HELMUT BUTKE (GERMANY) ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF NARCOTIC DRUGS COMMISSION

Press Release
BIO/3012
SOC/NAR/724

HELMUT BUTKE (GERMANY) ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF NARCOTIC DRUGS COMMISSION

VIENNA, 16 April -- Helmut Butke (Germany), who was this morning elected Chairman of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, has headed the Division for Legislation on Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Precursor Chemicals in the German Federal Ministry of Health, since 1982.

Mr. Butke joined the Federal Ministry for Family and Youth in 1969, where he dealt with youth affairs until 1970. From 1971 to 1982, he was responsible for food law and consumer protection in the newly created Federal Ministry for Family, Youth, Women and Health.

Mr. Butke has been heading the German delegation to the Commission on Narcotic Drugs since 1983. In 1987, he was Deputy Head of the German delegation to the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, held in Vienna. From 1986 to 1988, he led the German delegation to the Intergovernmental Expert Group on the preparation of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988 Convention).

Born in 1938 in Berlin, Mr. Butke studied law in Berlin and Marburg and completed his preparatory service in the judicial and administrative system.

He is married and has five children.

* *** *