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Release Date: February 26, 2008
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact 202-282-8010
Washington, D.C.
Prime Minister Topolánek: (As translated) Secretaries, Minister, Your Excellencies, Ambassadors, again, journalists and guests, it is really my honor to be here today. And I’m very glad that we’ve signed today the Memorandum of Understanding, which is actually the fulfillment of the dream of many generations in our country.
After the Iron Curtain of the Berlin Wall had gone down, we’ve been cutting the barbed wire on our borders. I think that only people who went through this experience could understand, or can understand, what this moment means for us.
On the 30th of June, 1991, that last Russian soldiers of the Soviet occupation army left our territory. Then we joined the NATO. Then we joined the European Union. And my government undertook to continue the process of abolishing barriers, and also enlarging the space of freedom. We were the real propeller engine of the process of entering into the Schengen zones. We also cancelled the visa relationship with Canada. And today it is a historical moment. We are entering into a new phase of our relationship with the United States, and we’re making the first steps in terms of a Visa Waiver Program for our country.
I would like to thank the ministers, the secretaries, all the administration, namely (inaudible) and all those who participated in this enterprise, and especially I’d like to highlight one important name, a person who really dedicated his utmost efforts to this.
Let me say one more thing on this issue. There should be no barriers between friends. George Walker Bush, in Tallinn meeting, just before the NATO meeting in Riga, made a promise that there would be changes done into the Visa Waiver Program. We tackled this issue in detail during his last year’s visit to Prague. And today we just signed the memorandum of understanding on the very issue.
And we are forced still to discuss the actual implementation of this program. We’re going to sign later on a more specific agreement. But this is a breakaway moment. It was a turning point for the other European countries, the countries in the European Union, as well. And I’m sure that the European administration is fully aware of this.
We decided to pursue our own destiny, but at the same time, we’ve not forgotten about the others. And there are three key words which I would like to mention here, in respect of the signing of the memorandum. I believe that they have particular importance here: freedom, security and reciprocity.
Thank you.
Secretary Chertoff: I want to thank and welcome the Prime Minister here to the United States, and I want to especially express my appreciation for his being present to witness the signing of this memorandum of understanding.
I also want to thank the Interior Minister, Minister Langer, for his personal participation in making sure that we get this memorandum of understanding done quickly.
I also owe a debt of gratitude to Minister Frattini of the EU. Vice President Frattini has been a strong supporter of efforts to move forward on the visa waiver front.
Of course this is a reflection of the President’s commitment to move forward with the Visa Waiver Program for the new countries who have joined the EU, and, we’re ready to have Czechoslovakia be the leader in moving forward on this major initiative.
Under a new law that was passed last year by Congress, we are going to have the capability to pursue the twin goals of easier travel from countries like the Czech Republic to the United States at the same time we’ll be enhancing security of both countries. And I think that’s very, very important.
Now, our work is not done. This is a milestone, but we are working very hard over the next few months to complete the work that we do, and the implementation that the Czech Republic needs to do. My hope and my expectation is that by this fall, this October/November, we will be seeing the first citizens of the Czech Republic coming to the United States without visas. That will be something that we all will be delighted to celebrate when it happens.
Let me be clear that the various conditions that we put into place as part of our legal requirements are designed to promote the security of everybody, both those (inaudible) the United States, and those who are in the United States. And therefore I think it is what we call a win-win for everybody. I think this agreement may well serve as a model for other countries that are seeking to become Visa Waiver countries under this program.
Let me conclude by saying along (inaudible.) I am very deeply honored, reflecting back on the history of what the Czech Republic has gone through over the last decade or more, that we’re able to make this agreement with representatives of a people who cherish freedom and democracy in the way that the citizens of the Czech Republic do. Their heritage and their commitment to freedom is an inspiration to this country.
Of course, there are many of Czech descent who are in the United States, and that – so both as inheritors of the tradition of the Czech Republic, and as those who stand in celebration of freedom and the rule of law, this is a particularly inspiring and important moment.
We will continue to work together as partners in, as the Prime Minister said, securing our freedom, securing our safety, and we look forward to our joint prosperities. Thank you very much.
Now we’re going to take some questions. If you would identity yourself – if it’s directed to somebody who needs translation, you’ll need to be a little patient.
Question: Mr. Secretary, the memorandum does not include an exhaustive list of (inaudible.) It speaks about biographic and, of course, biometric data. But could you be more specific on that?
Secretary Chertoff: They’ll be bringing you some specific requirements with respect to the actual implementation. But basically what we are seeking is information about, for example, lost or stolen passports, and a good way to check whether a passport is lost and stolen; information about people who are known to be, for example, suspected terrorists, or have criminal records, and to get that data in a way that will enable us to make sure that those people do not come into the United States.
