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REMARKS FOR
THE HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
EUROPEAN AVIATION CLUB AND BRUSSELS AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DINNER
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
APRIL 6, 2004
7 PM
Thank you, Rigas, for that kind introduction. I cannot say enough about the
tremendous hospitality that my staff, my wife Deni, and I have received here in
Brussels and throughout our visit.
Because President Bush understands the global nature of the economy in the 21st
Century, he has made expanding trade a priority in his agenda for keeping
America on track for a prosperous future.
Everyone in this room fully appreciates that transportation lies at the core of
international trade. The global economy depends on the mobility of people, of
products, and of capital across borders. And the question we must ask is this:
How do we facilitate these global flows, which are increasingly important to the
competitive viability of both businesses and nations?
The answer is safety, capacity, security, and liberalization.
Our transportation systems must operate safely if they are to support the global
economy.
Our Safe Skies for Africa initiative, for example, is helping support Africa’s
integration into the global economy by promoting sustainable improvements in
aviation safety and security.
One reason for my trip to Europe is to participate in the World Health
Organization’s launch of a year-long campaign to promote road safety around the
world. I have with me, Dr. Jeff Runge, Administrator of the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration.
It surprises people to learn that traffic fatalities kill more than 1.2 million
men, women, and children each year – and injure another 25 million. Even more
sobering is the projection that, by 2020, traffic crashes are expected to be the
third largest cause of death globally – ahead of malaria, tuberculosis, and
HIV/AIDS.
Tomorrow, I join President Chirac and other world leaders in Paris for World
Health Day 2004, where this year’s theme is, Road Safety Is No Accident. I then
follow up at a special session of the General Assembly of the United Nations
next week.
The United States is committed to joining with the international community in
helping other nations prevent roadway deaths and injuries by sharing what our
experiences over the past 40 years have taught us.
We also have much to learn from one another within the international community.
In fact, the highlight of our day yesterday was our tour of the Port of
Rotterdam. I was especially intrigued by the Port’s short sea shipping
operations and activities.
You are far ahead of us on this side of the Atlantic when it comes to taking
advantage of the marine transportation system to transport cargo. So we are
eager to learn all that we can from Europe about short-sea shipping and using
waterways to expand freight capacity and relieve congestion along our highways.
Capacity, especially expanding capacity, is critical to the success of the
global transportation network. The developed world has both an interest and a
responsibility to help developing nations build capacity. The economic future of
these countries hinges on having the transportation infrastructure that will
allow them to participate fully and successfully in the global economy.
Last month, I visited Afghanistan and Iraq, where the United States is actively
engaged in building transportation infrastructure. I saw first-hand the vital
role that transportation must play in rebuilding the economies of these
countries and opening the doors to the outside world for people once trapped
behind their borders.
The challenges are not insubstantial. In addition to the ever-present task of
improving transportation infrastructure, we continue to confront the challenge
of ensuring its security.
Transportation security is not just a challenge in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The recent tragic events in Madrid are a stark reminder that transportation
assets remain a target of choice by terrorists, as they seek to disrupt our
economies, test our resolve, and foment international dissension.
For our country, responsibility in this critical area is now centralized with
the Department of Homeland Security. However, it was the Department of
Transportation that initially responded to securing our transportation network
in the aftermath of the horrific attacks of September 11th.
Having spent the better part of the past two-and-a-half years thinking about how
best to tackle the issue of transportation security, I am convinced that
international cooperation must be a critically important part of the equation.
Richard Reid showed us that terrorists understand just how interconnected our
transportation systems are.
And these systems will become increasingly connected as more transportation
markets liberalize.
Under President Bush, the United States has been very active in promoting
liberalization of transportation markets. We approach trade liberalization
flexibly and through multiple avenues – bilaterally, multilaterally, and
regionally.
We have achieved a great deal of success through bilateral agreements. For
example, this past December, the United States and China signed a five-year
maritime agreement – one of the most far-reaching bilateral agreements in the
history of trade between our two nations.
We also have made dramatic progress in aviation. Starting with the Netherlands
in 1992, the United States has concluded 60 bilateral Open Skies agreements.
I am particularly pleased that, over the past three years, we have been able to
add eight new Open Skies partners. Today, the United States has Open Skies
agreements with 11 of the 15 current European Union member states, and 4 of the
10 accession states.
Study after study shows that Open Skies agreements help expand the overall
market for aviation and produce enormous benefits for millions of passengers in
the form of better quality, lower-priced, and more competitive services.
For example, our studies found that the average fare between 1996 and 1999
decreased twice as much in Open Skies transatlantic markets (20%) as it did in
transatlantic markets without Open Skies agreements (10%).
Multilaterally, the United States is working through organizations, such as the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime
Organization (IMO), to institutionalize our progress.
And we continue to negotiate with the European Union to craft an Open Skies
agreement.
Open Skies between Europe and America would create the largest, freest market in
air transportation ever. Open Skies would mean cheaper transatlantic fares, more
travelers, and healthier competition.
Those of you who have been following the negotiations know that, last year, the
European Commission received a mandate from the member states to negotiate an
Air Services Agreement with the United States.
Just last week, here in Brussels, delegations concluded the fourth round of
these negotiations.
Vice President de Palacio and I have been monitoring the progress of these
negotiations closely. We both believe that a window of opportunity exists to
arrive at an historic first agreement.
We envision an agreement that will propel the already fast-moving rocket of
airline liberalization to new heights – with strong potential for transforming
the global aviation marketplace.
Our negotiators have made much progress on a host of complex topics. We have put
a lot on the table that would form the core of this first agreement.
Perhaps foremost among them is the acceptance by the United States of the
concept of the “European carrier” – that is, the right of any European carrier
to fly from any European point to any point in the United States and beyond.
This is a large step forward for the U.S.
There are additional core elements of great significance in a prospective deal.
The Bush Administration has agreed to seek from the Congress a change in U.S.
law that would raise the amount of voting stock permitted to non-U.S. interests
from 25 percent to 49 percent.
We have embraced the idea of new, codified cooperation between the U.S.
Department of Transportation and the Commission on competition matters.
And we are committed to setting a definite timeline for continuing the
discussion after we sign an initial Open Skies agreement.
We must seize the moment, or risk closing the door on Open Skies.
Another negotiation round will take place in Washington in May. My Assistant
Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, Karan Bhatia, and I will be
working with Vice President de Palacio and her staff to seize this historic
opportunity.
Bilaterally, regionally, and globally, President Bush has been a strong
supporter of greater international cooperation, exchange, and assistance with
respect to transportation.
And this historic agreement offers an opportunity for Europe and the United
States to lead the way to a freer, more market-oriented aviation industry and to
set the stage for expanded commerce and increased prosperity on both sides of
the Atlantic – and around the world.
Again, thank you for taking time from your own busy schedules to be here this
evening and for allowing me to share my thoughts with you this evening. Travel
safely, and thank you very much.
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