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) --- Patt Haring | UNITEX : United Nations patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange -=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=-