    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [December 14, 2001]
    [Pages 1517-1519]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Joint Statement Between the United States of America and the Kingdom of
    Thailand
    December 14, 2001

        President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Thaksin
    Shinawatra today reaffirmed the strength
    and vitality of the alliance between the United States and Thailand,
    celebrating a mature partnership that spans many fields of endeavor,
    based on a shared commitment to democracy, open markets with free and
    fair trade, human rights, and ethnic and religious tolerance. Noting
    U.S.-Thai cooperation in conflicts from World War II to the war on
    terrorism, the President and the Prime Minister expressed the conviction
    that the alliance has been a pillar of stability in the Asia-Pacific
    region and beyond. The two leaders agreed that the scourges of
    terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and other transnational threats
    demonstrate the continued need for a robust alliance into the 21st
    century. Highlighting their vibrant program of joint military exercises
    and training, including co-hosting the largest multilateral military
    exercise in Asia every year, the two leaders emphasized their
    determination to strengthen and revitalize the alliance, while working
    with partners throughout the region to combat common threats. The two
    leaders agreed on the importance of a strong and united ASEAN, and
    President Bush offered all appropriate assistance to support capacity-
    building within ASEAN. The two leaders pledged to continue cooperation
    in promoting regional peace and stability through the ASEAN Regional
    Forum (ARF).
        President Bush expressed appreciation for the Thai Government's
    support for the campaign against terrorism, including efforts to
    identify terrorist assets and money flows, reinforce money-laundering
    legislation, and pass new anti-terrorism measures. The two leaders
    pledged continued collaboration on money laundering in the Asia-Pacific
    Group and the Egmont Group, and expressed determination to expand
    counterterrorism cooperation further through new programs such as the
    Terrorist Interdiction Program. President Bush welcomed Prime Minister
    Thaksin's commitment to sign all
    counterterrorism conventions as soon as possible in accordance with the
    constitutional process in Thailand and praised the Prime Minister's
    leadership in signing and implementing UNSCR 1373. President Bush
    further welcomed the Prime Minister's offer to participate in the
    reconstruction of Afghanistan, noting Thailand's successful leadership
    of peacekeeping

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    operations in East Timor. To further enhance Thailand's peacekeeping
    capabilities, President Bush announced that Thailand would continue to
    be a priority country for receipt of assistance and training through the
    Enhanced International Peacekeeping Capability Program.
        President Bush expressed strong appreciation for Prime Minister
    Thaksin's outstanding leadership in
    combating narcotics and promoting quadrilateral counternarcotics
    cooperation among neighboring countries. The two leaders discussed
    cooperative efforts to fight drug abuse and trafficking, noting that
    Thailand hosts one of the largest and most successful U.S. Drug
    Enforcement Administration (DEA) operations in the world. After nearly
    four decades of close cooperation, the U.S.-Thai partnership on
    counternarcotics continues to expand and mature, as characterized by the
    successful DEA-sponsored Sensitive Investigative Unit program, and by
    ongoing training and relationships between the U.S. Pacific Command and
    the Thai counternarcotics units. The primary mission of U.S. and Thai
    counternarcotics assets is to stop the transnational flow of heroin and
    methamphetamine, which Prime Minister Thaksin has established as his
    number one national security priority.
        The two leaders highlighted the major
    contribution that the U.S.-Thai International Law Enforcement Academy
    (ILEA) in Bangkok has made to enhancing the effectiveness of regional
    cooperation against drug trafficking and transnational crime. Noting
    that over 2,000 criminal justice professionals from Asia have been
    trained at ILEA since its joint establishment in 1998, the two leaders
    were pleased to announce that they have identified a permanent site for
    the ILEA training facility in Bangkok and will be cooperating closely to
    develop the site and further expand ILEA's activities.
        Underscoring their strong mutual commitment to open markets as the
    basis for expanding economic relations, the leaders endorsed the
    Framework for Economic Cooperation, signed by Secretary of State
    Powell and Foreign Minister
    Surakiart. The Framework is an
    expression of resolve to intensify the rich economic relationship
    between the United States and Thailand and addresses opportunities for
    future cooperation in trade and investment, intellectual property
    protection, transportation, education, telecommunications and the
    environment. Moreover, the Framework also highlights Thailand's
    commitment to customs reform and broad liberalization of civil aviation,
    progress that would pave the way for Thailand's further emergence as a
    regional aviation center and cargo hub. Prime Minister Thaksin emphasized Thailand's openness to foreign direct
    investment and continued commitment to liberalization and reform. The
    two leaders acknowledged the continuing vitality of the Treaty of Amity
    and Economic Relations as a catalyst for increased bilateral trade and
    investment. In the spirit of the long history of warm relations between
    their nations, the two leaders resolved to work closely to expand trade
    bilaterally, regionally, and globally, particularly in the context of
    the Doha Development Agenda.
        President Bush recognized Prime Minister Thaksin's role in promoting closer economic cooperation, both
    ASEAN-wide and among Thailand's immediate neighbors, and praised
    Thailand's commitment to the ASEAN Free Trade Area.
        To deepen U.S. ties to both the public and private sectors in
    Thailand, and in recognition of Bangkok's significance as a regional
    hub, President Bush announced that the U.S. Trade and Development Agency
    (TDA) will open a regional office in Thailand in January 2002. This
    office will work to support the development and financing of priority
    infrastructure projects in Thailand and throughout the region. The
    President and the Prime Minister reaffirmed a commitment to continue to
    address a range of economic development issues through the work of the
    Kenan Institute Asia, a

