Foreign Ministry of Spain
First Meeting of the PSI, June 12, 2003
Madrid, Spain
June 12, 2003
The International Community is deeply concerned by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction [WMD] and related materials, as well as by the risk that these may fall into the hands of terrorists. There exists a wide-spread consensus that this menace, together with terrorism, constitutes the greatest challenge to International Security.
In this context, the Government of Spain hosted a meeting of countries on June 12, where, building on the Proliferation Security Initiative announced by U.S. President Bush May 31 in Krakow, participants agreed on the need to take more active measures to stop the flow of WMD and missiles to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern. Participants recalled G-8 efforts, including the Global Partnership Against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, and the EU Strategy and Action Plan against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
The group included Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
All agreed that proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery, and related materials and equipment is a serious threat to national and international security and that trafficking in these items by certain countries or non-state actors must be stopped.
They agreed to assess existing national authorities under which such practical measures could be pursued, and to encourage the various export control regimes to take this initiative into account in strengthening the regimes.
They expressed the desire to broaden support for and, as appropriate, participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative to include all countries that are prepared to play a role in preventing this dangerous commerce, and that can contribute to proactive measures to interdict shipments.
