unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (09/16/89)
treatment of addiction. That meant mobilizing all the resources
available for any chance of success. Much more money had to be
devoted to the cause at all levels, to help "producer" countries
stem the torrential flood of drugs, to curb apparently
insatiable demand and to enable international co-operative
mechanisms to operate effectively.
She noted that the fiscal situation had improved somewhat, but
that United Nations mandates and responsibilities in that field
-- greatly increased in recent years and likely to increase
further -- remained totally disproportionate to the means to
carry them out.
One of the weapons which must be used was the 1988 Convention
against Illicit Trafficking. It must be brought into force
without delay, she said. The Secretary-General had appealed for
those Member States which had not yet signed to do so without
delay, and for all signatories to push ahead the ratification
process with all possible dispatch.
It had been suggested by Prime Minister Manley of Jamaica that a
multilateral strike force should be established, under the aegis
of the United Nations, to combat illicit trafficking. Such a
proposal raised many delicate and difficult issues.
She was shocked by the tone of some reports on the situation in
Colombia, which had suggested that the war with the traffickers
had already been lost. If Colombia were to lose that war, all
would lose.
JAVIER COELLO TREJO, Deputy Attorney-General of Mexico, said that
there must be an historic turn-about in the fight against
drugs. The safeguarding of the welfare of mankind required
extensive international efforts. The longe
the international community waited and took no action, the more
would be lost. The police must undertake a modern and effective
policy, and efforts also had to be undertaken in the family and
on social, cultural and economic levels.
He said United Nations bodies had taken significant and energetic
action to combat the problem. Those included the International
Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking of 1987 and the
Plenipotentiary Conference of 1988.
At his request, a moment of silence was observed for all those
who had lost their lives in the fight against drugs.
FRANCISCO RAMOS-GALINO, Director of the Division of Narcotic
Drugs, said that between the first HONLEA meeting in 1986 and
the current meeting regional co-operation in combating illicit
trafficking had been considerably strengthened, but more needed
to be done.
He called for more co-ordination to help implement the 1988
Convention and
urged Member States to allocate financial resources to enforce
implementation. Colombia was courageously standing up to the
drug mafia. Immediate implementation of the 1988 Convention
could help alleviate the destabilizing effects of the drug mafia
in that it would secure assets derived from illicit trafficking,
lead to the arrest of traffickers and allow extradition to those
countries where traffickers were wanted.
Enhanced co-operation would result in greater effectiveness which
was necessary to ensure that jail sentences were fully served.
Deprivation of freedom and property would have a real effect, he
said. Recent anti-drug action in Cuba had helped both Cuba and
the international community.
It was necessary to implement all provisions of the 1988
Convention with all economic and judicial means available, he
said. The meeting should remember those countries suffering the
most from the effects of illicit trafficking, particularly
Colombia, Bolivia and Peru. The HONLEA should send a message of
hope to those countries most affected.
* Origin: UNITEX --> Toward a United Species (1:107/501)
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Patt Haring | UNITEX : United Nations
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