DRUG PROBLEMS, TRANSCENDING NATIONAL BOUNDARIES, REQUIRE INTERNATIONAL COUNTER-ACTION, COMMITTEE TOLD

Press Release
GA/SHC/3310

DRUG PROBLEMS, TRANSCENDING NATIONAL BOUNDARIES, REQUIRE INTERNATIONAL COUNTER-ACTION, COMMITTEE TOLD

Role of Organized Crime Stressed; Speakers Also Cite Need to Cut Consumption, Provide Alternative Cultivation in Producing Areas

Citing the global increase in drug trafficking, speakers this morning called for better international cooperation in border controls, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) concluded its consideration of crime and criminal justice and international drug control.

Organized crime -- which played a large part in the production, trafficking and distribution of drugs -- had built a well-developed network and its activities extended beyond the boundaries of States, said the representative of the Czech Republic. She called for effective cooperation and coordination with other members of the international community.

The representative of Bulgaria said his country's geographical location on the transit route from the drug production areas of the east to the illegal markets in the west had greatly aggravated the national drug problem. Referring to the same route, the representative of Slovakia urged for the need for close cooperation with the United Nations and its specialized agencies in finding a solution to the problem.

The occupation of part of his country had created a situation with ideal conditions for transnational crime and drug trafficking, asserted the representative of Cyprus. He said ports and airports, not under the supervision and control of the Government, were illegally used.

The representative of Myanmar spoke of the loss of many lives within his country's armed forces in the war against narco-terrorists. He said more than $400 million had been spent in development programmes in the border areas where poppy cultivation had been the main source of income.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Uganda, Thailand, Ukraine, Panama, India, Chile, Turkey, Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Russian Federation and Iran. The representative of the United States made a statement in exercise of the right of reply.

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Also this morning, the Acting Chairman of the Committee, Julia Tavares de Alvares (Dominican Republic), announced that the Committee had been granted an extension of one week -- to 8 December -- for the completion of its work. She also said there was still no decision on the scheduling in the General Assembly plenary of the item on implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development.

The Committee will meet again Thursday, 2 November, at 3 p.m., to take action on draft proposals on the elimination of racism and racial discrimination, and on the rights of peoples to self-determination. The Committee will also hear the introduction of draft proposals on social development questions.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this morning to conclude its discussion on crime prevention and criminal justice, as well as issues related to international drug control.

On the subject of crime and criminal justice, the Committee had before it a report of the Secretary-General on the African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders; the Secretary-General's report on progress made in the implementation of General Assembly resolution 49/158 on the strengthening of the United Nations crime prevention and criminal justice programmes; the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Naples Declaration and Global Action Plan against Organized Transnational Crime; and the report of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders.

On international drug control, the Committee had before it the Secretary-General's report on the implementation of the Global Programme of Action as well as the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of resolution 48/12. (For background information on reports before the Committee, see Press Release GA/SHC/3305 of 17 October).

The Committee is also expected to hear the introduction of three draft resolutions related to social development questions.

Draft Resolutions

A draft resolution on the follow-up to the International Year of the Family (document A/C.3/50/L.10) would have the General Assembly urge governments to ratify and to ensure implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, so that universal ratification can be achieved by the year 2000; and to achieve universal ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by 1996.

It would request the Secretary-General to submit proposals to the Commission for Social Development assisting its work; to prepare a document containing the family-related provisions from the outcome of recent United Nations World Conferences including the World Summit for Children; and to report through the Commission for Social development and the Economic and Social Council on the progress made on the follow-up of the International Year of the family.

Under the terms of that draft, governments, organizations, individuals and the private sector, would be called upon to contribute generously to the United Nations Trust Fund on Family Activities.

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The draft is sponsored by Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Pakistan, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Turkey.

Another draft resolution, on a mid-decade review against illiteracy (document A/C.3/50/L.11), would call upon the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to lead in ensuring the follow- up to International Literacy Year and the World Conference on Education for All. The text would also request the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session, in 1997, through the Economic and Social Council, a progress report on the implementation of the "education for all" objectives. It would appeal again to the international community to lend greater financial and material support efforts on behalf of literacy.

That draft resolution is sponsored by Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Fiji, France, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Senegal, Thailand and Vietnam.

Under the terms of a further draft resolution before the Committee, the Assembly would urge all governments and organizations to strengthen their efforts to implement the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with disabilities by legal, administrative and all other appropriate measures (document A/C.3/50/L.12). Governments would be called upon to implement the World Programme of Action for Disabled Persons to the Year 2000 and Beyond, by implementation of the long-term Strategy. In addition, the Secretary-General would be requested to support the effective implementation of the long-term Strategy and to distribute it to Member States. He would also be asked to finalize the development of global indicators for the fulfilment of equal opportunities for persons with disabilities and the respect of their human rights.

