*EPF317 03/26/2003
Text: State Department Expediting Export Licenses for Iraq Coalition Partners
(Goal is to process license applications in 48 hours) (260)

The State Department issued an announcement on March 26 stating that special processing procedures for the export of military equipment to partners in Operation Iraqi Freedom are being instituted. The goal of these special procedures is to process license applications "in no more than 48 hours."

Following is the text of the State Department's media note about expedited export licensing for Iraq coalition partners:

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

March 26, 2003

MEDIA NOTE

Department of State to Expedite Export Licenses for Iraq Coalition Partners

The Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), which is responsible under the Arms Export Control Act for licensing the export of military equipment and services on the U.S. Munitions List, has instituted special processing procedures for exports to our partners in OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM. This is an extension of the ongoing effort to meet the military equipment needs of our partners in Afghanistan under OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

Applications for the export of military equipment identified as being in support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM will be handled separately from other applications by a designated team of licensing officers. The goal is to process these license applications in no more than 48 hours.

Since the start of military operations in Afghanistan in October 2001, the Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) has processed 257 export license applications valued at over $525 million for coalition partners.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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