THE UNITED STATES PLEDGES TO UNDP F

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The document that reflects the U.S. Policy toward Burma

Sincerely,

Julien Moe
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TEXT: STATE DEPT. 4/3 ON U.S. PLEDGE TO UNDCP FOR BURMA
(Program seeks to reduce opium cultivation in Wa area) 
Washington -- Following is the text of an April 3 press release on the U.S.
pledge to the United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP) for Burma: 

(begin text) 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 
Office of the Spokesman 

April 3, 1998 

NOTICE TO THE PRESS 

U.S. PLEDGE TO UNDCP FOR B~URMA 

In 1997, the U.S. pledged $9.7 million overall to the United Nations Drug
Control Program (UNDCP), and $3.3 million from prior year funding for an
alternative development program in Burma. UNDCP has experience in areas of
the world where U.S. access is limited and we often support programs in
those areas. 

The aim of the program in Burma is to drastically reduce opium cultivation
in the Wa ethnic area of northern Burma. The U.S. and other donors worked
with UNDCP over a long period to develop a program with reasonable
benchmarks and effective oversight. U.S. funding is distributed to the UNDCP
and the project in the affected area, not to the Government of Burma. The
U.S. believes alternative development has the potential to reduce drug
cultivation and trafficking in the Golden Triangle region, a leading source
of illegal opiates the United States. 

In developing a counternarcotics policy for Burma, the United States takes
into account the overall political situation. The U.S. provides no
counternarcotics assistance to the Government of Burma. We remain concerned
about the lack of democracy and human rights in Burma, and concerned as well
about the commitment of the Burmese to fight narcotics. Nevertheless, the
U.S. wishes to limit the damage narcotics produced in Burma can inflict of
the U.S. and the rest of the world and UNDCP is one answer to the problem. 

(end text) 



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