ASSEMBLY'S 1998 SPECIAL SESSION ON ILLICIT DRUGS SHOULD PRODUCE COMPREHENSIVE POLITICAL DECLARATION, THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD
Press Release
GA/SHC/3424
ASSEMBLY'S 1998 SPECIAL SESSION ON ILLICIT DRUGS SHOULD PRODUCE COMPREHENSIVE POLITICAL DECLARATION, THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD
19971027 The General Assembly's 1988 special session on illicit drugs should produce a political declaration containing a solemn commitment from all Governments to engage in decisive action on drug issues, the representative of Portugal said this morning, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its consideration of crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control.Speaking as Chairman of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the preparatory body for the special session, he said that such as declaration, if approved at the highest political level, would command the needed public attention. Some heads of State or Government had already indicated their willingness to participate in the session, he said.
The representative of Mexico said the special session should send a clear and unequivocal message that the international community was prepared to act with determination to deal with the problem of illicit drugs. He said its political declaration should take a comprehensive approach to the problem, and expressed the hope that Member States would be represented at the highest level.
The Secretary-General's proposal to merge the Commission on Narcotic Drugs with the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice would do more harm than good, the representative of the Russian Federation told the Committee. Although their respective agendas were already overburdened, both bodies were functioning well and carrying out their mandates. He called for increased resources to support the work of the new Centre for International Crime and International Drug Control.
Addressing national action to combat the problem of illicit drugs, the representative of Singapore said her country took the matter very seriously and expended considerable resources to contain it through a two-pronged approach which addressed both supply and demand. Her Government made no apologies for having tough laws to stem the flow of drugs into the country and imposed a mandatory death sentence on convicted drug traffickers.
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The representative of Venezuela said her country's efforts to address the problem had experienced good results. Transit of drugs across the country had been made more difficult and laws curbed the production of chemical precursors. Actions within the financial sector, including efforts to prevent money laundering and the establishment of financial intelligence units had proven most successful.
Statements were also made by the representatives of Cyprus, Panama, Benin, China and Belarus (speaking also for Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan).
The Third Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue its discussion of the issue. It is also expected to take action on a number of draft proposals on issues relating to social development.
Committee Work Programme
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this morning to continue its consideration of issues related to crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control.
In its consideration of the issue of crime prevention and criminal justice, the Committee had before it the Secretary-General's reports on strengthening the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme and the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders. It also had before it five draft resolutions the Economic and Social Council recommended to the Assembly for adoption.
The draft resolutions address the following issues: follow-up to the Naples Political Declaration and Global Action Plan against Organized Transnational Crime; preparations for the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders; crime prevention and criminal justice measures to eliminate violence against women; international cooperation against corruption and bribery in international commercial transactions; and international cooperation in criminal matters.
Also before the Committee is a letter from the Permanent Representative of Austria containing a draft of an international agreement against illegal migrants (document A/52/357).
On the issue of international drug control, the Committee had before it one report and one note by the Secretary-General. The report concerns implementation of the Global Programme of Action relating to international drug control; the note transmits the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs on preparations for the special session of the General Assembly, to be held in 1998, on the question of narcotic drugs.
Also before the Committee is the report of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs acting as preparatory body for the Assembly's special session to consider the fight against the illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and related activities.
The Committee also had before it two letters: one from the Permanent Representative of Cambodia transmitting a letter from the First Prime Minister of Cambodia regarding illicit drug trafficking in Cambodia; and one from the Permanent Representative of the Marshall Islands transmitting the communiqué of the twenty-eighth South Pacific Forum, held at Rarotonga, Cook Islands, from 17 to 19 September.
(For summaries of the documents on crime prevention and criminal justice and international drug control, see Press Release GA/SHC/3422, issued 23 October.)
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Statements
KORNELIOS S. KORNELIOU (Cyprus) said the activities of organized crime, including drugs, money laundering and terrorism, posed a threat to political and economic stability. The main driving force behind most organized crime was financial gain. Implementing effective measures to prohibit the concealment and use of the proceeds of criminal action was a means of fighting crime itself. Efforts in which his country was involved, included structured dialogue with the European Union and cooperation with INTERPOL.
The trafficking in and consumption of narcotic drugs reached every corner of the globe, he said. The upcoming special session and the establishment of the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention were welcomed developments. There must be a coordinated international approach in dealing with the global dimensions of organized crime and drug control.
ALVARO MENDONCA E MOURA (Portugal), Chairman of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, said that considerable progress had been made since the Commission began its work this past March. The work programme of the preparatory process centred on reaffirmation of the political commitment of Governments for international drug control, adopting guiding principles on demand reduction, and devising strategic measures on such issues as control of substances and promoting judicial cooperation. The provisional agenda for the special session was annexed to the Commission's report.
