SUBREGIONAL, REGIONAL EFFORTS TO COMBAT ILLICIT DRUGS, PROBLEMS OF TRANSIT COUNTRIES, CITED IN THIRD COMMITTEE
Press Release
GA/SHC/3426
SUBREGIONAL, REGIONAL EFFORTS TO COMBAT ILLICIT DRUGS, PROBLEMS OF TRANSIT COUNTRIES, CITED IN THIRD COMMITTEE
19971028 Subregional and regional cooperation represented the most effective means of combating the trade in illicit drugs and psychotropic substances, the representative of Latvia said this morning, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its consideration of crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control.He went on to say that the three Baltic States, including his own, had formed a subregional group, in cooperation with the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, to address such issues as legislation reform, expert training, and the drafting of national drug-control strategies, he said. In addition, they had agreed on mutual assistance to combat the related problem of money laundering.
The representative of Ghana expressed concern that the United Nations African Institute for Crime Prevention and the Treatment of Offenders had been starved of the financial resources needed for it to contribute meaningfully to anti-crime activities on the continent. In view of the serious financial problem facing most African countries, support for the Institute should be provided from the United Nations programme budget, as well as through extrabudgetary resources, he said.
Greater coordination at the bilateral, regional and international levels was needed to combat international crime, the representative of Malaysia told the Committee. His Government's efforts to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes were hampered by such constraints such as diversity of legislation among States, the difficulty of tracing evidence through many States; and problems in securing witnesses from other countries to appear in Malaysian courts.
Several representatives said geographical location made some countries particularly vulnerable to aspects of the illicit drug trade. The representative of Pakistan said the drug problem in his country was linked to geopolitical developments in the region, which made Pakistan a transit country for illicit drugs from India and Afghanistan. Similarly, Algeria's location made it a convenient transit point between supplier countries and Europe, its representative said.
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Stressing the measures being taken by his country to address the drug problem, the representative of Colombia said that control of illicit drugs was a collective responsibility. No country should pass judgment on another's efforts -- particularly not those responsible for consumption, which was the engine that drove supply.
Statements were also made by the representatives of Egypt, Slovakia, Honduras (also for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua), Romania, Syria, India, Kazakhstan, Bolivia and the Philippines.
The Third Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. to continue its consideration of issues related to crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control. It was also expected to take action on two draft resolutions 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 and criminal justice, and international drug control. It had before it the relevant sections of the report of the Economic and Social Council, reports of the Secretary-General and five draft resolutions on crime prevention and criminal justice.
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 has recommended to the General 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.
On the issue of international drug control, the Committee had before it one report and a 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 four letters. A letter from the Permanent Representative of Cambodia transmits a letter from the First Prime Minister of Cambodia regarding illicit drug trafficking in Cambodia. The Permanent Representative of the Marshall Islands transmits the communiqué of the twenty-eighth South Pacific Forum, held at Rarotonga, Cook Islands, from 17 to 19 September.
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A letter from the Permanent Representative of Colombia transmits the communiqué of the meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs and heads of delegations of the non-aligned countries, addressed to the Assembly's fifty- second session. The communique reports on a meeting held in September to coordinate the Non-Aligned Movement's efforts on a range of matters, including on crime and drugs. A letter from the Permanent Representative of Paraguay submits four declarations on the eleventh summit of the heads of States and Government of the Rio Group, held in August in Asuncion, Paraguay. Annexed to that letter is the Asuncion Declaration, which contains a number of paragraphs on illicit drug trafficking and related crimes.
(For summaries of the documents on crime prevention and criminal justice, and international drug control, see Press Release GA/SHC/3422 of 23 October.)
Statements
YEHIA ODA (Egypt) said the prevention of crime and the system of criminal justice were guarantees both for international security and for the sustainable growth of nations. The sovereignty of law protected the individual and society. Similarly, coordinated international efforts to combat terrorism, and transnational and organized crimes were vital.
Governments were prime authorities in implementing laws within a country, but a larger coordinating body for overall efforts was also needed. In addition to supplementing the crime fighting capabilities of developing countries, all States should contribute to the United Nations efforts against drugs and crimes. Of particular concern was the deterioration of the financial state of the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI), whose activities were threatened by the non-payment of assessments, The international community must support the work of the Institute.