That draft resolution is sponsored by Denmark, Morocco, Philippines and Zaire.

Statements

PAUL MUKASA-SSALI (Uganda) said the global increase in organized transnational crimes had become a threat to international security. The capability of the international community against that mounting threat must be enhanced through stronger judicial cooperation. Security and justice were indispensable conditions for sustained development and human well-being.

For many developing countries, he went on, efforts to fight transnational crime had been hampered by lack of adequate financial resources and up-to-date technology. The United Nations and the international community should, therefore, strive to provide such assistance, including improved human

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resources. Strengthening the United Nations Programme on Crime Prevention would be helpful to developing countries, including their regional institutions which had been playing an important role in providing technical assistance, and training and advisory services, both in terms of law enforcement and treatment of offenders. Effective regional implementation of the programmes would complement international efforts.

He endorsed the Secretary-General's proposal requesting the General Assembly to authorize adequate funds for the African Crime Institute in the context of the Programme Budget for the biennium 1996-1997. Uganda also endorsed the call on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to resume its support to the institute.

NADEZDA HOLIKOVA (Czech Republic) said organized transnational crime groups played a large part in the production, trafficking and distribution of drugs. They had built a well-developed network and their activities extended beyond the boundaries of States. It was, therefore, useless for individual countries to try to solve drug problems without effective cooperation and coordination with other members of the international community. The United Nations and its specialized agencies were an ideal focal point for those activities.

She said that the Czech Republic had taken numerous steps to combat the scourge of drugs, and was interested in strengthening cooperation and coordination with other countries, to share experience and to set common goals. Under an enhanced governmental anti-drug concept, trained teams of qualified specialists would be created from among teachers, medical staff and social workers and they would include drug-related issues in curricula at medical schools and medical and educational colleges.

She said that the Czech republic was not convinced of the need for a global conference on the drug problem at this time.

KAROL MISTRIK (Slovakia) said that his country lay on the so-called "Balkan Route" connecting the drug-production area in south-west Asia with markets in the west and north of Europe. Slovak authorities had detained large volumes of illicit drugs destined for those markets. The Government gave extraordinary attention to the issue of drug abuse in Slovakia, and to the need for close cooperation with the United Nations and its specialized agencies.

Slovakia had approved a national Programme dealing with all aspects of the problem, to combat illicit production, trafficking and abuse of drugs and including legislative measures. The main emphasis was on prevention, treatment and "re-socialisation" of abusers.

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He said mutual exchange of information, wide support to national anti- drug commissions and reduction of illicit trafficking were of vital importance from the global point of view.

THANAT KHOMAN (Thailand) said that the drug problem had become so acute that a war was waged. He spoke of the invasion of Panama, which he said was allegedly to capture a renegade general who had earlier been a partner of his captors. The only thing that the international community was told from his trial in Miami was that General Manuel Noriega was involved in drug trafficking. The trial was hushed and the accused was kept incommunicado in a maximum security jail.

After the Panama war, narcotic drugs had ceased to be an exclusively social problem, as most of the international community were earlier led to believe. Thailand had applauded, although with reservation, United States President Bill Clinton's decision to fight against drug cartels as well as drug money laundering. It could not, however, give full approval because the responsibility of the United States, as a consuming country, for the existence and persistence of the drug problem did not appear to be accepted. As long as people in consuming nations were willing to pay any price for drugs, the supply would always be there; as long as there was demand, the supply side would be there to meet it. The consuming countries had not done nearly enough to reduce, or terminate consumption.

The producing countries had been more conscious of their duties, he went on. They had, as in Thailand, even as a transit route, reinforced repressive measures as short-term steps and had also adopted hosts of long-term measures like the promotion of substitution crops and the destruction of illegal cultivations.

The right programme to adopt was to strengthen cooperation between consuming and producing countries. He said that drug problems had been marked by insincerity and hypocrisy in treatment. The burden was put on the producing side, through the use of worldwide media network. The consuming countries fuelled drug production by increasing their purchases. Lately, the control of production, distribution and marketing had passed on to underworld elements in western circles, including New York.

U PE THEIN TIN (Myanmar) said the scourge of illicit drugs transcended national borders which could be overcome only with international solidarity and cooperation. "No single government, acting on its own can counter this global threat", he emphasized. He said his Government had established a "Ministry for Progress of Border Areas and National races and Development Affairs", in charge of uplifting the socio-economic conditions of the border areas where poppy cultivation was the main source of income. To date, more than $400 million had been spent for the implementation of development programmes in the border areas. The Government of Japan had recently approved

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a grant of $10 million to Myanmar for the procurement of fertilizers and agricultural machinery in the border areas.

