*EPF310 05/12/2004
G-8 Justice, Interior Ministers Urge Greater Security Cooperation
(Cite need to fight international terror and crime) (520)

By David Shelby
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- Justice and interior ministers from the Group of Eight (G-8) countries issued a call May 11 for closer international cooperation in fighting terrorism and international crime.

At a press briefing following a ministers' meeting in Washington, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft said the group shares a common view of objectives and methods -- "greater safety and security for our citizens through closer, faster, smarter cooperation, respecting liberties."

He went on to say, "Our efforts come from a shared belief that national security is indivisible from international security. We recognize an international threat that demands an international response."

The G-8 is made up of Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Italy and the United States. A joint communiqué from the ministers outlined four basic areas in which they seek a greater coordination of efforts: preventing terrorists and criminal acts, strengthening border and transport security, ensuring greater cybersecurity, and stepping up efforts to fight corruption.

The first area was the prevention of terrorist and criminal acts. Specifically, Ashcroft underscored the need for greater and timelier cross-border sharing of intelligence information in order to prevent and disrupt terrorist acts.

The second area of concern addressed by the ministers was the strengthening of border and transportation security. Ashcroft highlighted the need to combat passport fraud based on the recycling of lost and stolen passports.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge also urged G-8 countries to take the lead in establishing standards for biometric tools that could be used to verify the identities of individuals and the authenticity of documents.

Ridge also mentioned the need to enhance security measures for ports and shipping.

The third area of focus in the ministerial meeting was the need to ensure greater cybersecurity. Ashcroft mentioned a network of agencies in G-8 countries that is currently engaged in monitoring Internet activity and investigating high-tech crime and affirmed the need for continued capacity-building in this area.

Finally, the ministers underscored the need for greater efforts to fight corruption. "Corrupt governments create environments where criminal and terrorist organizations can flourish," Ashcroft said.

He noted that "since many of the world's largest financial institutions are in G-8 countries, we can play a significant role in helping recover these criminal proceeds -- proceeds that should have been devoted to the public good that went into the coffers representing private greed."

Ridge observed that there is "a collective understanding that because of the globalization of our world -- in transportation and commerce and communication and education -- that it is in our collective interest that we keep our doors open."

But, he added, we must also "work in a collective and collaborative spirit to ensure that our borders are secure."

The May 11 meeting of justice and interior ministers from the G-8 countries serves in part as a preparatory meeting for the G-8 Summit to be held June 8 to 10 in Sea Island, Georgia.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

Return to Public File Main Page

Return to Public Table of Contents