NEWS RELEASES
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES RESOLVE DIFFERENCES OVER INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC IN ARMS REGULATIONS
October 8, 1999 (12:30 p.m. EDT) No. 222
CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES RESOLVE DIFFERENCES
OVER INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC IN ARMS REGULATIONS
Following a meeting today between Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and President Bill
Clinton, Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy announced that an agreement-in-principle has been reached on the main elements required to resolve problems
resulting from recent changes in the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations
(ITARs).
"I am pleased that this agreement has been reached," said Minister Axworthy. "It will
serve to maintain the close bilateral defence relationship we have had with the
United States for many years. This success will enhance our co-operation in
addressing broader security concerns."
In view of the complexity of the issue involved and the intensive negotiations
required, there was an additional time beyond the initial 120-day period that was
required to complete the task. This agreement will fulfill the commitment made by
Mr. Axworthy and Mrs. Albright when they met on April 27, 1999, to ensure that our
joint objectives will be reached in a mutually satisfactory way and ensure that the
ITARs will be implemented in such a way as to mitigate the effects on the North
American defence and aerospace industry.
The resolution was reached after several weeks of intensive bilateral consultations
and negotiations between Canada and United States government officials, including
several discussions between Minister Axworthy and U.S. Secretary of State,
Madeleine Albright.
This agreement aims to preserve the traditional bilateral licence-free access to
defence and aerospace technology between the two countries and to facilitate the
continued exchange of technical data between our respective industries. Canada
and the United States will proceed immediately to resolve remaining details with a
view to implement the necessary regulatory changes.
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The Joint Statement on Defence Export Controls and North American Defence
Industrial Base is attached.
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Debora Brown
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
JOINT STATEMENT BY
CANADA'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER LLOYD AXWORTHY
AND U.S.SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT
ON
DEFENCE EXPORT CONTROLS AND
NORTH AMERICAN DEFENCE INDUSTRIAL BASE
Since April, our two governments have engaged in extensive consultations to
address our mutual security interest in a strong North American perimeter for
defence export controls. We share a common commitment to protect against illegal
retransfers of controlled U.S. and Canadian defence technology from North America.
We also share a very strong commitment to maintaining the unique, integrated North
American defence industrial base which has served both our defence and security
interests so well since WWII. We have reached substantial agreement in principle to
implement steps that will allow our two countries to advance both objectives.
We have worked to ensure that the defence trade control regulations, practices and
enforcement of both nations continue to provide harmonized control of defence
technologies both nations require to be controlled.
- Canada has proposed a regulatory approach that would strengthen its own
defence export controls, similar to the U.S. licensing controls under its
International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Under this regulatory approach,
Canada would control all items on the U.S. Munitions List.
- The U.S. will revise its own defence trade control regulations to permit the export
to Canada of most defence technology without a license. In fact, should U.S.
defence trade control concerns be fully met by Canada, the U.S. is prepared to
reinstate many of the provisions affected by its April 12 ITAR amendment and, in
some cases, enhance the Canadian exemption to permit additional exports
without a licence, beyond those impacted by its April 12 ITAR amendment.
In this manner, our two governments believe they will successfully continue to
protect the integrity of the North American defence perimeter while strengthening
the North American defence industrial base.
Agreement in principle bas been reached on most issues under negotiation. Expert-level work is continuing in order to resolve the key details that remain, in an
expeditious manner. Both our governments are committed to reaching full
agreement, consistent with our respective national laws and policies.
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