For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 11, 2004
Fact Sheet: Strengthening International Efforts Against WMD Proliferation
"There is a consensus among nations that proliferation cannot be
tolerated. Yet this consensus means little unless it is translated
into action. Every civilized nation has a stake in preventing the
spread of weapons of mass destruction."
President George W. Bush, February 11, 2004
Presidential Action
The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) poses the
most serious danger to the peace of the world. Chemical, biological,
and nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorists or outlaw regimes could
bring catastrophic harm to America and the international community.
Recent developments, as highlighted by the President today, demonstrate
the new, complex, and challenging threats to the international
community from WMD.
President Bush today proposed seven new steps to help combat the
development and spread of weapons of mass destruction. The policies
will:
Improve and modernize nonproliferation laws to address new and
changing threats;
Restrict the sale and transport of nuclear technologies and
equipment;
Close a loophole in the nuclear nonproliferation regimes that
allow states to pursue WMD under the false cloak of legitimacy;
and
Expand efforts to secure and destroy nuclear weapons and
materials.
Policy Recommendations
Law Enforcement Cooperation
The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), announced by President
Bush in May 2003, currently focuses on taking practical steps to
interdict proliferation shipments of WMD, delivery systems, and related
materials at sea, in the air, or on land.
The President proposes that participants in the PSI and other
willing nations expand their focus and use Interpol and other
mechanisms for law enforcement cooperation to take additional actions
to pursue proliferators and end their operations.
Swift Passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution
The President calls for swift passage of the resolution he
proposed in September 2003, requiring all states to criminalize
proliferation, enact strict export controls, and secure sensitive
materials within their borders.
Expansion of G-8 Global Partnership
To ensure the nations of the world are doing all they can to
secure and eliminate WMD and dangerous materials, the President
proposes the expansion -- in funds, donors, and recipients -- of the
G-8 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of
Mass Destruction.
The Partnership originally provided $20 billion in
nonproliferation assistance to the former Soviet Union, it should
now also work to reduce and secure dangerous materials elsewhere in the
world.
Controls Against Enrichment and Reprocessing
Currently, the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty allows states like
Iran to develop the capability to produce weapons material under the
cover of peaceful programs by pursuing a nuclear enrichment and
reprocessing capability. The world must create a safe orderly system
to fuel civilian nuclear reactors without adding to the danger of
nuclear proliferation.
The President has proposed that the members of the Nuclear
Suppliers Group ensure that states which renounce enrichment and
reprocessing technologies have reliable access, at reasonable cost, to
fuel for civilian reactors.
The 40 states in the Nuclear Suppliers Group should refuse to sell
uranium enrichment or reprocessing equipment or technology to any state
that does not already possess full-scale, functioning enrichment or
reprocessing plants.
Strengthening the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
The President offers three key proposals to strengthen the IAEA in
its work against nuclear proliferation.
First, all states should sign the IAEA Additional Protocol, which
greatly expands the Agency's tools to detect clandestine nuclear
activities. Signing of the Additional Protocol should be a condition
for countries seeking equipment for their civilian nuclear programs by
next year.
Second, the IAEA Board of Governors should create a special
committee on safeguards and verification, to improve the
organization's ability to monitor and enforce compliance with nuclear
nonproliferation obligations.
Finally, no state under investigation for proliferation violations
should be allowed to serve or continue serving on the IAEA Board of
Governors or on the new special committee.
Key Accomplishments
Today, President Bush welcomed key accomplishments in our
determined efforts to prevent and protect against the proliferation of
WMD.
Abdul Qadeer (A.Q.) Khan Network
The President provided details on the activities of A. Q. Khan, who
led an extensive international network for the proliferation of nuclear
materials and knowledge. The President also discussed the actions of
the U.S. and British governments in penetrating and ultimately shutting
down this network:
Khan and his associates used a factory in Malaysia to manufacture
key parts for centrifuges, and purchased other necessary parts
through network operatives based in Europe, the Middle East, and
Africa. Libya, Iran, and North Korea were customers of the Khan
network, and several other countries expressed an interest in Khan's
services.
Over several years, American and British intelligence services
gradually uncovered the network's reach, and identified its key
experts, agents, and financial network. This work involved substantial
risk -- and all Americans can be proud of the hard work and dedication
of our fine intelligence professionals.
As a result of our penetration of the network, American and
British intelligence identified and tracked a shipment of advanced
centrifuge parts. As part of the PSI, German and Italian authorities
stopped the ship as it was heading for Libya, seizing several
containers filled with parts for sophisticated centrifuges manufactured
at the Malaysia facility.
The Government of Pakistan is interrogating the network's members,
and learning critical details that will help prevent the network from
ever operating again. President Musharraf has promised to share all
the information he learns about the Khan network, and has assured us
that his country will never again be a source of proliferation.
Libya
The President welcomed the historic decision of Colonel Qadhafi to
end his weapons of mass destruction programs, and expects other regimes
to follow his example. On December 19, 2003, Libya pledged to:
Eliminate all elements of its chemical and nuclear weapons
programs;
Declare all nuclear activities to the IAEA;
Eliminate ballistic missiles with more than 300 km range when
carrying a payload of 500 kg;
Accept international inspections to ensure Libya's complete
adherence to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and sign the IAEA
Additional Protocol; and
Eliminate all chemical weapons stocks and munitions, and accede to
the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Libya is now working in partnership with the United States, United
Kingdom, the IAEA, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons on implementing those commitments.
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