December 18, 2008
Mr. Jason C. Yuan
Representative
Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative
Office in the United States
4201 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20016
Dear Representative Yuan,
I am writing to you to convey the "Principles for Cooperation on
Improving Travel Security" as provided below. These principles
have been approved by our respective authorities and represent
our strong mutual interest in passenger security. This letter
and your response shall constitute a bilateral agreement between
AIT and TECRO.
PRINCIPLES FOR COOPERATION ON
IMPROVING TRAVEL SECURITY
For the purposes of these principles, "the participants" means
the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic
and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO).
The participants intend to cooperate with each other and through
their designated representatives to enhance travel security. The
participants intend to work, through their designated
representatives, to combat fraudulent travel and promote and
facilitate the flow of legitimate travel by sharing information
on passengers and cooperating on measures, programs, systems,
policies, and procedures for travel security.
The participants intend to continue to work, through their
designated representatives and in conformity with international
guidelines and recognized international best practices, to
facilitate the development and issuance of secure travel
documents, including e-passports, as appropriate. The
participants also intend, through their designated
representatives, to exchange information on processes used to
apply and qualify for the issuance of such travel documentation.
The participants intend, through their designated
representatives, to explore ways to exchange information to
improve capabilities to identify known or suspected terrorists
for the purpose of improving screening efforts to prevent and
interdict terrorist travel.
The participants intend, through their designated
representatives, to explore improved methods of reporting and
exchanging data on lost and stolen passports, including methods
now supported by the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
forum and the International Criminal Police Organization
(INTERPOL), to determine if those can be used to mutual
advantage by the participants.
The participants intend, through their designated
representatives, to continue and extend cooperation in
development and management of air marshals programs.
The participants, in conformity with mutually accepted standards
set by relevant international organizations, intend, through
their designated representatives, to cooperate on matters of
airport security.
AIT and TECRO, in conjunction with their designated
representatives, intend to establish a working group to
determine specific projects to further the goals outlined above.
The participants intend, through their designated
representatives, to make subject matter experts available, as
appropriate, to implement such projects as the working group may
identify.
Any written agreements, understandings, or other written
arrangements implementing programs or other cooperative measures
consistent with these principles will be concluded between AIT
and TECRO. End of “Principles for Cooperation on Improving
Travel Security”.
Thank you for your continuing cooperation.
Sincerely,
Barbara J. Schrage
Managing Director
cc: Doug Palmeri, DHS
Deena Parker, EAP/TC
Jim Levy, AIT/T/CONS
Hanscom Smith, AIT/T/ECON
December 19, 2008
Ms. Barbara J. Schrage
Managing Director
American Institute in Taiwan
1700 North Moore Street, 17th Fl.
Arlington, VA 22209
Dear Ms. Schrage:
Reference is made to your letter of December 18, 2008, regarding
the "Principles for Cooperation on Improving Travel Security."
The aforementioned letter reads as follows:
“I am writing to you to convey the "Principles for Cooperation
on Improving Travel Security" as provided below. These
principles have been approved by our respective authorities and
represent our strong mutual interest in passenger security. This
letter and your response shall constitute a bilateral agreement
between AIT and TECRO.
PRINCIPLES FOR COOPERATION ON
IMPROVING TRAVEL SECURITY
For the purposes of these principles, "the participants" means
the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic
and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO).
The participants intend to cooperate with each other and through
their designated representatives to enhance travel security. The
participants intend to work, through their designated
representatives, to combat fraudulent travel and promote and
facilitate the flow of legitimate travel by sharing information
on passengers and cooperating on measures, programs, systems,
policies, and procedures for travel security.
The participants intend to continue to work, through their
designated representatives and in conformity with international
guidelines and recognized international best practices, to
facilitate the development and issuance of secure travel
documents, including e-passports, as appropriate. The
participants also intend, through their designated
representatives, to exchange information on processes used to
apply and qualify for the issuance of such travel documentation.
The participants intend, through their designated
representatives, to explore ways to exchange information to
improve capabilities to identify known or suspected terrorists
for the purpose of improving screening efforts to prevent and
interdict terrorist travel.
The participants intend, through their designated
representatives, to explore improved methods of reporting and
exchanging data on lost and stolen passports, including methods
now supported by the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
forum and the International Criminal Police Organization
(INTERPOL), to determine if those can be used to mutual
advantage by the participants.
The participants intend, through their designated
representatives, to continue and extend cooperation in
development and management of air marshals programs.
The participants, in conformity with mutually accepted standards
set by relevant international organizations, intend, through
their designated representatives, to cooperate on matters of
airport security.
AIT and TECRO, in conjunction with their designated
representatives, intend to establish a working group to
determine specific projects to further the goals outlined above.
The participants intend, through their designated
representatives, to make subject matter experts available, as
appropriate, to implement such projects as the working group may
identify.
Any written agreements, understandings, or other written
arrangements implementing programs or other cooperative measures
consistent with these principles will be concluded between AIT
and TECRO. End of “Principles for Cooperation on Improving
Travel Security”.
Thank you for your continuing cooperation.
In reply, I am writing to accept, on behalf of TECRO, the
proposed agreement and to confirm that the aforesaid letter and
this reply shall constitute a bilateral agreement between TECRO
and AIT.
With warmest regards,
Sincerely,
Jason C. Yuan
Representative
JCY/ctjc
cc: Mr. Ted Mann
Director, Office of Taiwan Coordination
EAP, Dept. of State
Mr. Douglas Palmeri,
Acting Director, Office of International Affairs
Department of Homeland Security