DANIELA ROZGONOVA (Slovakia) said that since its inception, her country had been active in the field of drug control, especially through the United Nations bodies involved in that effort. Earlier this month, Slovakia had hosted a meeting for Central and Eastern European countries, aimed at implementing existing programmes and establishing new ones for drug control in the region.
As Vice-Chairman of the Assembly's forthcoming special session on illicit drugs, Slovakia saw the session as an opportunity for the international community to recognize that drug control was an international problem. The papers for the session must be carefully prepared and Member nations must show the political will to fight drugs in a way that would lead into a safer twenty-first century. A media campaign, along with attendance at the highest level, would ensure public support.
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Slovakia had started to harmonize its national programme with international norms, she said. Such harmonization was critical, particularly with regard to such drug-related practices as money laundering, as the monitoring of illegal funds was very difficult. Her country supported the new office in Vienna, which would enable nations to work on the two related problems. Nevertheless, prevention was just as important as control. Also vital was the creation of alternatives to the drug trade as avenues for development.
GERARDO MARTINEZ BLANCO (Honduras), speaking also on behalf of Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala, said that Central America was a region of peace. Given its location, it had not been able to escape the damage caused to so many countries by the production, consumption, traffic and distribution of illicit drugs. Those activities generated violence and threatened all levels of society.
The Central American countries adopted all measures they deemed necessary to control the flow of drugs, he said. Their national and regional actions included the use of regulatory programmes and financial and economic controls as well as application of the relevant international instruments. The struggle against drugs required a multilateral approach. It was hoped that initiatives emerging from the special session would help combat the problem.
JACOB B. WILMOT (Ghana) said that coherent and integrated strategies were needed at the national and international levels in the fight against crime and drugs. The establishment of the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention to harmonize the activities of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention was welcome and would allow for strong leadership to tackle those acute problems. At the subregional level, Ghana had cooperated with the west African countries of Nigeria, Togo and Benin to prevent the exportation or transit of drugs through their territories. His Government intended to further its support of subregional and regional efforts to combat drug abuse and drug trafficking.
It was a matter of regret that the United Nations African Institute for Crime Prevention and the Treatment of Offenders had been starved of requisite financial resources to enable it to contribute meaningfully to anti-crime activities on the African continent, he said. Although it was the primary responsibility of African countries to sustain the Institute, most of those countries were confronted with serious financial problems. Therefore, support for the Institute should be provided within the United Nations programme budget and through extrabudgetary resources. The enhancement of the capability of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme was welcome, but donor countries should do much more to help it to coordinate and implement its technical assistance projects.
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At the national level, Ghana had enacted laws to confiscate property that was proven to be linked to illicit drugs, he said. A national narcotics control board had been set up to coordinate Ghana's anti-drug programme. Much emphasis was placed on preventive measures, including educational programmes aimed at the general population and youth in particular. It was hoped that action to cooperate on anti-drug legislation at the regional level, as initiated among the member States of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), would be extended to the west African subregion in the near future. Exchange of information both within and between regions was vital for ensuring broader cooperation in the suppression of illicit drug trafficking. The UNDCP Global Programme against Money Laundering, which assisted countries to establish the necessary legal basis to counter money laundering, was appreciated.
VICTORIA SANDRU (Romania) said that combating the interrelated scourges of international organized crime and drug trafficking required international cooperation. The United Nations was best suited to respond to that challenge. The Secretary-General's initiative to establish a new, high-profile Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention was welcome. It enhanced the United Nations capacities through a united approach on crime and drugs while preserving the specific identities of the two institutional components -- the United Nations International Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention. The strategic orientation of the new Executive Director of the Office -- to develop the UNDCP's operational dimension, set clear priorities for the Centre, and to ensure adequate resources -- was encouraging. More attention should be given to deepening cooperation and coordination of the Vienna Office with other relevant partners of the United Nations system.
Romania had been concerned with strengthening its legal machinery, developing preventive mechanisms and providing a humane justice system to combat crime, she said. Actions taken included the setting up of an inter- ministerial council for preventing and combating crime; establishing priorities in an anti-crime programme with the aim of updating legislation; training law-enforcement personnel and developing partnerships between police and communities; and organizing crime prevention and educational programmes. Romania had concluded cooperation agreements with States in Europe and on other continents.