He said 15 armed groups in his country had "returned to the legal fold", and were now working together with his Government for the development of their respective regions. Many had declared themselves drug free areas. His country's armed forces had lost many lives in their war against narco- terrorists. Myanmar had narcotic control and information-sharing agreements with all of its five immediate neighbors; other agreements, at the regional and international levels, with his country had been put in place.

MARKIYAN Z. KULYK (Ukraine) said his country was experiencing a difficult period of transformation of its economic, political and legal system. Such a period had made it easier for criminality to increase. In 1994 it had gone up by 6 per cent, compared with the previous year. In addition, organized crime had become more active. His Government had adopted laws against crime, corruption and the use of arms, but their implementation required serious financial, material, technical and organizational support.

His country needed technical assistance as well as the creation of information exchange systems. He said he supported a balanced approach to the problem of drugs. Furthermore, the social and medical drug related problems needed greater attention.

JORGE E. ILLUECA (Panama), also speaking for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, said that during the Americas Summit (Cumbre de Las Americas) last December, the convening of a second world conference against the abuse and illicit drug traffic, to be held of 1997, was proposed. That proposal had been already recommended by Economic and Social Council; he hoped the draft resolution on holding such a conference would be approved by the Committee.

He said his Government had initiated the idea of establishing a multinational centre to combat narco-trafficking and related crimes. He regretted the "enslavement" that millions of drug addicts suffered; that enslavement could be corrected only by solidarity throughout the world. However, it was difficult to prevent the drug problem with so little money allocated to the relevant United Nations bodies.

He said the allegations of the representative from Thailand were unfortunate; such issues had already been discussed by the Security Council and other United Nations bodies. It was improper for a comment to be made before this Committee. His Government was democratic and was not involved with any mystery. He regretted the lack of understanding expressed by the representative from Thailand; he was willing to discuss the situation with the representative of Thailand to clarify any doubts.

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KAMALUDDIN AHMED (India) said non-governmental organizations played an important role along with governments in reducing demand for drugs. A study of the functioning of the non-governmental organizations should help the United Nations International Drug Control Programme in enhancing its programmes. It would also underline the need for assisting developing countries in improving monitoring methods and devices, using the mass media, in expanding information and in expert studies.

He said that developing countries also needed help in specialized training and treatment services, and in rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. Poverty and marginalisation worked against solving the problem of drug trafficking in developing countries, particularly, because they served to encourage illicit crop cultivation. While the United Nations International Drug Control Programme continued its alternative development activity, there was a need for international cooperation, both of a multilateral and bilateral character, geared towards socio-economic development programmes in the affected areas.

India had taken a number of measures to monitor the cultivation of opium poppy, he went on, and to prevent its diversion to illicit uses. Heavy penalties had been imposed, even for first offences. India had entered into several bilateral agreements with neighbours for effective regional cooperation.

RAIKO RAICHEV (Bulgaria) said that despite the broad efforts undertaken during the past years, the drug problem remained far from resolved and continued to require coordinated global action on behalf of the international community. The United Nations should continue to play a decisive role in that area.

Consultation between the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and its main partners within the United Nations system should be strengthened further and should be extended to collaboration with other competent intergovernmental organizations, particularly at the regional level, including the international financial institutions and regional development banks.

In recent years, he continued, there had been considerable deterioration of the situation in countries from central and eastern Europe, including Bulgaria, with respect to drugs and drug abuse. In Bulgaria, the problem was aggravated by its strategic location on the route from the drug growing and production areas of the middle and far east to the illegal markets in the west. The bulk of the illicit heroine traffickings was along that route.

Bulgaria had created a special police service branch against organized crime, and it maintained operative links with the INTERPOL and other agencies. A ministerial committee for coordination of the activities of all state bodies in drug prevention and control had also been in operation since 1993.

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EURIPIDES L. EVRIVIADES (Cyprus) said there was no official evidence that money laundering was taking place in his country. He said he supported the European Union's position that all measures to be taken against crime and terrorism, should fully respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. If those preventative measures compromised the fundamental freedoms of the legal system within a democracy, it would be "a medicine more dangerous than the disease".

He said a serious impediment to the fight against crime and drugs in Cyprus was caused by the fact that 37 per cent of its territory, and 55 per cent of its coastline, were under occupation. That situation created ideal conditions for transnational crime and drug trafficking because such groups illegally used ports and airports which were not under the supervision and control of the Government.