No country was immune to the problem of drugs, he said. It was not enough for the forthcoming special session to produce substantive results; those results must be conveyed to the public at large. To that end, there must be a political declaration containing a solemn commitment from all Governments to engage, with the necessary political will, on decisive actions on drug issues. Such a declaration would command the needed public attention if it was approved at the highest political level. Some heads of States or Government had already indicated their willingness to participate in the special session.
MARY MORGAN-MOSS (Panama) said that her country's location, its role as an international banking centre, and the existence of the Panama Canal had all contributed to the rise in money laundering there. Panama had been illegally used by drug traffickers and for money laundering. Her Government had taken action to protect trade and the banking sector, adopting legislation to curtail money laundering. A special police investigative and analytical unit had also been developed to detect the gains from illegal activities, such as the acquisition of property as a result of drug trafficking. A special high- level commission had also been set up to advise the President on measures that could be taken against money laundering.
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She went on to say that a unit for financial analysis had also been created to detect and analyze the entities in the financial sector. Other actions had been taken to determine the legality of the origin of funds. Limits had been put on transactions in the banking sector. The Government had also signed a number of regional instruments to curb money laundering related to drug trafficking. All those actions reaffirmed the commitment of the Panamanian Government to address the problem.
She said Panama had increased its international cooperation relating to copyright law and that institutional developments supported its efforts to protect intellectual property. Regarding corruption, she said it was latent in all structures in all societies. There was thus a need to adopt controls to diminish that global phenomenon. Panama had taken such action in the context of the Organization of American States (OAS) and had created institutions to promote measures for dealing with corruption. It was important to strengthen such legislation, because corruption was an evil which required a response on a broad scale. Panama was committed to such action.
MIGUEL RUIZ CABANAS (Mexico) said that addressing the problems of drugs and crime, which was threatening youth, children and the society as a whole, was a priority for his Government. Illicit drugs and crime violated the basis of national law and security. The Mexican Government continued to allocate resources to fight illicit drugs. Tremendous efforts had gone into strengthening laws to combat drug traffickers. Bilateral and regional agreements had also been entered, taking account of the principle of shared responsibility, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of States. Yet, despite those efforts, there had been a constant increase in the problem of illicit drugs and drug traffickers were now using sophisticated techniques. As a result, no country could combat problem on its own.
For that reason, Mexico had proposed the convening of a special session of the General Assembly on international narcotic drugs, he said. It had participated actively in the work of the preparatory committee for the special session, which had been proposing tangible action, including those contained in two informal documents on amphetamine stimulants and their precursors. It was hoped that the special session would adopt a political declaration which would take a comprehensive approach to the problem.
The special session should send a clear and unequivocal message that the international community was prepared to act with determination to deal with the drug problem, he went on to say. Mexico would continue to cooperate with the Commission on Narcotic Drugs so that all documents would be completed for the special session, including a special document on alternative development, which should be an area of priority for the session. He said he looked forward to the success of the special session and hoped that Member States would be represented at the highest level.
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ELOI LAOUROU (Benin) said that drugs, crime and juvenile delinquency were related problems and that local, regional and international action was needed to counter them. Preventive measures were as important as those which were repressive. Such preventive measures was based on information, education and public communication, including through the media. Those problems were also related to poverty and involved all elements of society, from disciplinary agents to tourists to officials. Efforts must be made to heighten awareness, particularly for young people and those in prisons. Benin's own national programme in drug control accounted for 20 per cent of its social services budget.
However, drug control went beyond the national to the international level, he said. Coordination was the focal point of the reform under way at the United Nations with respect to the problem. In Vienna, a centre combining efforts to combat both drug and crime activities was very much needed. For such efforts, funds were required. He called on all States to support the new office in Vienna.
DIAO MINGSHENG (China) said the problem of illicit drugs was widespread and the scope of the fight against drug-related crime covered all segments of society. The international community must be more action-oriented. Cooperation at the inter-state and inter-regional levels cooperation to must be strengthened and a balanced drug control strategy to control the illicit supply of and demand for narcotics adopted. The United Nations should further strengthen its work in the field and the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) should play an even more positive and practical coordinating role.
The will of the international community to strengthen cooperation had been well reflected in the preparatory work for the Assembly's 1998 special session on illicit drugs, he said. Noting that discussions and consultations were now well under way on documents for the session, he said the session should be result-oriented, it should produce documents that would be practical and effective and which would constitute the basis for guiding international drug control cooperation in the next century.
The Chinese Government was undertaking tremendous efforts in drug control by strengthening the country's drug law enforcement, as well as its control of domestic narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and chemicals used in the manufacture of illicit drugs, he said. Good results had been achieved in the domestic campaign against illicit drugs which began this year. With the help of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the Government had successfully thwarted several attempts to divert narcotic chemicals into illicit channels, and to smuggle such chemicals out of the country. Activities of foreign nationals had also been uncovered. China's contribution to the special session, together with other Member States, included a draft resolution on integrated measures to combat the illicit manufacture, sale and abuse of amphetamine-type stimulants, he said. Nevertheless, his country
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still confronted the formidable challenge of the ever-changing and complicated drug problem, which only effective international cooperation could address.