As a recently elected member of the Commission on Narcotic drugs and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Romania was ready to consolidate and diversify its collaboration with the Vienna Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, she said. In recent years, Romania had become a transit country, being crossed by "the Balkans route" of drug trafficking. Like other Central and Eastern European States, it had been confronted with a scarcity of institutional structures specialized in combating illicit drug trafficking. Romania therefore valued all forms of international anti-drug cooperation. It had received the vital support from the UNDCP in updating its legislation and in modernizing its drug analysis capacities.
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AHMAD AL-HARIRI (Syria) said the danger of drugs worsened daily and hampered social development. There was an urgent need to face those problems and to reduce the negative effects of illicit drugs on society. The UNDCP and Member States needed to establish well-thought-out plans to address the matter. The UNDCP's main objectives should be to assist countries in the fight against crime and drugs and to strengthen international cooperation in the field. Syria had been involved in international action to combat drugs and crime, and had cooperated with a number of initiatives to deal with drug- related crime and money laundering. His country condemned drug-related crimes.
He said that Syria had rejected terrorism for criminal purposes and would not allow such crimes to be perpetrated from its territory. However, there was a distinction between terrorism and the legitimate attempts to overthrow an occupying force, as in the Golan Heights. The crime of occupation was itself terrorism and represented a serious danger which threatened peoples and countries.
National action in Syria to combat the use of illicit drugs included signing and acceding to a number of relevant international instruments, he went on to say. Subregionally, Syria had cooperated with the League of Arab States and had signed a number of bilateral agreements with neighbouring States. It was important to cooperate with other States to combat the scourge of drugs. Measures should be based on the sovereignty of States, to ensure that there was no interference in their internal affairs. Attempts to use the fight against drugs as a political measure against another country would adversely affect international relations. Action should be coordinated by the United Nations, based on reports submitted by the countries themselves. The United Nations efforts would be successful if there was a strong political will to address the production, use and illicit trafficking in drugs, as well as the punishment of criminals.
AMINA MESDOUA (Algeria) said the drug problem had to be dealt with at an international level. No region was free of that scourge, which threatened the economic and political health of States -- particularly in terms of the link between drugs, arms and money laundering. Actions to counter that scourge must address the aspects of prevention, control, assistance and suppression.
A global and holistic approach was needed at the national, regional and international levels, and the United Nations the best forum for dealing with that challenge in all its complexity, she said. Even if appropriate international instruments were in force, there was still need for more financing.
Algeria's location made it a convenient transit point between supplier countries and Europe, exposing Algerian youth to drugs, she said. For that reason, her country focused on control and law enforcement. Nevertheless, national efforts were insufficient to address a scourge which recognized no
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borders. Algeria was participating in regional coordinating activities. The forthcoming special session must not be a sterile exercise; the drug trade represented a threat to international security.
ALLADI P. RAJ KUMAR (India) said the drug menace undermined the very foundations of organized society. The connection between narcotics, gunrunning and terrorism had been clearly established, and terrorism received succour and funding from the illicit drug trade. It was the black plague of the times, to which democracies and pluralist societies were particularly vulnerable.
Poverty and marginalization favoured drug trafficking in developing countries, particularly as they encouraged illicit crop cultivation, he said. While the United Nations International Drug Control Programme carried on its alternative development activities, greater international cooperation was needed in the area of socio-economic development.
He said that India's drug problem was largely transit related, arising from its close proximity to the world's two major opiate producing regions -- the Golden Crescent and the Golden Triangle. Both regions took advantage of the well-developed transport network within his country, as well as of the international land and sea routes.
The only solution lay in close cooperation and solidarity among all the countries of the world, he said. India was one of the few countries producing legal opium for medical and other purposes; it supported the position of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) that global production should be restricted and closely monitored.
AKMARAL Kh. ARYSTANBEKOVA (Kazakhstan) commended the United Nations programmes on drug and crime control, two problems which had long ago grown beyond national borders. All States, independent of political orientation, must be fully aware of the need for cooperation in addressing those issues. That understanding should be reflected in both foreign and national policy. The United Nations and its agencies should play the central role in creating that awareness.
