. weapons delivery prohibition. Interception of this ship at the Adriatic Sea played an important role in preventing the delivery of illegal weapons to Saddam Hussein.
More than 60 countries are already part of the PSI, and additional members are welcome. Argentina, Georgia and Iraq recently supported this Initiative. PSI has and needs no formal support, such as a secretary, headquarters or a chairman. Actually, PSI consists of agreements among member countries on consensual activities against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction through cooperation between the countries' police, army and foreign affairs ministries. The PSI statement on prohibition principles consists of cooperation basic aims and methods within the Initiative. All the activities taken by the partner countries have to abide to the domestic and international laws, regulations, and acts. Member countries also consider reinforcing the existing frames. PSI promotes the spirit and the contents of the U.N. Security Council's Resolution 1540, which invites all the U.N. member countries to "take joint activities" in order to prevent weapons of mass destruction trade. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan welcomed all countries' activities related to this Initiative, and stressed that the Initiative was an example of a joint action that the countries should take in order to reduce the current global threat of weapons of mass destruction proliferation. The U.N. Secretary General 2004 "Report on Threats, Challenges, and Change" mentions a smugglers' network of a renegade Pakistani scientist A.Q. Kahn as a reminder of the need to take new activities in order to eradicate the illegal market of components necessary to make nuclear, chemical, biological, and radiological weapons.
Smugglers use more and more sophisticated and aggressive measures to get the materials related to weapons of mass destruction and systems of its delivery. They rely a great deal on fake ("screen") companies and brokers in their search of weapons, equipment, delicate technology, and double-purpose goods, and hide their illegal trade behind a legal one.
For terrorists, the acquisition of nuclear, chemical, biological, or radiological materials means only one thing – mass murders and devastations of much larger proportions than those of September 11, Beslan, Madrid, Bali and other recent attacks taken together. Every day, the U.S., the Republic of Croatia and more than 60 other PSI member countries work together in order to ensure that such a nightmare never happens again –here or anywhere else in our international community.
Ivana Crnic
Spokesperson
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