7th Counter Terrorism Task Force Meeting
Allow me to welcome you all to our 7th CTTF meeting and our second gathering for this year.
Counter-terrorism has now merited key programs and activities, under the areas of capacity building, technical assistance, and targeted cooperation. Specific counter-terrorism initiatives and measures have, in fact, already gained momentum. The STAR initiative, supply chain security measures, advance passenger information system, the regional movement alert list, the moves to stem terrorist financing, and our own CTAPs (Counter Terrorism Action Plans) cross-analysis project - all of these demonstrate how ideas have since converged and been translated into gradual, specific and focused measures.
We are grateful to the BMC for approving the CTAPs cross-analysis project as a priority for this year.
I had revised our agenda to provide us a good sense of direction based on what we have agreed to do during the first quarter of the year. So you will notice that the entire agenda have been matched to our five objectives.
It is well understood that our prime duty is to coordinate compliance to the instructions given last year, and in previous years, by our Leaders. That happens to be our first objective.
Our next responsibility is to make sure each economy would have the CTAPs because they are the tools by which we'll fight terrorism and promote growth. Not surprisingly, our second objective is to review and assess those CTAPs - and this year, even do a cross analysis to pinpoint common themes, needs and opportunities for CT capacity building and technical assistance.
Our third function is to cooperate with international and regional organizations and facilitate coordination with APEC fora on counter-terrorism. In the absence a coordination mechanism with outside bodies, our focus is to coordinate the activities of the lead working groups in delivering the agreed deliverables - to ensure forward movement. We will receive updates on ISPS (International Ship and Port Security), MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems) and trade and security.
Our fourth objective, which is still tied to the third function, is process-oriented. It is to develop the capability to make the APEC process more effective through efficient administration and operations. Lest we forget, again this involves the all-important coordination with other international organizations. Tomorrow, Vietnam and Canada will be providing briefings on STAR IV and reportage of work on international fora.
Lastly, as hedge against uncertainty, our fifth objective is to anticipate new challenges and undertake new initiatives if only to make APEC resilient and resistant to terrorist attacks. An expert on the handling of radioactive sources will enrich our knowledge, and the Secretariat will report on the Virtual Task Force on Emergency Preparedness Meeting which was held in Bali, Indonesia early this month.
The CTTF's roadmap was made quite clear as early as 2003. Every economy would have a Counter-Terrorism Action Plan. The CTTF would coordinate the implementation of the Leaders' Statements on Fighting Terrorism, help assess counter-terrorism needs, co-ordinate regional and bilateral capacity building and technical assistance programs, cooperate with other international organizations, and facilitate cooperation between APEC's Working Groups and Committees on counter-terrorism issues.
Underneath those functions were laid the specific programs and activities, from STAR I to STAR IV, from cargo security through cybersecurity to capacity-building. This year, STAR III centered on international aviation and maritime security, and next year, STAR IV will focus on protecting people in transit - just as precisely planned in 2003.
Rechecking the list of APEC's Counter-Terrorism activities, it was assuring to realize that we have not deviated at all from our preset headings. The guidance we can draw then is let us forge ahead along the same path, on all four engines, to simultaneously meet our five objectives.
Let us follow and fulfill our mandate. Let us follow up the efforts of the other groups taking the lead on specific programs. And let us follow through with our own initiatives, with our own gestures, with our own extra efforts.
Ultimately, let us be focused on the concluding state, at least for APEC and CTTF this year 2005, an end state defined by substantial compliance, functional coordination, and effective cooperation among APEC on counter-terrorism, an end state of working programs and convergent security, an end state of a truly responsive and relevant CTTF.
On this note, I expect our discussions to be most productive.
Thank you.