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    public-private partnership supported by both governments. Kenan will
    continue to support programs to strengthen Thailand's economic
    competitiveness, including its Business Advisory Center for small and
    medium enterprises (SMEs). Both leaders also committed to continue
    addressing critical needs in education, including through development of
    a community college system and expansion of successful educational and
    cultural exchange programs, including the Fulbright and Peace Corps
    programs.
        Both leaders affirmed their shared
    commitment to protect the environment and agreed that the two countries
    would soon sign an agreement to establish a Tropical Forest Conservation
    Fund, which would enable cooperation under the U.S. Tropical Forest
    Conservation Act (TFCA) of 1998. TFCA provides for the cancellation of a
    portion of concessional debt owed to the United States in exchange for a
    commitment to make local currency payments to support domestic forest
    conservation activities. To further enhance cooperative efforts on the
    environment, the two leaders agreed that the United States and Thailand
    would co-host, and the Trade and Development Agency (TDA) would fund, a
    conference to promote better water management policies, reduce water
    pollution, and increase water supply in Thailand and throughout the
    region. TDA looks forward to working with the Thai Government to fund
    additional environmentally-sound projects in Thailand.
        President Bush and Prime Minister Thaksin celebrated the substantial achievements of more
    than 50 years of institutional collaboration involving the Centers for
    Disease Control (CDC), the U.S.-Thai Armed Forces Research Institute of
    Medical Sciences, and the Ministry of Public Health on a wide variety of
    tropical and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Citing Thailand as
    a model for other countries, President Bush congratulated Prime Minister
    Thaksin for the success of Thailand's programs in dramatically reducing
    the levels of HIV/AIDS infection. The leaders praised the unique
    bilateral collaboration to develop vaccines for prevention of HIV/AIDS
    and welcomed the plan to hold the world's largest HIV vaccine efficacy
    trial in 2002. President Bush and Prime Minister Thaksin welcome
    Thailand's inclusion in the Leadership and Investment in Fighting an
    Epidemic (LIFE) initiative, which is being implemented through the CDC's
    Global AIDS program and which will complement the research CDC and the
    Thai Ministry of Public Health have been pursuing jointly since 1990.
        To reinforce the mature partnership between their two countries,
    President Bush and Prime Minister Thaksin
    pledged to continue regular and close consultations and strengthen
    cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries and peoples.

    Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of
    this joint statement.