THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD DESTRUCTION OF MYTH OF INVINCIBILITY OF CRIMINAL CARTELS SIGNIFICANT BREAKTHROUGH OF LAST 15 YEARS' FIGHT AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME CORRECTION

Press Release
GA/SHC/3467/

THIRD COMMITTEE TOLD DESTRUCTION OF MYTH OF INVINCIBILITY OF CRIMINAL CARTELS SIGNIFICANT BREAKTHROUGH OF LAST 15 YEARS' FIGHT AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME CORRECTION

On page 13 of Press Release GA/SHC/3467 of 8 October, the statement by the representative of Austria should read as follows:

ERNEST SUCHARIPA (Austria), speaking on behalf of the European Union, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, said it was time for the international community to close ranks against those engaged in organized crime. The establishment of the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP), with its two organizational entities -- the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) and the Centre for International Crime Prevention (CICP) -- created considerable synergy. The documents adopted at the special session of the General Assembly on countering the world drug problem together, from 8 to 10 June, as well as the high-level participation, showed States' political commitment to finding solutions to the drug problem.

The Union's approach to addressing the social and economic causes of drug cultivation included alternative development programmes, he said. Through its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), it supported Andean and Central American countries diversifying their exports and reducing the importance of illicit drugs in their economies. The entry into force of the Europol Convention on 1 October was a milestone in the fight against transnational organized crime. Europol would be the Union's central coordinating body for the exchange and analysis of criminal intelligence. Implementation of the Action Plan on Organized Crime, adopted at the Amsterdam European Council in June 1997, was the centrepiece of the Union's endeavours to step up the fight against transnational organized crime.

Welcoming progress in negotiations on a convention against transnational organized crime, he said an effective international instrument would be an important tool for law enforcement authorities. The Union had played an active role in deliberations on the matter, and attached the highest

Third Committee - 2 - GA/SHC/3467/Corr.1 6th Meeting (AM) 6 November 1998

importance to achieving a successful outcome as soon as possible, preferably by the year 2000. It was following with interest the lead-up to the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, to be hosted by Austria. From 10 to 17 April 2000, the Vienna International Centre would be the meeting place for government officials and representatives of non-governmental organizations and academia, centring on the theme: "Crime and justice: meeting the challenges of the twenty-first century".

The Union supported the work of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme, with its broad range of mandates -- including the elaboration of legal standards and measures to curb violence against women, he said. The financial resources available to the Programme were not commensurate with the scope of its activities. Sufficient funds should be made available. The Assembly's special session had emphasized the role of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme as the leading international agency in global efforts to combat the world drug problem and had established additional mandates for it that would require proper financing through both the regular United Nations budget and from voluntary contributions. The Union and its members currently provided more than 50 per cent of the contributions received by the UNDCP. He appealed to all countries to contribute to the UNDCP or increase their contributions if they already were donors.

Measures to combat the drug problem should be integrated into sectoral policies, development cooperation and international relations, with special focus on children and young people, he said. The Union's actions against drugs were based on a comprehensive, balanced and integrated approach. In that context, the work of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and its cooperation with the Europol Drugs Unit (EDU) was critical, while the establishment of an early-warning system for synthetic drugs in 1997 was an important step. A "European Drug Prevention Week" would be held throughout Europe from 16 to 22 November to raise public awareness and promote multidisciplinary approaches and partnerships. The flagship event, a European Conference on Drug Prevention and Drug Policy, would be held in Vienna on 5 to 6 November with special emphasis on best practices for demand reduction.

An international and coordinated approach to organized crime and the drug problem should be the basis of an effective strategy against the global scourge, he said. The Union stood ready to join forces with the Secretary- General, the Director-General of the ODCCP and all regional groups and Member States.

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