ADRIANA PULIDO-SANTANA (Venezuela) said it was necessary to have a dialogue among countries so that policies could be harmonized to counter the global drug problem. Venezuela supported the consolidation of the office in Vienna. There was now an opportunity to evaluate and plan new actions in the fight against drugs and to identify means to make them more effective. Illegal drugs and related crimes represented a threat to the security of States and posed a particular risk to young people and democratic institutions.
The activities of organized crime and of international financial institutions called for a new strategy, and Venezuela had experienced good results in its approach to the problem, she said. Transit of drugs across the country had been made more difficult, and laws had curbed the production of chemical precursors. With international support, a national plan had increased training for officials and heightened the involvement of civil society. Other initiatives included tax incentives to fight drug traffic, a communication campaign emphasizing the importance of family, and a programme aimed at reaching street children.
Action within the financial sector had proven most successful, she said. Control of capital to prevent money laundering, including strengthened regulations and the establishment of financial intelligence units had all been instrumental in controlling drug traffic. Such efforts, and the support of regional organizations were resulting in a reduction in demand.
SERENA WONG (Singapore) said that modern technology combined with a more international business environment had enabled illicit drug operations to infiltrate every segment of society. Singapore took the problem of illicit drugs very seriously and expended considerable resources to contain the problem. Its two-pronged approach aimed at reducing both the demand for and supply of illicit drugs.
The key to reducing demand was education of the public, he said. His Government made no apologies for having tough laws to stem the flow of drugs into the country. The Central Narcotics Bureau conducted regular country wide operations to round up suspected drug abusers. Convicted drug traffickers received a mandatory death sentence. Singapore was located in close proximity to the "Golden Triangle" of mainland South-East Asia and was a major international transshipment hub. It, therefore, had to be stringent in dealing with that insidious menace.
Legalization of drugs was nothing less than surrender, she said. Drug control could work with political will and commitment. Strong domestic measures formed the core of an effective national policy, but the problem could only be tackled through the coordinated efforts of the entire
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international community. The United Nations had to play the leading role. Singapore welcomed the upcoming special session and would be acceding to the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, the only one of three United Nations conventions on drugs which it had not yet signed.
ALEXANDRE V. ZMEEVSKI (Russian Federation) said the United Nations should focus on the priority areas of crime and drug abuse and that its efforts should include a better use of resources. The creation of a single centre in the United Nations to address the problems of international crime and international drug control efforts should be supported by increased financial resources. Its autonomy should be maintained and it should have within its purview criminal legislation, including extradition issues and exchange of information. The political and legal aspects of terrorism should be left to Security Council and the Sixth Committee (Legal).
He expressed doubts about the Secretary-General's proposal to merge the Commission on Narcotic Drugs with the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Both bodies were functioning well and carrying out their mandates. Their respective agendas were already overburdened, and having only one body would do harm to their fulfilment of mandates. Their merger would be counterproductive.
In the Russian Federation, institutions had been developed at the federal level to combat the problems of crime and drugs. New legislation was being considered in the Russian Parliament, he said. Law enforcement had been expanded to deal with the illegal drug trade and some success had been achieved in that area. Russia attached great importance to international cooperation to control illicit drugs. It was hoped that further support from the UNDCP and donor countries would help his country in such areas as treatment and rehabilitation for drug addicts, as well as in law enforcement to discover sources of illicit drugs.
Organized crime was a matter of grave concern and was a catalyst for a range of crimes, such as money laundering and terrorism, he said. There should be more international legislation addressing that problem. The United Nations played an important role in combating international crime. However, there was still further potential for an exchange of experience in anti- narcotic cooperation aimed at combatting transnational crime. The recent summit of industrialized nations in Denver had included in its scope efforts to address such new areas as international computer and high technology crime.
ALYAKSANDR SYCHOU (Belarus), speaking also on behalf of Armenia Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, said crime had developed a transnational character, as well as a link with the illegal drug trade and the trade in small arms. The United Nations Programme for Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice played an important role in
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addressing such crime and was providing the right guidance to Member States. The efforts of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice had also been valuable.
Stressing the importance of regional and subregional levels as well, he said members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) attached great importance to assistance being provided to them. Yet, while several of them had seen some improvement in indicators for combating crime, the situation remained difficult. In May this year, an inter-State agreement to the year 2000 was approved as the basis for cooperation on tangible measures to combat transnational crime. The CIS States were implementing treaties on such questions as illegal migration, extradition and the incarceration of criminals. They were also cooperating in addressing arms trafficking and illicit drugs and had established a joint data bank. They were confident that only by joint efforts could they counter the upward trend in international crime.
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