DATE= 11/19/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-222945
TITLE=U-S/LATAM DRUGS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=BILL RODGERS
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO REPLACE THE YEARLY
PRACTICE OF CERTIFYING COUNTRIES' ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS WITH A NEW,
MULTILATERAL CERTIFICATION PROCESS. BUT THE ADMINISTRATION'S
PROPOSAL -- OUTLINED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) -- MAY FACE STRONG
CONGRESSIONAL OPPOSITION -- AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A'S BILL RODGERS.
TEXT: TOP U-S OFFICIALS SAY A NEW AND BROADER METHOD IS NEEDED
TO MEASURE HOW EFFECTIVELY COUNTRIES ARE COMBATTING THE
PRODUCTION AND TRAFFICKING OF DRUGS. SPEAKING AT NEWS
CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON WEDNESDAY, THE OFFICIALS DESCRIBED THE
PRESENT SYSTEM OF DRUG CERTIFICATION AS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
THEY WERE REFERRING TO THE U-S LAW IN WHICH EACH YEAR THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH HAS TO CERTIFY TO CONGRESS WHICH COUNTRIES ARE
FULLY COOPERATING WITH U-S ANTI-DRUG POLICIES. THOSE COUNTRIES
WHICH ARE DE-CERTIFIED LOSE U-S AID. BUT THIS CERTIFICATION
POLICY INCREASINGLY HAS BECOME CONTROVERSIAL -- ESPECIALLY IN
LATIN AMERICA WHICH VIEWS IT AS A UNILATERAL ATTEMPT BY
WASHINGTON TO PRESSURE HEMISPHERIC GOVERNMENTS.
U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY WANT TO DEVELOP AN ALTERNATIVE TO THIS
UNILATERAL APPROACH. PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SPECIAL ADVISOR ON
LATIN AMERICA, MACK MCLARTY, SAID DEVELOPING A NEW APPROACH WAS
ONE OF THE CONCLUSIONS REACHED AT A TWO-DAY CONFERENCE THIS WEEK
AIMED AT DEVELOPING NEW STRATEGIES IN THE DRUG WAR.
///WIRTH ACT///
WE DISCUSSED IN A VERY DEVELOPED WITH A NUMBER OF
DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANTS THE IDEA OF COMPREHENSIVE
NATIONAL DRUG PLANS THAT WOULD PROVIDE A BASIS FOR
OVERALL EVALUATION WITHIN THE HEMISPHERE, A MONITORING
OF ALL COUNTRIES BASED ON IMPARTIAL AND TECHNICALLY
SOUND INTERNATIONALLY-ACCEPTED CRITERIA AND PERFORMANCE
MEASURES. //OPT// IT IS A CONCEPT WE ARE DILIGENTLY
PURSUING TO MAKE PART OF THE SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS THAT
WILL BE HELD IN APRIL 1998 IN SANTIAGO CHILE. //END
OPT//
///END ACT///
WHITE HOUSE DRUG POLICY DIRECTOR BARRY MCCAFFREY SUGGESTED THE
ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES MIGHT BE AN ACCEPTABLE VENUE FOR
CARRYING OUT THIS MULTILATERAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW -- WHICH HE
SAID WOULD BE LIMITED TO COUNTRIES IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.
BUT GENERAL (RET) MCCAFFREY ALSO WARNED THAT DEVELOPING A NEW
MULTILATERAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM WILL TAKE TIME.
///MCCAFFREY ACT///
IT IS MY PERSONAL VIEWPOINT THAT WE SHOULD NOT SEE IN
THE SHORT RUN CERTIFICATION DISAPPEAR. BUT IT IS ALSO
CLEARLY THE CASE THAT AS WE BUILD EFFECTIVE
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON THIS ISSUE, THAT
CERTIFICATION WILL ONE LOSE ITS CURRENT IMPRESSION IN
THE MINDS OF MANY OF UNILATERAL ARROGANCE AND WILL
BECOME BURIED UNDER A HIGHER ORDER OF COOPERATIVE EFFORT
AND I THINK THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THE FAIRLY, NEAR FUTURE.
///END ACT///
HOWEVER, MANY U-S LAWMAKERS SUPPORT CERTIFICATION AS A NECESARY
TOOL TO APPLY LEVERAGE AGAINST GOVERNMENTS VIEWED AS BEING
UNCOOPERATIVE WITH U-S ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS. GENERAL MCCAFFREY
ACKNOWLEDGED IT MAY DIFFICULT TO PERSUADE CONGRESS TO CHANGE THE
LAW -- AND ADOPT THE MULTILATERAL APPROACH INSTEAD. HOWEVER, HE
SAID IF A MULTILATERAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM IS DEVELOPED -- THE
UNITED STATES WOULD BE WILLING HAVE ITS ANTI-DRUG PERFORMANCE
EVALUATED. (SIGNED)
NEB/WFR/PT
19-Nov-97 5:26 PM EST (2226 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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