INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIONN VITAL TO COMBAT GLOBAL ORGANIZED CRIME, THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD

18 October 1996

Press Release
GA/SHC/3358

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIONN VITAL TO COMBAT GLOBAL ORGANIZED CRIME, THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD

19961018 Speakers Address Money Laundering, Protection of Children; Dialogue Held with Executive-Director of UN International Drug Control Programme

International cooperation was vital to combat the global nature of organized crime and its links with drug trafficking, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) was told this afternoon, as it continued its consideration of crime prevention and criminal justice, the elaboration of an international convention against organized crime and international drug control. The representative of Guatemala, speaking on behalf of the Central American countries, said government ministers from the region had adopted sanctions against money laundering in an effort to prevent Central America from becoming a refuge for traffickers servicing the large North American drug market. Greater bilateral cooperation was needed to protect young people, he added, particularly with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Israel's representative said an exchange of information across borders and early-warning systems at the local and regional level should be set up. Also, a permanent forum that would engage in regional and worldwide strategic planning aimed at the prevention of crime should also be established. A number of representatives spoke on the importance of preventive programmes to protect the future of young people. The representative of UNICEF said the pandemic of drugs was the result of adults failing to protect teenagers. Following the general debate, the Committee held a dialogue with the Executive-Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, Giorgio Giacomelli. They discussed, among others, the Programme's response to the situation in Afghanistan, its potential role in the preparatory process leading up to the 1998 Special Session of the General Assembly on drugs and its response to the possible legalization of small amounts of controlled substances. Statements were also made by the representatives of Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cote d'Ivoire, Sri Lanka and Turkey. The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m., Monday, 21 October, to continue its consideration of crime and international drug control.

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to continue its examination of crime prevention and criminal justice, international drug control and the question of the elaboration of an international convention against organized transnational crime. (For background see Press Release GA/SHC/3357 of 18 October.)

Statements

AQEELAH AKBAR (Antigua and Barbuda), speaking on behalf of the 13 member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said that the increasing transnational nature of criminal activity made an aggressive international counter-attack against these threats an urgent need. The CARICOM States were concerned about the increase in the illegal transhipment of arms. States that manufacture and sell arms were asked to strengthen their control measures and provide technical assistance to vulnerable countries to build their detection and prevention capacities to fight this illicit traffic.

Calls must be issued for enhanced international cooperation to support national structures, she said. Additional bilateral and multilateral arrangements should be concluded in order to enhance collaboration and maximize effectiveness. The CARICOM States support enhanced cooperation between the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and the work of the network of collaborating agencies. Their efforts, extended on behalf of the Caribbean countries, to uphold the rule of law ensures that those countries were safe for both citizens and visitors. The CARICOM States had comprehensive national policies on crime prevention and criminal justice which sought to ensure the highest standards of behaviour from those who served in public office.

EDGAR CAMACHO OMISTE (Bolivia) said his Government had given top priority to implementing its drug control programmes. Its plan for voluntary eradication of coca plantations had been successful, with a resulting decline in the area under cultivation. There had been a decline in new coca production despite the increase in demand. Bolivia had spent $27 million this year on its drug programmes, most of which it financed from its own resources with some help from friendly countries. His country spent a very high proportion of its domestic budget on drug eradication programmes. It had also promoted the planting of alternative crops, destroyed many factories and laboratories used to manufacture cocaine, and seized a considerable amount of precursor chemicals.

He said there had been scant help from the international community in achieving those goals. There was a need to increase international cooperation. Consumer countries should establish verifiable goals for their domestic illicit drug consumption, otherwise efforts to deal with the drug problem would continue to fall on poor countries. The International Drug Control Board should be responsible for coordinating efforts. Care should be

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taken to avoid unjust unilateral action which failed to recognize shared responsibility and the norms of international law. Attention must be given to the problem of money laundering. The United Nations was the best tool to prevent the war against drugs from being an endless one. There should be a careful preparatory process for the 1998 General Assembly special session on drug control.

JULIO MARTINI (Guatemala), speaking on behalf of the Central American countries, said that criminal narcotics trafficking organizations were taking advantage of money laundering and privatization to legitimize their business activities. Drug trafficking was an evil which was indiscriminate and had a negative effect on all societies. Central America suffered particularly because it was, in effect, a transit zone for drug traffickers. In an attempt to prevent Central America from becoming a refuge and base for drug traffickers servicing the large North American market, Central American ministers met in Guatemala City on 29 June and adopted, among other actions, sanctions against money laundering.

