[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 138 (Tuesday, December 7, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S11888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S11888]]
                 ARUBA AND COUNTER-TERRORISM FINANCING

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
Government of Aruba, a leader in the fight to stop the flow of 
terrorist funds in the Caribbean and Latin America. There can be no 
doubt that terrorism is the defining challenge of the Nation since 9-
11. While I have always believed that the United States must boldly and 
confidently lead the way in this brutal war we find ourselves in, I 
believe that help from our allies is essential to stop the financial 
networks that support terrorism.
  One of the most important fronts in the war on terror concerns the 
funding mechanisms that support terrorist activities, including 
underground financial systems, illicit charities, and corrupt financial 
service providers. Financiers, fundraisers, or donors who provide 
financial support to terrorists need to be stopped.
  Earlier this year, I had met with the Prime Minister of Aruba, Mr. 
Nelson Oduber. We discussed the international threat of terrorism and a 
number of other issues. Prime Minister Oduber stressed his nation's 
support for stopping terrorism and his determination in stopping money 
laundering and terrorist financing in his nation.
  In fact, Aruba's leadership in this field started in 1990 when it 
hosted what became known as the Aruba Drug Money Laundering Conference, 
a regional mirror of the Financial Action Task Force--FATF--launched at 
the Paris G-7 summit of 1989. This started a process, which eventually 
led to the creation of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force--
CFATF--an organization that now plays a key role in the War on Terror. 
On October 30, 2001, the FATF adopted eight special recommendations on 
terrorist financing and Aruba has moved to implement some of those 
recommendations.
  I pay tribute today to Aruba for joining the United States of America 
in the War on Terror.

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