The Naples Declaration and other documents had set the direction for fighting drugs and crime, she said. For implementation, however, additional efforts were needed. Closer interaction and joint action was required among all agencies of the United Nations system. An analysis of gaps in current efforts should form part of the work of the special session.
She said her country approved of the United Nations programmes in the Central Asian region and welcomed further programmes that were being planned. Areas needing particular United Nations action, included the development of instruments to address the situation in border areas. Information on seminars and training measures which had worked in neighbouring States such as
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Uzbekistan had also been helpful in developing Kazakhstan's national programme, which was aimed both at controlling drug flow and reducing drug use. Regional and bilateral efforts were also being undertaken in line with existing international instruments.
The problems of organized crime and illicit drugs were related to each other, she said. They were also related to such factors as living standards. It was important to recognize this connection, not only to fight criminals but also to advance social development. The agenda of the special session was unique in undertaking a range of such related subjects.
MARCO ANTONIO VIDAURRE (Bolivia) said all Governments and peoples had recognized that drug trafficking was a threat to the international community. The continuous increase in drug trafficking was linked to a range of crimes. It distorted economies and national institutions, put the health of youth at risk, and destroyed the social fabric of societies. Response at the national and regional levels, and internationally through the United Nations, was necessary to increase technical and financial assistance to countries in need. Bolivia supported the convening of the 1998 special session on illicit drugs, which represented an invaluable opportunity to strengthen the anti-drug struggle. Bolivia was systematically destroying illicit drugs, confiscating drug shipments, penalizing money launderers, and stepping up prevention programmes.
The Bolivian Government was determined to ensure that the country was removed from the international drug circuit in the next five years, he said. It was a State policy requiring the support of all sectors of the society. That strategy incorporated the elimination of coco plantations and other illegal crops, as well as the provision of assistance for the development of alternative crops. Border controls would also be increased and the relevant legal mechanisms strengthened. It was necessary to coordinate action on a common strategy to combat the scourge of illicit drugs. It required committed action by all countries, particularly by those with financial means.
MARTINS PAVILSONS (Latvia) said his country supported the convening of the 1998 special session on illicit drugs. Special emphasis must be placed on defining demand-reduction strategies as a major weapon in eliminating drug abuse and illicit trafficking. They should involve preventive efforts for families, in schools and through the mass media, including the use of study aids. There should also be rehabilitation programmes and special prevention programmes for prisons.
Subregional and regional cooperation was the most effective way to combat illicit drugs and psychotropic substances, he said. The three Baltic States, including Latvia, had created a subregional group for cooperation with UNDCP for assistance in legislative reform, expert training and the drafting of national drug control strategy plans. Recently, those States had agreed to establish a coordination group to combat illegal trafficking and the spread of
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narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Prior to that they had signed a declaration to provide mutual assistance to counter money laundering, as well as to cooperate in preparing an agreement on special recommendations for the relevant ministries fighting money laundering.
Over the past five years, the transit of illegal drugs through Latvia which was situated in the middle of a two-way highway of illicit drug traffic -- had increased immensely, he said. Natural narcotics such as cannabis, opium, cocaine and other drugs moved from Western Europe to the east. Even substances meant to be used for protection against radiation were now being used by drug addicts.
The use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances by youth under the age of 18 was cause for concern, he said. Research had shown that approximately 80 per cent of high-school children had tried drugs at least once. The drug-control system in Latvia was a recent development, beginning in 1993 when the Government ratified the United Nations 1961, 1971 and 1988 Conventions against illicit drugs and started to harmonize its legislation with them. Since then, much had been accomplished by national institutions, including the adoption of national legislation and improved detection of drug crimes. With UNDCP assistance, the Government had been developing a national drug-control strategy master plan that would define the major objectives and improve coordination among relevant ministries.
