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Skriven 2005-03-23 23:34:14 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0503234) for Wed, 2005 Mar 23
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Fact Sheet: Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 23, 2005

Fact Sheet: Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America



"In a rapidly changing world, we must develop new avenues of cooperation
that will make our open societies safer and more secure, our businesses
more competitive, and our economies more resilient."

Joint Statement by President Bush, Prime Minister Martin, and President
Fox, March 23, 2005

Today, President Bush, Prime Minister Martin of Canada, and President Fox
of Mexico announced the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North
America (SPP) at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

Through the SPP, the United States, Canada, and Mexico seek to:
  þ Establish a cooperative approach to advance our common security and
    prosperity.
  þ Develop a common security strategy to further secure North America,
    focusing on:
      þ Securing North America from external threats;
      þ Preventing and responding to threats within North America; and
      þ Streamlining the secure and efficient movement of legitimate and
        low-risk traffic across our shared borders.
  þ Promote economic growth, competitiveness, and quality of life. Through
    cooperation and information sharing, the SPP will work toward:
      þ Improving productivity;
      þ Reducing the costs of trade; and
      þ Enhancing the joint stewardship of our environment, facilitating
        agricultural trade while creating a safer and more reliable food
        supply, and protecting our people from disease.
  þ The SPP is based on the principle that our prosperity is dependent on
    our security, and recognizes that our three great nations are bound by
    a shared belief in freedom, economic opportunity, and strong democratic
    institutions.
  þ At the meeting, President Bush, Prime Minister Martin, and President
    Fox released Security and Prosperity Agendas to further protect and
    secure North America from 21st Century threats and to increase economic
    opportunities for the people of North America while maintaining high
    standards of health and safety.
  þ Following the meeting, and based on the content of the Security and
    Prosperity Agendas, each nation will establish ministerial-level
    Security and Prosperity Partnership working groups. The working groups
    will:
      þ Consult with stakeholders (in the business sector, state and local
        governments, and non-governmental organizations) in their
        respective countries;
      þ Set specific, measurable, and achievable goals and implementation
        dates;
      þ Identify concrete steps the governments can take to achieve these
        goals;
      þ Within 90 days (June 2005) report back to the Heads of Government
        with their initial report; and semi-annual progress reports
        thereafter.

Areas of Focus and Responsibility

The following U.S. working groups will be established:
  þ Security working groups chaired by Secretary Chertoff and the
    Department of Homeland Security will address:
      þ External Threats to North America
      þ Streamlined and Secured Shared Borders
      þ Prevention/Response within North America
  þ Prosperity working groups chaired by Secretary Gutierrez and the
    Department of Commerce will address:
      þ Manufactured Goods
      þ Energy Food and Agriculture
      þ Business Facilitation
      þ E-Commerce and Information and Communications Technologies (ICT)
      þ Transportation
      þ Environment
      þ Financial Services
      þ Rules of Origin
  þ Secretary Rice and the Department of State will work with the
    Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce to integrate the work of
    the Security and Prosperity working groups, and ensure that it advances
    U.S. foreign policy goals and enhances our strong relations with Canada
    and Mexico.

Relationship to Other Initiatives
  þ The SPP will complement, rather than replace, existing bilateral and
    trilateral fora and working groups that are performing well. It
    establishes leader-level priorities for ongoing and new trilateral and
    bilateral initiatives, giving existing efforts additional momentum, and
    creating new programs and initiatives where necessary and appropriate.
  þ The SPP will enhance and strengthen our ongoing security efforts, such
    as the Smart Border Accord, the Border Partnership Action Plan, and the
    Free and Secure Trade (FAST) Initiative.
  þ The SPP builds upon, but is separate from, our long-standing trade and
    economic relationships, and it energizes other aspects of our
    cooperative relations, such as the protection of our environment, our
    food supply, and our public health. The issues of immigration and trade
    disputes will be dealt with outside the SPP thru existing treaties and
    congressional action.

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