Alissa Tabirian
NS&D Monitor
1/8/2016
The United States will host a Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) meeting this month in Washington, D.C., to “examine changes in the proliferation and interdiction landscape” and “identify specific areas where PSI states can further focus their efforts,” according to the Department of State. The Jan. 27 conference, to be hosted by Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Countryman, will include presentations and panel discussions on enhancing critical capabilities and practices, the role of proliferation finance, and related topics.
In accordance with the PSI’s Statement of Interdiction Principles, participating countries commit “to establish a more coordinated and effective basis through which to impede and stop WMD, their delivery systems, and related items,” the State Department said. Commitments include interdicting transfers to and from entities that are considered proliferation concerns and exchanging relevant information between countries to facilitate the process.
Over 100 countries endorse the PSI, including Russia, France, Norway, and Uzbekistan. The role of the PSI was reinforced by President Barack Obama in his 2009 Prague speech, in which he “first called for the PSI to continue as an enduring international counterproliferation effort,” the State Department said.
The upcoming conference follows a high-level political meeting held in Poland in 2013, where over 70 nations agreed to measures such as “more regular and robust PSI exercises; promoting legally binding international treaties to criminalize international WMD-related trafficking by commercial ships and aircraft; sharing expertise and resources to build critical interdiction capabilities and practices; and expanding the influence of the PSI globally through outreach to new states and the public.” The next meeting will be the PSI’s 15th anniversary conference in 2018.
“Unlike traditional international organizations, PSI emphasizes independent as well as collective actions, without the need for consensus decision-making,” a State Department official said, adding that interdiction activities “will send a clear message to WMD proliferators that their efforts will continue to be vigorously disrupted.”
The official said the State Department has invited all 105 PSI-endorsing nations and anticipates a well-attended event, and highlighted initiative milestones such as the Critical Capabilities and Practices effort launched in 2011 that helps partners in “developing a domestic legal framework for interdictions; improving their ability to inspect, identify, and seize sensitive materials; and enhancing rapid response mechanisms.” The U.S. also participates in “bilateral and multilateral meetings and regional PSI exercises and other capacity-building activities,” such as the next Asia-Pacific Exercise Rotation workshop and exercise Deep Sabre 2016 to be held in Singapore in September, the official noted.
