Official: Export Control Reform Not Stalled, May Wrap Up Early Next Year

摘要

A top State Department official this week reiterated that the administration's export reform initiative will not be completed this year, but argued that this does not mean the effort is stalled and stressed that the reform will likely be wrapped up early next year, possibly as early as January. "I know that a lot of others have tried and failed, and that there is skepticism that we can get this done, but let me be clear: any speculation that export control reform is stalled is absolutely false," Assistant Secretary of State Andrew Shapiro said in a June 14 briefing with reporters. "We're making significant progress, interagency teams are making progress every day, and this has been a long, tough slide, but we're close to the finish line." "In terms of the timing, my view is by January of next year we'll either be done, or we'll be so close to the goal line that it'll just be up to the next administration to dive over the goal line and do a touchdown dance," he added, when addressing reform efforts and the possibility that President Obama may not win a second term.