Readout of Secretary Napolitano's Participation in the G6+1 Ministerial Meeting

Press Release

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today traveled to Paris, France where she joined her counterparts at the G6+1 Ministerial Meeting and met with international security leaders to discuss the Department's efforts in combating transnational crime, securing cyberspace, and working to ensure a more safe, secure and resilient global supply chain. The G6+1 includes ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom (the G6) as well as the United States.

"International security and homeland security are inextricably linked," said Secretary Napolitano. "We will continue to work with our international partners to strengthen the security of the global trade and travel networks upon which our nation's economy and communities rely."

While in Paris, Secretary Napolitano met bilaterally with Polish Interior Minister Jacek Cichocki, Military Advisor to French President Sarkozy General Benoît Puga, Foreign Policy Advisor to French President Sarkozy Jean-David Levitte, Italian Interior Minister Anna Maria Cancellieri, German Federal Interior Minister Hans Peter Friedrich, and United Kingdom Home Secretary Theresa May to discuss the Department's ongoing commitment to international partnerships that support information sharing efforts and common security concerns. Secretary Napolitano urged G6 countries to support the U.S.-EU Agreement on the Use and Transfer of Passenger Name Records, initialed in Paris on November 17 by DHS Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute and Director Reinhard Priebe of the European Commission.

During her meetings, Secretary Napolitano discussed the Department of Homeland Security's collaboration with the Departments of Justice and State to sign Preventing and Combating Serious Crime (PCSC) Agreements with participating countries to share information about terrorists and criminals. These agreements prevent individuals who commit serious crimes in one signatory country from continuing illicit acts in another and reaffirm the United States' commitment to the reciprocal partnerships that advance the safety and security of the United States and its allies.

Secretary Napolitano also underscored the importance of joint efforts to secure the global supply chain, through programs such as Project Global Shield--now Program Global Shield -- launched by DHS, together with the World Customs Organization, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and Interpol, to stem the flow of precursor chemicals and other potentially dangerous products that can be used in improvised explosive devices. As of November 2011, more than 80 participating nations--including many EU member states--have joined this collective effort.

Tomorrow, Secretary Napolitano and Attorney General Eric Holder will meet with French Minister of the Interior Claude Guéant and hold a media availability to underscore the Department's commitment to strengthening aviation security and information sharing to combat terrorism while facilitating trade and tourism. Secretary Napolitano will also deliver remarks on the importance of strong international security partnerships at the Institut des Hautes Études de Défense Nationale.

Secretary Napolitano will travel to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on Dec. 3-6 to discuss the Department's role in international law enforcement efforts. While in Doha, Qatar, Secretary Napolitano will meet bilaterally with Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani on continued collaboration and increased security initiatives between the United States and Qatar. Later in Abu Dhabi, Secretary Napolitano will join U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca at the Gulf States Global Police Symposium where she will deliver remarks on the Department's partnerships with the international law enforcement community.

For more information, please visit www.dhs.gov.

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