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
.