DATE=6/5/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40617
TITLE=U-N DRUG MEETING PREVIEW
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  ON MONDAY (6/8), WORLD LEADERS WILL MEET AT THE UNITED 
NATIONS IN NEW YORK FOR WHAT IS EXPECTED TO BE THE LARGEST 
MULTI-LATERAL GATHERING EVER ON COMBATING ILLEGAL DRUG 
TRAFFICKING.  FROM OUR U-N BUREAU, CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON TELLS
US WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE THREE-DAY SPECIAL SESSION OF THE U-N 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

TEXT:  THE UNOFFICIAL THEME OF THE CONFERENCE IS "GLOBALIZATION, 
THE WORLDWIDE SPREAD OF ILLEGAL DRUGS."  U-N NARCOTICS EXPERTS 
SAY THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TREND IN THE TRAFFICKING OF DRUGS.
AND THEY SAY IT IS ALSO THE REASON WHY NEARLY TWO-DOZEN WORLD 
LEADERS WILL TAKE PART IN THE SO-CALLED "DRUG SUMMIT" ... TO 
DEVELOP A GLOBAL RESPONSE TO A GLOBAL PROBLEM.

THE CONFERENCE AGENDA FOCUSES ON TOPICS SUCH AS REDUCING THE 
DEMAND FOR DRUGS, THE ELIMINATION OF ILLICIT CROPS, JUDICIAL 
COOPERATION AND MONEY LAUNDERING.

THE DIRECTOR OF THE U-N INTERNATIONAL DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM, PINO 
ARLACCHI, SAYS MONEY LAUNDERING IS A RELATIVELY NEW ISSUE FOR THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO FOCUS ON.

                      /// ARLACCHI ACT ///

         WE THINK THE ISSUE OF BANK SECRECY AND TAX HAVENS SHOULD
         BE RAISED, UPGRADED, INCLUDED INTO THE WORLD AGENDA AND 
         WE ARE SUPPORTED IN THIS IDEA BY THE RECENT RESULTS OF 
         THE BIRMINGHAM (ENGLAND) G-EIGHT SUMMIT THAT ADDRESSED 
         THE ISSUE IN A SIMILAR MANNER AND SUPPORTED OUR VIEW.

                         /// END ACT ///

MR. ARLACCHI SAYS MEASURES ARE NEEDED TO PREVENT BANK SECRECY 
LAWS FROM BEING USED BY DRUG TRAFFICKERS.

THE CONFERENCE WILL ALSO DEAL WITH EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE DEMAND 
FOR DRUGS.  THE UNITED NATIONS ESTIMATES THERE ARE CURRENTLY 
ABOUT 190-MILLION DRUG USERS AROUND THE WORLD.  METHODS OF 
ACHIEVING DEMAND REDUCTION HAVE BECOME CONTROVERSIAL.  SOME 
EXPERTS SAY LAW ENFORCEMENT POLICIES DESIGNED TO REDUCE DEMAND BY
PUNISHING DRUG USERS HAVE PROVEN UNSUCCESSFUL.

JOE MCNAMARA IS A FORMER CITY POLICE CHIEF FROM THE STATE OF 
CALIFORNIA.  HE NOW WORKS FOR A PRIVATELY FUNDED ORGANIZATION 
THAT IS HIGHLY CRITICAL OF POLICES IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER
COUNTRIES THAT CRIMINALIZE THE USE OF DRUGS.

                      /// MCNAMARA ACT ///

         WE HAVE IN FAIRNESS TO ASK THE QUESTION OF PEOPLE WHO 
         SUPPORT THE CURRENT POLICIES, THAT THEY SHOULD BE ASKED:
         'HOW DO YOU DEFEND THESE POLICIES, GIVEN THE RESULTS 
         THAT EVERYONE AGREES ON THAT THEY HAVE NOT WORKED, THAT 
         THEY LEAD TO WHOLESALE CORRUPTION AND VIOLENCE AGAINST 
         THE POLICE AND BY THE POLICE, AND THEY DESTROY THE 
         POLICE TRUST EVERYWHERE?'

                         /// END ACT ///

MR. MCNAMARA IS ONE OF HUNDREDS OF REPRESENTATIVES OF PRIVATE 
ORGANIZATIONS WHO HOPE TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD AT THE U-N DRUG
CONFERENCE.  HE SAYS DRUG USE SHOULD BE SEEN AS A HEALTH PROBLEM,
NOT A CRIMINAL ONE.

POLICIES AIMED AT DRUG-PRODUCING COUNTRIES WILL ALSO BE EXAMINED 
AT THE CONFERENCE, IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE THEM MORE EFFECTIVE.  MR.
ARLACCHI SAYS THE UNITED NATIONS SUPPORTS A SHIFT IN POLICY AWAY 
FROM THE SIMPLE ERADICATION OF ILLICIT CROPS, TO STRATEGIES THAT 
PROVIDE GROWERS WITH ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF INCOME.

                      /// ARLACCHI ACT ///

         OUR STRATEGY IN PRODUCING COUNTRIES IS ALTERNATIVE 
         DEVELOPMENT.  IT MEANS PROVIDING FARMERS THAT CULTIVATE 
         ILLEGAL CROPS WITH VIABLE ALTERNATIVES IN TERMS OF 
         INCOME BUT MOST OF ALL IN TERMS OF BETTER QUALITY OF 
         LIFE.

                         /// END ACT ///

CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS SAY THEY HOPE TO SET A NUMBER OF TARGETS 
DURING THE CONFERENCE.  THEY SAY WITHIN THE NEXT DECADE, THEY 
HOPE TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS POSED BY SO-CALLED "DESIGNER" 
DRUGS AND TO -- IN THEIR WORDS -- HARMONIZE AND FORMALIZE 
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON MONEY LAUNDERING, EXTRADITION OF 
DRUG TRAFFICKERS AND THE SHARING OF INFORMATION.  (SIGNED)

NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/RRM

05-Jun-98 3:48 PM EDT (1948 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.