FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 13, 2001
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-5571
DOT 24-01

U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta will attend a March 15-16 meeting of transportation ministers from Western Hemisphere nations to promote further cooperation in hemispheric programs to enhance safety, improve infrastructure and integrate transportation policies and programs across national and modal lines.

At the Western Hemisphere Transportation Initiative’s (WHTI) Ministerial meeting in Punta del Este, Uruguay, the ministers will review progress on the priorities set at their last ministerial meeting, held December 1998 in New Orleans, as well as at last October’s ministers’ roundtable in Washington, D.C.

At the conference, Secretary Mineta will lead a discussion on enhancing transportation safety in the region, describing safety as the Bush administration’s number-one transportation priority.

"When it comes to safety, we can never rest on our past achievements – it is a never-ending job because we continue to experience growth in all modes of transportation," Secretary Mineta said. "Working together, we can improve the transportation safety and security of our nations’ people while providing the keys to economic and social advancement."

Secretary Mineta also will propose the establishment of a Partnership for Safer Skies in the Western Hemisphere, following on a U.S. proposal made at last October’s meeting to establish a Partnership for Safer Skies in the Western Hemisphere. This partnership will build on the work of the International Civil Aviation Organization and existing national, regional and sub-regional aviation initiatives to promote and reinforce sustainable improvements in aviation safety and security, improve conditions for civil aviation systems, and foster the growth of international aviation services in the hemisphere. At the Washington meeting, the ministers directed the WHTI Executive Committee to develop the U.S. concept further in time for consideration at the Uruguay meeting.

The Secretary also will hold several bilateral meetings and participate in a trilateral meeting with Canada and Mexico.

At the 1998 ministerial, the participants pledged to develop a two-year action agenda to improve transportation safety and security, continue integration of transportation policies and programs across national and modal lines, and enhance disaster prevention and relief. The delegates also agreed to improve the exchange of transportation information in order to enhance decision-making and improve the sharing of technology to bring about increases in the safety and efficiency of passenger and freight systems.

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Briefing Room