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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 2, 2003

U.S. Actions at the G-8 Summit

      In Focus: G8 2003

“Today our alliance of freedom faces a new enemy – a lethal combination of terrorist groups… outlaw states seeking weapons of mass destruction… and an ideology of power and domination that targets the innocent and justifies any crime. This is a time for all of us to unite in defense of liberty, and step up to the shared duties of free nations. This is no time to stir up divisions in a great alliance.”

President George W. Bush
May 31, 2003

Presidential Action

President Bush today urged increased G-8 action to spur global economic growth, and welcomed agreements on a series of new G-8 initiatives to combat terror and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The G-8 leaders also endorsed action plans on science and technology, famine relief, and water, which build on U.S. policies.

GLOBAL ECONOMY

Promoting Global Economic Growth: The G-8 Leaders expressed confidence in the growth potential of their economies. President Bush highlighted his recently enacted Jobs and Growth Plan to generate jobs and spur increased growth in the U.S. economy. He encouraged his G-8 colleagues to take similarly decisive action to create multiple engines of global economic growth.

Trade: The G-8 Leaders stressed that trade represents the optimum path to global growth. They issued an Action Plan on Trade, reaffirming their commitment to ensuring the success of the Doha WTO trade negotiations by end-2004, and to ensuring that the Cancun Ministerial meeting in September takes the decisions necessary to achieve that goal.

Preventing and Resolving Financial Crises: Achieving a key U.S. priority, the G-8 Leaders agreed to “promote the widespread adoption of collective action clauses” in developing country debt offerings. These clauses, which have already been incorporated into debt offerings by Mexico, Uruguay, Brazil, and South Africa, ensure a more orderly restructuring of sovereign debt.

Transparency and Anti-Corruption: The World Bank has identified corruption as the single greatest obstacle to economic growth and development. The United States has been a leader in fighting foreign official corruption. Today, President Bush and his G-8 colleagues endorsed agreement on a G-8 Transparency and Anti-Corruption Action Plan, which commits the G-8 to, among other things:

SECURITY

Enhancing Security of Civil Aviation: The G-8 adopted a U.S.-driven Action Plan to enhance civil aviation security by reducing the proliferation of shoulder-launched missiles (Man-Portable Air Defense Systems, or MANPADS). The Action Plan commits the G-8 to:

Counterterrorism Action Group: President Bush and the other G8 Leaders agreed to establish a Counterterrorism Action Group (CTAG) of donor countries to increase counterterrorism assistance and training for countries with the will but not the skill to fight terror. CTAG will focus on assistance needs in areas such as terrorist financing, customs and immigration controls, illegal arms trafficking, and law enforcement. CTAG will also support efforts of the UN Counterterrorism Committee in implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1373.

Broadening the Global Partnership Against Weapons of Mass Destruction: In a significant step forward, the G-8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, which was launched at last year’s Kananaskis Summit, has been broadened to non-G8 countries, including Finland, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland. The United States is the leading supporter of the Global Partnership, having pledged $10 billion over 10 years, one-half of the total G-7 commitment.

Action on Nonproliferation: President Bush underscored the growing threat from the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The G8 Leaders issued a strong statement stressing that this “global challenge requires a multifaceted solution” and noting their determination “to tackle it individually and collectively – working together and with other partners.” The Leaders’ Statement addressed the challenge posed by North Korea and Iran’s nuclear programs:

Reducing the “Dirty Bomb” Threat: With U.S. encouragement, the G-8 launched a major new initiative to improve the security of radioactive sources and prevent their use by terrorists in so-called “dirty bombs.” The initiative complements International Atomic Energy Agency programs and commits the G-8 to:

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Action on New Technologies to Improve Environment and Health: G-8 Leaders agreed today on an Action Plan on Science & Technology designed to care for our environment while growing our economies. The G8 Action builds directly on U.S. initiatives to develop transformational technologies for:

Action on Famine Relief: The G-8 Leaders endorsed a U.S.-driven Action Plan on famine, which calls for:

Water Action Plan: The G-8 leaders endorsed a Water Action Plan that builds on the principles and goals of President Bush’s $1 billion Water for the Poor Initiative. The Action Plan includes two components of the Water for the Poor Initiative: point-of-use technologies (chlorine-based solutions and filters used in the household), which are demonstrably effective in combating disease and saving lives, and revolving funds, which allow communities to finance capital-intensive water infrastructure projects over an affordable period of time at competitive rates.


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