As we have seen with the Salt Lake City Olympics, the world was shocked and disappointed. This was in just 12 months ending in mid-1998. Corruption, obviously, is big business. If there is a positive coming out of Salt Lake City, or the cronyism in Asia, it is that costs have been attached to the corrupt acts. And it has shown that no organization or country is immune from bribery.
Corruption infects both rich and poor nations.
And no company is immune, large or small. We are all in this together. Later this week Vice President Gore will launch a global effort against corruption at a forum here in Washington. Some 80 nations are expected to participate. It will be the first conference of its kind to focus on fighting corruption.