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VOA-Thailand/Burma/Drugs



DATE=2/17/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORTNUMBER=2-245619
TITLE=THAILAND / BURMA DRUGS (L-ONLY)BYLINE=GARY
THOMAASDATELINE=BANGKOKCONTENT=
VOICED AT: INTRO:  THAILAND HAS CRITICIZED THE DECISION BY SOME WESTERN
NATIONS TO BOYCOTT AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN BURMA ON THE  NARCOTICS
TRADE.  A THAI GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAYS THE ISSUE OF  DRUGS IS A
HUMANITARIAN ISSUE, NOT A POLITICAL ONE.  V-O-A  CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS
REPORTS FROM BANGKOK.
TEXT:  THAI DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER SUKHUMBHAND PARIBATRA
WEDNESDAY EXPRESSED THE GOVERNMENT'S REGRET OVER THE DECISION OF  SOME
WESTERN NATIONS TO BOYCOTT THE  CONFERENCE ON HEROIN TRAFFICKING.
SEVERAL WESTERN GOVERNMENTS -- LED BY THE UNITED STATES AND  BRITAIN -- HAVE
SAID THEY WILL NOT SEND ANYONE TO NEXT WEEK'S  MEETING IN RANGOON, SPONSORED
BY THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE AGENCY INTERPOL.
MR. SUKHUMBHAND SAYS THAILAND IS CONVINCED OF THE GOOD FAITH  EFFORTS OF
BURMA, ALSO KNOWN AS MYANMAR, TO FIGHT THE NARCOTICS TRADE.
                                // SUKHUMBHAND ACTUALITY //
WE FEEL THAT IT'S REGRETTABLE BECAUSE WE ARE CONVINCED
THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF MYANMAR IS GENUINE IN WISHING TO
STRENGTHEN ITS EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE DRUG PROBLEM.
                                // END ACTUALITY //
MR. SUKHUMBHAND SAYS THE ISSUE OF NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING IS A HUMANITARIAN
ONE AND SHOULD NOT BE CLOUDED BY POLITICS.
                              // SUKHUMBHAND ACTUALITY //
I DON'T THINK ATTENDANCE IN A MEETING ON DRUGS IN YANGON
(RANGOON) CAN EVER BE INTERPRETED AS A REFLECTION OF
ACCEPTANCE OF THE GOVERNMENT IN YANGON (RANGOON).
BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THE DRUG QUESTION IS PURELY A
HUMANITARIAN ONE.  IT'S AN ISSUE RELATED TO HUMAN
SECURITY, NOT LEGITIMACY OF GOVERNMENTS.
                              // END ACTUALITY //
BURMA IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST PRODUCERS OF HEROIN.  CRITICS ALLEGE
THAT -- FAR FROM SUPPRESSING THE NARCOTICS TRADE --  BURMA'S RULING GENERALS
ARE DEEPLY INVOLVED IN IT.
WESTERN GOVERNMENTS FEAR THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT WILL TRY TO USE  THE
CONFERENCE TO GARNER INTERNATIONAL LEGITIMACY FOR ITS  ANTI-NARCOTICS
EFFORTS.  THE UNITED STATES SAYS THE INTERPOL  CONFERENCE SHOULD FOCUS ON
MONEY LAUNDERING, CORRUPTION, AND  SMUGGLING -- ALL ACTIVITIES IT CLAIMS THE

BURMESE RULERS ARE INVOLVED IN.
A BURMESE STATEMENT SAYS BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE WHAT  IT TERMS A
"SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY" TO ATTEND THE RANGOON  CONFERENCE BECAUSE THEY ARE
TWO OF THE LARGEST HEROIN-CONSUMING  NATIONS.  (SIGNED)NEB / GPT / GC /
WD17-Feb-99 5:01 AM EST (1001 UTC)NNNN
Source: Voice of America