For Immediate Release
February 12, 2004

Global Message

From remarks by President Bush, 2/11/04

President Bush has announced seven proposals to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction. The President proposes that:

The work of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) is expanded to address more than shipments and transfers. Nations should establish an Interpol-like task force to bring to justice those who traffic in deadly weapons, to shut down labs, seize materials, and freeze assets.

The UN Security Council should require all states to criminalize proliferation, enact strict export controls, and secure all sensitive materials within their borders.

The United States should expand its efforts to keep weapons from the Cold War and other dangerous materials out of the wrong hands.

The United States and our allies should close a loophole in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty so that countries are prohibited from producing nuclear material that can be used to build bombs under the cover of civilian nuclear programs.

Allow only states that have signed the Additional Protocol, which requires states to declare a broad range of nuclear activities and facilities, to import nuclear or nuclear-related dual use equipment.

A special committee should be created to handle safeguards and verification of adherence to rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

No state under investigation should be allowed to serve on the IAEA Board of Governors -- or on the new special committee. Those actively breaking the rules should not be trusted with enforcing the rules.