Young Central Americans were in grave danger because their region was a bridge for drug trafficking, he said. The existing cooperation must be strengthened between producer and consumer countries, and those used for transit. But greater and wider participation was needed in the United Nations International Drug Control Programme. Greater cooperation at the bilateral level was also necessary and with other United Nations bodies, particularly the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), because children are the most vulnerable to those who traffic in drugs. The 1998 special session of the Assembly should have the support not only of those affected directly by drug trafficking, but of all States.

SHLOMO GAL (Israel) said organized crime groups knew no boundaries. Violent criminal activity, including terrorism and environmental crime, had no borders; money laundering thrived on lenient banking laws and computer criminals were capable of breaking down traditional boundaries through cyberspace. All those crimes affected the international community and it was therefore vital to share information and experience. There was also an alarming increase in crimes which undermined democratic societies, including corruption, white-collar and environmental crimes, trafficking in endangered species and fauna, and the smuggling of radioactive material as a potential method of extortion and international terrorism.

He said his country had considerable experience in law enforcement and crime prevention and was willing to share it with other States. It was imperative to act in a preventive manner, rather than just reacting to events. Systems to facilitate the exchange of quick and effective information across borders, and early-warning systems at the local and regional level must be established. He suggested the establishment of a permanent global and regional forum that would engage in regional and worldwide strategic planning

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aimed at the prevention of crime. The Mediterranean States had already started such action and discussed common ways to cooperate in exchanging operative and technical information. Many Middle East countries with which Israel had established diplomatic relations had already offered their cooperation in crime prevention. Israel could offer assistance in such areas as prevention for groups at risk, including youths who had dropped out or could drop out of the educational system. It had other programmes for the rehabilitation of prisoners.

DIÉNÉBOU KABA CAMARA (Côte d'Ivoire) said the battle against drug trafficking at the national level was difficult because, while the political will existed, human and material means were often lacking, especially in Africa. The phenomenon of drugs and drug-related crime was spreading, partly because of a lack of existing structures and law enforcement, but the biggest problem was a lack of funds.

Côte d'Ivoire was aware of the impossibility of winning the drug battle singlehandedly, she said. In the past, the lack of subregional cooperation, the absence of adequate training and the openness of borders made the States of Western Africa a haven for drug trafficking. The United Nations International Drug Control Programme was able to aid the region in stopping drug traffic with expertise, training and modern methods.

The Government supported the special session in 1998 in an effort to stop drug trafficking. It was essential that the United Nations be provided with resources needed to discharge its mandate. The Third Committee should consider endowing the United Nations International Drug Control Programme with the necessary resources so it would be able to discharge its many responsibilities. The countries listed by the Programme should be prepared to support the fund, and others should be expected to contribute on a voluntary basis. Real solidarity was needed if States were to overcome drug cartels and other transnational organizations. The success of the Programme could not depend on the resources of just three countries. A possible solution to securing resources would be to channel seized monies to the actions against drug traffic. Examples of such actions already existed on the national level in the wake of bilateral agreements, so why should it not be expanded to the international level? she asked.

HERMAND LEONARD DE SILVA (Sri Lanka) said his Government believed that international cooperation and practical technical assistance were vital instruments in combating organized transnational crime. Given the linkage between money laundering, drug-related crime and other serious crimes, there was presently a clear need to intensify cooperation between the concerned United Nations bodies dealing with drug control and crime prevention and relevant multilateral and regional institutions. However, all multilateral cooperation in crime prevention and combating transnational crime must take into account the new forms and manifestations of the phenomenon, such as the link between drugs and arms trafficking, money laundering, and the organized trafficking in persons,

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The General Assembly resolution adopted last year reaffirmed the determination of States to combat the scourge of drug abuse, illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The resolution urged States to devote themselves to sustained national, regional and international actions towards prevention and control of drugs. No country can tackle the drug problem in isolation. Sri Lanka encouraged the relevant agencies to actively engage in international cooperation through bilateral, regional and international collaboration.

AHMET ARDA (Turkey) said his Government was particularly interested in the work of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice regarding the danger of growing links between transnational organized crime and terrorist criminal activities. He regretted the attempts to stop the deliberations of the Commission's working group on that matter. An innocent- looking organization established in one country, exploiting the passionate feelings of local people, could easily act as a disguised front organization, financial source and recruiting office for groups that were active in crime in other countries. States should remember their obligations under international law and not tolerate the functioning of such organizations on their soil.