FIDEL COLOMA (Chile) said a shared responsibility between the consuming and the producing countries was necessary, and he hoped for mutual cooperation in that regard. Extradition of drug-related criminals was necessary even in the absence of treaties; that would increase the seriousness in the fight against drugs. Even though the scourge of drugs existed in all societies, the problem was more severe in poor countries. He supported the convening of a world conference on drugs.

AHMET ARDA (Turkey) said his country attached great importance to bilateral as well as regional and international cooperation in combating all forms of transnational crime. It had committed itself to cooperating with partners through bilateral agreements, as well as through regional and international arrangements.

Terrorism was the greatest danger to world peace, he went on. It threatened the constitutional integrity of sovereign countries, and was a threat to all since its financial sources depended on drugs and arms trafficking, and extortions, as well as connections with other transnational criminal organizations. The international community must work together so that terrorists and other criminals would not be able to find support, weapons and sanctuaries.

He said a 500-billion dollar economic power called illicit production and trafficking of drugs threatened the security and stability of society, and in some cases countries as a whole. That power easily adapted itself to innovations and it even designed drugs. Despite all efforts, there existed a discrepancy between the will of States to advocate specific measures against drug abuse and the implementation of such measures. That was why Turkey supported the idea of an international conference to fight illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and related activities.

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He said that international cooperation was the only way to eliminate the drug problem. The production and marketing of essential chemicals used in illegal production of drugs must, therefore, be kept under strict control. Turkey considered legalization of small amounts of drugs as an obstacle to demand reduction. Drugs, like weapons, killed and should not be abandoned to market forces.

SLAHEDDINE ABDELLAH (Tunisia) said drug control and the prevention of crime were a challenge for the international community. Crime and drug problems impeded development progress world-wide. Tunisia had committed itself to fighting such problems. Its institutional capacities had been improved through, among other measures, the improvement of its judicial system.

Prisoners, once involved with illegal actions, received assistance in order to be reintegrated in society. There had also been measures to help addicts. However, he warned, any national action without the assistance of the international community would be futile. Also, the activities of "terrorist elements" needed great international attention.

ASITHA PERERA (Sri Lanka) said contemporary crimes and drug abuse had consequences extending beyond national boundaries. No single country or group of countries could tackle the issues in isolation.

It was important to develop United Nations model instruments, such as conventions against organized crime, with a view to the elimination of such crimes and to the implementation of standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners and children as victims of crime. Sri Lanka hoped the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice would take up the challenge of following up the recommendations of the Ninth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention held in Cairo.

He said that the nexus between terrorism, drug trafficking and illicit arms had further sharpened the grave threat posed by the networking of international criminals, leaving behind a trail of crime, violence, corruption, environmental damage and extensive human suffering. If concerted action was not taken against the rising tide of terrorism, illicit arms trade and general criminality, the development process and the social fabric as well as the value system would be threatened.

Sri Lanka, he went, had a comprehensive policy and institutional framework to combat the problem of drug abuse. It had also developed a multi- faceted strategy based on enforcement, preventive education, public awareness, treatment, rehabilitation and international and regional cooperation.

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SERGEI TARASSENKO (Russian Federation) said one of the most important measures to ensure the ending of crime and the drug problem world-wide was the universal ratification of major international agreements. However, it was essential to focus on measures that gave practical gains.

Furthermore, he added, financial resources must be allocated to United Nations bodies in charge of fighting such problems. He called for international cooperation in border controls. The punishing of criminals was also imperative.

GHOLAMHOSSEIN DEHGHANI (Iran) said the idea of possible legalization of the non-medical use of drugs "under the pretext of social freedom" went entirely contrary to the provisions of the Drug Convention. Such legalization could "bring great damage to the anti-drug programmes of other countries", he said. His country had spent more than $200 million on the fortification of its eastern borders to block the influx of illegal drugs into its territory. In addition, it had placed great emphasis on demand reduction through preventive education in schools and through drug awareness campaigns. The vast and uncontrolled cultivation of poppy in the southwest Asia region was a threat to many countries world wide.

Right of Reply

LANE KIRKLAND (United States) said that his country wished to reserve the right of reply to the statement by Thailand, and intended to return to that statement at a later date.

TAVARES DE ALVARES, Acting Committee Chairman, informed the representative of the United States that in line with a General Assembly decision, a right of reply must be made in the final meeting before the conclusion of debate on the agenda item under discussion. The Committee was concluding its discussion on the agenda item in question today. The representative of the United States must, therefore, exercise the right of reply today. If he decided to defer making a statement in response to the statement by Thailand to some other time, then such a statement could no longer be in exercise of the right of reply.

MR. KIRKLAND (United States) said he was not yet ready with his statement in response to the statement by Thailand. His country accepted the General Assembly decision on the exercise of the right of reply.

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