DATE=4/29/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40201
TITLE=DRUG CERTIFICATION
BYLINE=GEORGE MEEK
DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: NEXT MONDAY (MAY 4) THE INTER-AMERICAN DRUG ABUSE CONTROL
COMMISSION WILL BEGIN WORK IN WASHINGTON TO DEVELOP A
MULTILATERAL SYSTEM FOR EVALUATION OF NATIONAL EFFORTS IN THE WAR
ON DRUGS. THE IDEA WAS ENDORSED AT THE RECENT SUMMIT OF THE
AMERICAS IN SANTIAGO, CHILE. WE HAVE A REPORT FROM SOUTH AMERICA
CORRESPONDENT GEORGE MEEK.
TEXT: THE DECLARATION OF SANTIAGO WELCOMES THE START OF
NEGOTIATIONS IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN
STATES. THE DECLARATION CALLS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE, BALANCED
APPROACH, BASED ON PRINCIPLES OF SOVEREIGNTY AND SHARED
RESPONSIBILITY TO COMBAT ALL ASPECTS OF THE DRUG PROBLEM AND
RELATED CRIMES.
PRESIDENT CLINTON SINGLED OUT THE DRUG WAR AS A PRIORITY CONCERN
IN HIS SPEECH AT THE CLOSING SESSION OF THE SANTIAGO SUMMIT.
// CLINTON ACT //
WE MUST MOVE AGGRESSIVELY TO ESTABLISH AN ALLIANCE
AGAINST DRUGS, SO THAT WE WILL HAVE A MORE GENUINELY
COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE AGAINST
NARCO-TRAFFICKING AND DRUG ABUSE, VIOLENCE, AND
ORGANIZED CRIME.
// END ACT //
AT THE OPENING SESSION OF THE SUMMIT, MR. CLINTON EMPHASIZED THE
COUNTRIES HAD TO WORK TOGETHER TO ATTACK BOTH DEMAND AND SUPPLY.
COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT ERNESTO SAMPER SHARED THIS CONCERN. HE SAID
COMBATTING DRUGS IS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE TO PRESERVING
DEMOCRACY IN THE AMERICAS. PRESIDENT SAMPER SAID COLOMBIA FIRMLY
SUPPORTS THE IDEA OF ESTABLISHING A MULTI-LATERAL ANTI-DRUG
CENTER IN PANAMA, AND AN EVALUATION MECHANISM WITHIN THE O-A-S.
THE PRINCIPLE OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY IN THE DRUG WAR WAS
ESTABLISHED AT THE MIAMI SUMMIT IN 1994. THE FORMAL ANTI-DRUG
STRATEGY IN THE HEMISPHERE WAS SIGNED IN DECEMBER, 1996. THE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE O-A-S, CHRISTOPHER THOMAS,
SAID THE STRATEGY MARKS AN END TO FINGER-POINTING AND
RECRIMINATIONS, WHICH HE CALLED -- THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLAME.
THE LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES HOPE THE DEVELOPMENT
OF A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION MECHANISM FOR THE DRUG WAR WILL PUT
AN END TO THE UNILATERAL PROCESS OF CERTIFICATION BY THE UNITED
STATES.
THE U-S CONGRESS ESTABLISHED THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS 12-YEARS
AGO DURING THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION. IT REQUIRES THE PRESIDENT
TO CERTIFY ANNUALLY WHETHER DRUG-PRODUCING OR DRUG-TRANSIT
COUNTRIES ARE FULLY COOPERATING WITH THE UNITED STATES TO COMBAT
DRUGS. COUNTRIES NOT CERTIFIED ARE DENIED U-S ECONOMIC AND
MILITARY ASSISTANCE.
THE PRESIDENT MAY WAIVE SANCTIONS IN THE INTEREST OF U-S NATIONAL
SECURITY, AS HE DID THIS YEAR IN THE CASE OF COLOMBIA.
FORMER U-S AMBASSADOR TO PANAMA AMBLER MOSS, WHO HEADS A RESEARCH
CENTER IN FLORIDA, SAYS THE U-S CERTIFICATION SYSTEM HAS NOT
WORKED.
// FIRST MOSS ACT //
QUITE CLEARLY IN THE MINDS OF LATIN AMERICANISTS THE
CERTIFICATION PROCESS HAS BEEN AN ABJECT FAILURE. IT
HAS BEEN COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. IT IS VIEWED BY LATIN
AMERICA AS ARROGANT AND HYPOCRITICAL, AND OUGHT TO BE
SCRAPPED IN FAVOR OF SOMETHING BETTER.
// END ACT //
MR. MOSS SAYS KEY OFFICIALS IN THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION
UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT CONGRESS DOES NOT.
REPRESENTATIVE BEN GILMAN, WHO CHAIRS THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
COMMITTEE, ISSUED A STATEMENT DURING THE SANTIAGO SUMMIT IN
DEFENSE OF CERTIFICATION, CALLING IT A KEY TOOL IN THE U-S
ANTI-DRUG ARSENAL. MR. GILMAN SAYS PRESIDENT CLINTON'S STRATEGY
DE-EMPHASIZES COMBATTING NARCOTICS AT THE SOURCE IN FAVOR OF
REHABILITATING USERS IN THE UNITED STATES -- AN APPROACH THE
CONGRESSMAN CALLS TRYING TO WIN THE WAR BY TREATING THE WOUNDED.
POLITICAL SCIENTIST EDUARDO GAMARA OF FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY SAYS IT IS NOT ONLY REPUBLICANS WHO WANT TO HOLD ON TO
UNILATERAL CERTIFICATION.
// GAMARA ACT //
THE DEMOCRATS ARE ABSOLUTELY SATISFIED WITH
CERTIFICATION. SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN IN FACT WOULD
MUCH RATHER SEE THIS HARSHER RATHER THAN WEAKER. AND
THERE ARE OTHERS, (HOUSE MINORITY LEADER) DICK GEPHARDT
TO NAME ANOTHER, WHO ARE UNLIKELY TO FAVOR ANY KIND OF
ELIMINATION OF THE CERTIFICATION POLICY.
// END ACT //
MR. GAMARA RECALLS LAST YEAR THE U-S SENATE VOTED 60 TO 38 TO
RETAIN THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS, WITH MANY DEMOCRATS JOINING THE
DEFENSE OF THE POLICY.
IT APPEARS THAT ALTHOUGH WORK ON MULTILATERAL EVALUATION WILL GO
FORWARD WITH THE BLESSING OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, THIS
WILL NOT CONVINCE THE U-S CONGRESS TO GIVE UP THE CERTIFICATION
PROCESS, SO THE TWO SYSTEMS WILL COEXIST. (SIGNED)
NEB/GM/RAE
29-Apr-98 9:48 AM EDT (1348 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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