Much of this exists in a form that will make it readily available. I know there’s some – maybe some additional legal work that needs to be done. We’re going to try to make it as uncomplicated as possible. But we have some work to do on our side, in terms of our Electronic Travel Authorization, which would be an online computer-based registration tool. But I think we can get this done, if we work in the spirit that we have over the last few months, by this fall.
Question: Will that include criminal records or tax returns?
Secretary Chertoff: Not tax returns. It will include –
Question: Some of criminal records.
Secretary Chertoff: Right, some serious criminal records.
Question: (Inaudible.)
Question: You mentioned it’s a win-win situation and it could be used as a model for other possible EU (inaudible.) I wonder, does it mean that it was – I wouldn’t say – I wouldn’t use the word “approved,” but it was checked by somebody from European Commission, the signed draft?
Minister Langer: I wouldn’t use the term “checked.” Of course, consult, and they were informed, we are going our own way.
Question: Have you already made a decision how you actually going to introduce the ETA to the rest of the crowd? Is it going to be a single big bang, or one by one?
Secretary Chertoff: I think we’re probably going to roll it out, as we say. We will begin – we have to build the capability, and then there will be an online tool that will probably be staged over a period of months. We haven’t exactly decided how we’re going to proceed first. I imagine that with respect to countries that are newly becoming part of the program, they will be the first to participate. But we want to make sure that we fully explore the way that should be – the tool works before we try it across the border in every visa waiver.
Yes.
Question: You said that you hope that the Czech Republic would be able to be in the Visa Waiver Program by September/October. Would the Czech Republic be the first country, likely, or not?
Secretary Chertoff: I believe, I think – I believe the Czech Republic would be the first country under this new program.
Prime Minister Topolánek: We believe, too.
Question: I’d like to ask you if you could tell us a little bit more in detail how the procedure will be like, and whether there will be a need to pay some fee, because there was some speculation that the Czech citizens will still have to pay some amount of money. So could you please –
Secretary Chertoff: There will not be a fee. The Electronic Travel Authorization is a very simple thing. It’s basically, get on a computer, you supply the same information that we currently require if you get on an airplane on the way to the United States. We don’t envision charging for that. And other than that, for most people, that will really be the only experience they have with the systems. The exchange of information will occur, obviously, government to government, so that will not impose a fee. They’ll be very simple systems.
Minister Langer: Are we still doing – though it’s easier in the future to have it on e-passport than paying for the visa? It’s cheaper; cheaper when you compare it. And it was – the information that we will not have to pay for keeping this system. Anyway, I’m going to have several meetings and then we’ll ship them in this afternoon. Then tomorrow, when we’ll be getting it in the afternoon.
Question: There were some delays recently, last year, in implementing the US-VISIT system, which the (inaudible) is part of it. So how do you ensure that you will catch up the schedule? Do you put more money in the –
Secretary Chertoff: Well, we do have money. The good news is we do have money in the budget that was – that Congress approved late last year. We have a rule that has to come out in the next few weeks, then we’ll begin by having what we call a biographical exit, which is, we will have a biographical record of almost everybody, or virtually everybody, who leaves by air. And then by next year, we have to get in place the fingerprint exit. That’s not very difficult. We have the machines. It’s just a question of getting them set up at the airports and making sure the airlines understand how the system works. So we feel comfortable that we will meet all of our requirements, and we do have the money to do it.
Question: I have a question to Mr. Chertoff. Have you ever considered also Slovakia? Why can Slovakia can expect to this process? And I have also a question for Mr. Topolánek. The question is, the Czech Republic is (inaudible) in the process of visa cancellation. Can you give any advice for solid diplomacy? Is it about know-how? Is it about personal contacts, political relationships, or is it also about missile defense shield? Thank you very much.
Secretary Chertoff: I guess my answer to that first question is, obviously we will be interested in discussing with all of the countries that are interested in entering the program what they need to do in order to satisfy the requirements. But the Czech Republic happens to have been the path-breaker here, and so we’re delighted to celebrate that.
Prime Minister?
Prime Minister Topolánek: (As translated.) I thought the easiest thing for me to say would be that it has been a long-term, meticulous and focused work of my Cabinet and my government. But, of course, this would not be entirely true because that’s (inaudible) also my predecessors who have (inaudible).
But it is also true that it was during the first government in which “Sasha” Vondra, Alexandr Vondra, was the Minister of Foreign Affairs when we started a new program called “Breaking with other countries,” with the exception of Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta. And the kind of bilateral, direct negotiational contact with the U.S. government have been started at that point in time.
And perhaps – back to the question of why, for instance, it is not the Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs standing here and signing the memorandum of understanding of this type, perhaps we exerted more effort, and perhaps people also rendered more heart and even we showed more courage in the last moments of this process.
Minister Langer: The Prime Minister has to have a great heart, and he must work hard. Anyway, I’m flying from Washington to Brussels. I’m going to meet Robert (inaudible.) So I’m going to give him some advice of how to do the same thing.
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This page was last reviewed/modified on February 26, 2008.