Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=1/27/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-N-O-D-C/LIBYA

NUMBER=2-312353

BYLINE=MELANIE SULLY

DATELINE=VIENNA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says his office is ready to help Libya combat illegal drug trafficking. Melanie Sully reports from Vienna the U-N official has just returned from Tripoli, where he met with Libyan leaders.

TEXT: U-N anti-drug chief, Antonio Maria Costa, met with Libya's senior leaders and visited detention facilities and drug treatment centers in Tripoli. The spokesman for the U-N official, Kemal Kurspahic, says the mission was to explore ways to get Libya involved in combating international crime in Northern Africa and in the Arab world.

///KURSPAHIC ACT///

The U-N-O-D-C can help implement conventions that Libya is a party to and Libya has ratified all twelve international instruments against terrorism, Libya has ratified all conventions against drugs, illicit drugs, and we explored the role that the U-N-O-D-C can play in assisting Libya in the implementation of those conventions and translating them into their national laws.

///END ACT///

He says the visit was another step in the integration of Libya in the international community.

The Vienna-based U-N drug office has already started training drug law enforcement officers in Libya and recently provided equipment to border control officers, forensic laboratories and drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centers.

The U-N drug office is currently carrying out an assessment of the drug abuse and H-I-V/AIDS situation in Libya aimed at developing a national drug demand reduction strategy. (Signed)

NEB/MS/MAR/RH/FC