NEWS-Myanmar Must Speed up Drugs Ac

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Subject: NEWS-Myanmar Must Speed up Drugs Action -U.N.-- INFO. INCLUDED

NOTE: Does anyone want to send a reply to the UN-DCP person about his
actions and comments and beliefs ??  Please read the article below the
contact information.

Christian Kornevall, East Asia and Pacific representative of the U.N.
International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP)

http://www.undcp.org/
Postal Address:
United Nations International Drug Control Programme
Vienna International Centre
PO Box 500
A-1400 Vienna
Austria 

            UNDCP             INCB               CND
Telephone:  +43-1-26060 0     +43-1-26060 0      +43-1-26060 0
Facsimile:  +43-1-26060 5866  +43-1-26060 5867   +43-1-26060 5885
Telex:   135612 UNO A
Cables:   unations vienna
E-Mail:   undcp_hq@xxxxxxxxx    incb@xxxxxxxxx

INCB-Internation Narcostics Control Board

MYANMAR/BURMA OFFICE:
Mr. Richard Dickins, UNDCP Representative 
Address:
P.O. Box 650, Yangon, Myanmar
40, Thanlwin Road, 
Bahan, Yangon, Myanmar
Tel: (95-1) 512-647 & 512-648
Fax: (95-1) 512-646
E-mail: undcpmyanmar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

NEW YORK OFFICE LIAISON
Mr. Vincent McClean, ODCCP Representative 
Address:
United Nations Headquarters,
Room DC1-613, 1 United Nations Plaza,
New York, NY 10017, USA 
Tel: (1212) 963-5634 & 963-2104 
Fax: (1212) 963-4185
E-mail: mcclean@xxxxxx 
________________________________________
Myanmar Must  Speed up Drugs Action  -U.N.

           Reuters
           23-FEB-99

           BANGKOK, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Military ruled Myanmar is not
           doing enough to combat narcotics production and trafficking
           and should speed up its opium eradication programme, a
           senior U.N. narcotics official said on Tuesday. 

           Myanmar, the world's biggest single source of heroin,
           recently announced a target date of 2014 for total
           eradication of opium production within it borders. 

           Christian Kornevall, East Asia and Pacific representative of
           the U.N. International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP),
           told Reuters there had been evidence of increased narcotics
           seizures and drugs enforcement in Myanmar, but added: 


           "They are not doing enough, of course not, and the timetable
           which they have set out, it's a pity that it doesn't follow
the
           U.N. ... They have put out their own line." 

           He said the United Nations wanted a "substantial reduction"
           in production by 2008 and for Myanmar to accelerate
           alternative development programmes in opium-producing
           areas. 

           Asked whether Yangon was making enough use of its
           substantial military resources to suppress opium and heroin
           production and bring traffickers to justice, he replied: 

           "We would, of course, like to see more resources in
           Myanmar devoted to this and that they have the possibility to
           curb more effectively the whole production and
           manufacturing of drugs." 

           Kornevall said latest U.S. estimates showed Myanmar's
           opium output fell below 2,000 tonnes in 1998, a "significant"
           reduction. U.S. estimates for 1997 were 2,365 tonnes. 

           However, Kornevall said that while Myanmar attributed the
           fall to its alternative development programmes and there had
           been some progress in reducing production in some areas,
           both the United Nations and the United States said poor
           growing weather was largely responsible. 

           While there were indications of some decrease in heroin
           production, amphetamine output had "skyrocketed," he said. 

           Producers were diversifying production to include
           amphetamines. "This we are seeing as very, very severe
           and we are very, very worried about this," he said. 

           Kornevall said the UNDCP was not involved in police work
           and so had no evidence to back claims by anti-Yangon
           groups of involvement in the drugs trade of high-level
           Myanmar officials. 

           But the UNDCP would like Myanmar to be "more
           forthcoming" about its relations with ethnic drug-producing
           groups: "We would like them to find ways of curbing this
           production," he said. 

           While praising the work at an operating level of some
           Myanmar enforcement officials working in cooperation with
           UNDCP programmes, he said political progress was
           necessary in Myanmar to allow real progress on drug
           eradication. 

           "A political solution of course is very much needed...to
           enhance better cooperation between Myanmar and other
           governments. The overall political situation in the country
           makes it difficult," he said. 

           He said this had been shown by the boycott by the United
           States and European nations of a narcotics conference
           organised by Interpol which started in Yangon on Tuesday.
           Western states have been sharply critical of Myanmar's
           failure to democratise and of its human rights and drug
           eradication efforts. 


           Kornevall told a seminar on Tuesday the UNDCP was taking
           part in the conference despite the boycott because it was
           important to promote greater cooperation in drug
           suppression. 

           "It's a very complex situation and it might be easier to have
           an opinion from very far away than actually be up in those
           areas...(but) I think it would be very detrimental for the
drugs
           case if countries individually were to take a very negative
           attitude towards drug cooperation."