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UNDCP (US drug) refutes Slorc's "im



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SLorc recently posted its "impressive achievements" in its bid for
legitimacy and acceptance, over the last two years of antidrug campaign. 

we reprint last november's ondcp assessment. Get a life Slorc, you are
not wanted in the club and you are rapidly disqualifying yourself among
the order of nations.even your name 'myanmar' means nothing so give up
on trying to tease leaders to welcome you with honor. europe and the
west answer you with sanctions and your day in the sun will soon set
forever.

dawn star

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[WHITE HOUSE DRUG POLICY DIRECTOR MCCAFFREY PRAISES THAILAND'S LEADERSHIP IN SOUTHEAST ASIA REGIONAL COUNTERDRUG PROGRAMS].

FOR RELEASE              CONTACT: Bob Weiner
November 27, 1996             (202) 395-6618


WHITE HOUSE DRUG POLICY DIRECTOR MCCAFFREY PRAISES
THAILAND'S LEADERSHIP IN SOUTHEAST ASIA REGIONAL 
COUNTERDRUG PROGRAMS

NO IMPROVEMENT BY BURMA IN ACTION AGAINST HEROIN
SMUGGLERS

(Washington, D.C.) - White House Director of Drug Control Policy
General Barry R. McCaffrey returned Wednesday from a visit to
Thailand and Laos in which he conferred with senior government
officials of both countries and got a first-hand look at the
notorious "Golden Triangle," the tri-border area of Burma, Laos and
Thailand through which a major portion of the world's illegal heroin
supply is smuggled.

Director McCaffrey joined President Clinton when he arrived in
Thailand and briefed the President on drug control in the Southeast
Asia region and on his talks with senior Thai and Lao leaders.  He
met Nov. 22, with Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, the new Thai Prime
Minister-designee, following recent Thai national elections. 
Director McCaffrey raised the issue of financial controls and
discussed money laundering legislation now pending in the Thai
parliament.  He also expressed the hope that Thailand would continue
to play the strong counterdrug leadership role that it has
demonstrated in the past.  General McCaffrey praised Thailand, both
for its excellent cooperation with U.S. regional counterdrug efforts
and for its highly successful domestic drug eradication programs. 
Thailand was once the source of a significant amount of Southeast
Asian opium, but with U.S.  Cooperation, it has reduced its
production to only about one percent of the region's total.

On a tour of the Thai-Burma border, General McCaffrey was briefed by
Thai counterdrug officials and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
experts on Burmese heroin smuggling.  Burma accounts for more than
80 percent of the opium produced in Southeast Asia.  A major concern
for the U.S. is the lack of any concerted Burmese government action
to effectively counter its domestic production of opium.  Not only
has Burma failed to reduce opium production, but current opium crops
are estimated to be at record or near-record levels.  The failure of
the military government to act decisively against Burma's drug lords
has exacerbated other U.S. concerns over the government's role in
suppressing a democracy movement and its unsatisfactory record on
human rights.

In neighboring Laos, General McCaffrey consulted with Foreign
Minister Somsavat Lengsavad and Vice Foreign Minister Soubanh
Srithirath, the Laotian official responsible for drug control
policy, receiving a detailed briefing on illegal drug production and
trafficking in Laos.  The Laotian leaders underscored their view
that current record high opium harvests presented a greatly
increased threat.  General McCaffrey said the Laotians have a
balanced strategic plan to address the production and trafficking
problem, but they lack resources, especially for enforcement and
training.  The Laotian authorities stated they were committed to
working with regional partners to reduce the impact of opium and
marijuana smuggling on their neighbors.

In reviewing regional counterdrug trends, General McCaffrey found
the heroin flow from Burma now poses a grave threat to the other
nations in the region.  Indications are that heroin addiction rates
have risen sharply in the countries that border Burma and across
whose territories Burmese-produced heroin flows out to world
markets.  Only through international partnerships can the world
community confront the heroin threat.  "No one nation by itself can
effectively counter the enormity of the illegal heroin trade, which
recognizes no sovereign borders, "General McCaffrey said.

While in Bangkok, General McCaffrey also visited Thanayarat
Hospital, a Thai government facility devoted exclusively to the
treatment of drug addicts.  The Thai's have five additional
government hospitals, like Thanayarat, located throughout the
country.  Director McCaffrey said Thailand is far ahead of most
other nations in recognizing the value of treatment and education
programs to counter the long-term costs, social and financial, of
dug addiction.  He pointed out that demand reduction was also a key
element in U.S. drug control policy, with about one third of the
federal drug control budget devoted to such programs.  "While most
countries still haven't committed to the imperative of drug
treatment, Thailand has been at it for 20 years," General McCaffrey
said.


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