Funds to be used to bolster committee's work in the Americas

Following is the State Department announcement of the U.S. pledge:

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
January 30, 2004

STATEMENT FROM RICHARD BOUCHER, SPOKESMAN

U.S. Pledges $1.6 million to the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism

The U.S. delegation to the Organization of American States' Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism pledged $1.6 million to support the fight against terrorism. U.S. delegation head Ambassador Cofer Black said these State Department funds will be used by the Committee to bolster the Committee's ability to provide capacity-building assistance and counterterrorism expertise in the Americas.

The Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism met on January 28-30 in Montevideo, Uruguay, to discuss effective hemispheric strategies to prevent, detect, and eradicate terrorism. Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States Ambassador John Maisto, Department of Homeland Security Director of International Affairs Ambassador Cresencio Arcos, and Deputy Attorney General John Malcolm, served as senior advisors to the U.S. delegation.

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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)