ABDULLAH AHMAD (Malaysia) said greater coordination and collaboration at the bilateral, regional and international levels was needed to combat international crime effectively. That applied, in particular to efforts involving extradition, illicit trafficking and motor vehicles, and the smuggling of illegal immigrants and migrant workers. Malaysia's efforts to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes were hampered by several constraints. Those included: delays in response to its inquiries by Interpol and some countries; the diversity of legislation among States; the difficulty of tracing evidence through many States; and securing witnesses from other countries to appear in Malaysian courts. Also, extradition processes and requirements were complex, time consuming and limited to countries with which Malaysia had bilateral agreements.
Nevertheless, the Malaysian Government had taken steps towards regional and international cooperation with enforcement agencies in various countries, he said. They were aimed at carrying out joint operations, exchanging information, and obtaining extradition of suspects. The problem of transnational crime could only be controlled by concerted international action supported by sustained political will. In that context, the Secretary- General's recent initiative to transform the Division for Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice into the Centre for International Crime Prevention was welcome. Donor countries should provide significant and regular financial
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support for the implementation of technical assistance projects elaborated within the framework of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme.
At the national level, compulsory and effective mandatory treatment and rehabilitation were critical in reducing the demand for illicit drugs, he said. Malaysia had established a national drug information system for planning and monitoring drug prevention programmes. It had also introduced a project focusing on addiction and the distribution of illicit drugs. The Government's long-term primary prevention strategy focused on preventive education, public awareness, community action, and the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts through education and institutional treatment. In November, Malaysia would host the twenty-second meeting of heads of national drug enforcement agencies in Asia and the Pacific, organized by UNDCP. That meeting would focus on the illegal manufacture of and traffic in psychotropic substances, designer drugs, stimulant abuse, and an exchange of views on legislative measures. The UNDCP had a central role to play in providing technical assistance to member countries so as to enhance their capacity to fight the scourge of drugs at all levels.
MOHAMMED BERJEES TAHIR (Pakistan) called for a strengthening of United Nations crime prevention and criminal justice bodies in response to the escalation of transnational organized crime, money laundering and corruption. Alternative development was an essential tool for eliminating the illicit cultivation of narcotics crops, because the clear linkage connecting poverty with drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
The drug problem in Pakistan had a direct link to geo-political developments in the region, he said. The prohibition on legitimate production had then been followed by trafficking of illicit drugs through the country from Indian and Afghanistan. Pakistan had developed a large preventive machinery to counter the problems of being a transit country, but broader efforts were needed.
He expressed concern that the consolidation of two commissions addressing issues concerning drugs and crime into a single body would reduce the war against drugs into a simple issue of criminality, both conceptually and operationally. While trafficking in drugs had a manifest criminal dimension, other drug-related United Nations activities, such as alternative development, were of vastly different nature and required distinctive programmes and expertise. Placing the entire drug programme in a criminal context would seriously impinge on those dimensions of drug control.
MARIA LOURDES V. RAMIRO-LOPEZ (Philippines) said that in view of steadily escalating crime and the threat it posed to stability and sustainable development, more resources were needed for the work of the Centre for International Crime Prevention. She commended the United Nations
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International Drug Control Programme's focus and its global approach to drug control, particularly in strengthening the links between regional and subregional cooperation programmes.
She went on to say that the question of trafficking in persons was particularly important. A data base must be established covering the forms and dimensions of such transborder smuggling of migrants. More bilateral agreements and other arrangements between sending and receiving countries were also needed.
EDITH CAMERANO (Colombia) said that while extradition was an important tool in maintaining international law and order, its withholding of compliance was not necessarily a withholding of cooperation. It should also be stressed that corruption referred to activities in both developed and developing countries.
For Colombia, the cost of the battle against drugs had been great, she said. No country was safe from those effects and all must assume responsibility as part of a global strategy. Colombia's initiatives ranged from levying additional taxes on the processing and distribution of drugs to actions to combat money laundering, and arms trafficking.
During 1996, penalties for illicit drug movements were increased, she said. Agreements were also reached, including with the United Kingdom, aimed at getting control over the problem. Such measures demonstrated Colombia's willingness to address the problem. No country should pass judgment on another on a matter which called for collective responsibility -- particularly not those responsible for consumption, which was the engine that drove supply. It would help Colombia to see a reduction in demand, but coercive measures by some States with regard to illegal arms only seemed to fuel production. Prohibitions continued to fall on producing countries, while in the industrialized countries demand was increasing.
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