ACCESSION NUMBER:211942
FILE ID:AR-121
DATE:01/27/92
TITLE:(Spanish coming) (01/27/92)
TEXT:*ARF121 01/27/92
(Spanish coming)
INTERNATIONAL DRUG STRATEGY HIGHLIGHTS
(Text: int'l section of ONDCP fact sheet)  (500)
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration cited increased assistance to the
criminal justice systems in Bolivia and Colombia, treaties or bilateral
agreements with the Andean countries and Argentina, and passage of the
Andean Trade Preferences Act as highlights of its 1991 international drug
strategy.

In a fact sheet issued in conjunction with the administration's fourth
National Drug Control Strategy, the administration said its international
drug policy has been effective in motivating other countries "to engage
their resources to "defeat trafficking and strengthen political will."

Following is the text of the section on international drug strategy:
(begin text)
INTERNATIONAL
International Drug Policy and Implementing Strategies:  International
drug policy to motivate other countries to engage their resources to defeat
trafficking and strengthen political will has been effective. The following
initiatives have been undertaken:

-- Assistance to the Colombian Ministry of Justice to help reform the
judicial system, judicial protection program, and provide training in
evidence gathering and case development.

-- Expanded assistance to improve the capabilities of Bolivian prosecutors
and specialized narcotics courts.

-- Negotiations with Laos that resulted in their modifying their previous
policies and committing publicly to drug control activities, including a
1ix-year narcotics crop control project.

-- Support to the OPBAT enforcement programs of the governments of the
Bahamas, Turks, and Caicos has denied traffickers a significant operations
area and forced a shift of trafficking to the south, farther away from the
U.S.

Treaties and Bilateral Agreements:
-- As a result of the Cartagena Summit, the United States signed
agreements with the Andean nations on tax information exchange, asset
sharing, public awareness, weapons control, and extradition.

-- A bilateral "umbrella" agreement signed with Peru established a
comprehensive approach to fighting drug trafficking.

-- Agreements with Peru, Bolivia, and Panama ensure precursor and essential
chemicals are used for legitimate purposes.  We are negotiating such
agreements with Colombia and Ecuador.

-- Signed a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty and bilateral customs agreement
with Argentina to help speed investigations and prosecutions of narcotics
offenses.

-- Signed a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with Panama for sharing
information, such as government records and bank documents, about the
proceeds of criminal activities, including drug offenses.

Economic Support:
-- Supported establishment of crop substitution programs in the Chapare
coca sector of Bolivia.

-- Developed the Andean Trade Initiative -- trade measures designed to
assist the Andean region's transition to legitimate economies.

-- The administration proposed the Andean Trade Preferences Act to provide
duty free access for exports from Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador.

-- INM (State Department Bureau of International Narcotics Matters) will
spend about $11 million in Asian heroin countries in FY91 to encourage and
support drug control programs.

Increase International Resources:
-- Fiscal Year 1991 Military Assistance to the Andean nations:  Foreign
military financing grants totalled almost $83 million; international
military education and training totalled $4.0 million.

-- DOD (Department of Defense) and the foreign intelligence community have
devoted considerable resources to improve drug intelligence capabilities.

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