He said his country placed great importance on the elimination of violence against women and children and their sexual exploitation. It supported the idea of drafting a convention on illicit traffic in children. Due to cost-saving measures, posts at the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice division were frozen, and planned activities cancelled. He hoped a way would be found out of the dilemma. Turkey was applying the most secure system of poppy straw cultivation, the unlanced method, which was the most costly. That had proved to be successful with no diversion to illicit channels. However, Turkey was located on one of the most vulnerable areas for drug trafficking. With increased demand in the West and new sources of illicit cultivation, illicit production of narcotic raw materials persisted. Despite scarce resources, his Government was providing technical and legal assistance in measures to combat illicit cultivation and prevent its territory from being used as a transit route and place to manufacture illicit drugs.

BRUCE DICK, representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), said that substance abuse, including the use of alcohol and tobacco, was one of a group of high-risk behaviours that particularly undermined the health and development of young people. In many ways, the pandemic of drugs, and other modern pandemics such as HIV/AIDS and violence, resulted from the fact that adults frequently failed to protect the rights of children in their second decade of life. The UNICEF placed the problem of drugs within a broader context by linking substance abuse to other interrelated problems that undermined young people's health and development.

The UNICEF would continue to develop national and regional programmes to protect the rights of all children, particularly disadvantaged children, he said. It would focus primarily on demand-reduction activities, although many programme efforts which promoted and maintained individual and community

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development often contributed to decreasing the production and supply of illicit drugs. The UNICEF would continue to strengthen its partnerships with United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations and other organizations involved with responding to the growing problem of substance abuse. Furthermore, it would continue to ensure that young people were placed at the centre of the development and implementation of programmes.

The Committee then began a dialogue with the Executive Director of the United Nations Drug Control Programme, Giorgio Giacomelli, in which the representatives of Côte d'Ivoire, Colombia, Algeria, Peru, United Kingdom, Turkey, Iran and Austria took part.

Since the United Nations International Drug Control Programme had been identified as the potential preparatory organ for the 1998 special session of the General Assembly, did Mr. Giacomelli have any propositions on how to reactivate existing intergovernmental drug control mechanisms? the representative of Algeria asked. Mr. Giacomelli said there was a certain defeatism and discouragement in society because of the way the relevant United Nations conventions were applied and the instruments were utilized. Great care was needed to respect the sovereignty of every country. At the same time, it would be extremely useful if a mechanism existed to judge the extent to which countries carried out or complied with obligations.

In response to questions from the representatives of the United Kingdom and Iran on the situation in Afghanistan, Mr. Giacomelli said the problem of how to stem the flow of illicit drugs from Afghanistan was a top priority. The United Nations International Drug Control Programme had managed to keep the "door open" in that country during extremely difficult years. The cultivation of poppies and the production of heroin and morphine had increased dramatically in the last three years.

His planned trip there had to be postponed because of recent events, but it was important to establish contact with the Taliban, as they controlled almost the entire area where poppies were cultivated. The treatment and rights of women would also be at the forefront of the dialogue. The impact of drugs must be taken into account in each and every area of discussion. A task force had been established and an informal dialogue begun with the new Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan on the essential points necessary to establish cooperation.

Continuing, Mr. Giacomelli said he had planned to visit Afghanistan until the fall of Kabul. Afghanistan was a natural bridge between central and southwest Asia. Because Iran and Pakistan had made efforts to control the heroin trade, the traffic and production had been pushed north. In effect, the old silk route had become the new heroin route.

In reply to a question from the representative of Turkey about the effect of legalizing small amounts of controlled substances, Mr. Giacomelli said that was a very touchy issue. The relevant conventions were very clear

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and governments had taken a firm stand in supporting them. However, there was a debate over the issue, which was natural to democratic societies and useful. The current generation was even more at risk because they were the children of parents who had experimented with drugs. It was important to consider three facts: first, a very high percentage -- some 70 per cent of hard-core drug addicts -- were once users of so-called "lighter drugs". Second, cannabis had become much more potent. Third, a lot of hard work had gone into building a common defence against drugs, even though it was not perfect. Any decision on the matter should take all the evidence fully into account.

The representative of Austria asked about the joint program committee between the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and the financial task force to combat money laundering. Mr. Giacomelli said both programmes were seeking the right synchronizing mechanism to operate efficiently. The money laundering project, which had a five-year budget of $4 million, had been submitted for approval to the financial task force. It would assist countries in such areas as legislation, institution building, confiscation of assets, and adoption of new methodologies and technologies to track and control money laundering. It would meet for the first time next week.

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