DATE=5/3/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248918
TITLE=ANTI-CORRUPTION CONFERENCE OPENS (L-O)
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=ATLANTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO:  FOUR CURRENT AND EIGHT FORMER HEADS OF STATE FROM 
THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAS HAVE GATHERED IN ATLANTA (GEORGIA) FOR A 
THREE-DAY CONFERENCE FOCUSED ON WAYS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION.  
V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS, THE EVENT IS BEING HOSTED BY THE 
CARTER CENTER, A PUBLIC POLICY GROUP HEADED BY FORMER (U-S) 
PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER.  

TEXT:  PRESIDENT CARTER WELCOMED CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS AT A 
GALA DINNER LATE MONDAY.  THE FORMER U-S LEADER SAYS CORRUPTION 
CONSTITUTES A SERIOUS THREAT TO DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS 
WORLDWIDE.  

                            // CARTER ACT //  

 NOTHING IS SO DEBILITATING FOR THE PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOM, 
DEMOCRACY, HONESTY AND ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT AS CORRUPTION.  
CORRUPTION ROBS NOT ONLY THE RESOURCES OF A NATION, BUT ALSO THE 
CONFIDENCE OF PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT.  

                              // END ACT // 

ALSO SPEAKING AT THE DINNER WAS U-S TREASURY SECRETARY ROBERT 
RUBIN.  MR. RUBIN SAYS CORRUPTION - AND A CORRESPONDING LACK OF 
TRANSPARENCY IN THE FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS - 
REPRESENT A MAJOR STUMBLING BLOCK TO ECONOMIC GROWTH, ESPECIALLY 
IN LESS-DEVELOPED NATIONS.  

                             // RUBIN ACT //  

 CORRUPTION IS A PARTICULARLY PERNICIOUS PRACTICE IN DEVELOPING 
COUNTRIES, BECAUSE IT DIVERTS SCARCE RESOURCES FROM BADLY-NEEDED 
PRIORITIES LIKE HEALTH (CARE), EDUCATION, AND HOUSING.  IN SOME 
OF THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WE WORK WITH, I DON'T THINK THERE IS 
ANY QUESTION THAT CORRUPTION HAS BEEN THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT 
IMPEDIMENT TO GROWTH AND REFORM.  

                              // END ACT //  

CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE THE PRESIDENTS OF ECUADOR, 
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, AND COSTA RICA - AS WELL AS THE PRIME 
MINISTER OF BELIZE. 

  /// BEGIN OPT /// COSTA RICAN PRESIDENT MIGUEL ANGEL RODRIGUEZ 
SAYS CORRUPTION AFFECTS COUNTRIES THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO 
CONSOLIDATE DEMOCRACY - AS WELL AS THOSE THAT HAVE LONG-ENSHRINED
DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES.  

                           // RODRIGUEZ ACT //  

 THIS EVIL (CORRUPTION) POSES A SERIOUS THREAT TO THE FUNCTIONING
AND CREDIBILITY OF EMERGING DEMOCRACIES, AND DANGEROUSLY WEAKENS 
THE LEGITIMACY OF THOSE PRESUMABLY CONSOLIDATED SYSTEMS.  

                               // END ACT //

                        /// END OPT ///  

HAVING IDENTIFIED THE DESTRUCTIVE NATURE OF CORRUPTION, 
CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS WILL WORK TO DRAW UP SPECIFIC 
RECOMMENDATIONS ON WAYS TO FIGHT THE PHENOMENON.  THE 
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO BE MADE PUBLIC AT THE CLOSE OF THE 
GATHERING ON THURSDAY.  (SIGNED)

   NEB/MCB/PLM

04-May-99 12:06 AM EDT (0406 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.