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VOA-ALBRIGHT / BURMA
- Subject: VOA-ALBRIGHT / BURMA
- From: tinkyi@xxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 04 Mar 1999 19:54:00
DATE=3/4/99TYPE=CORESPONDENT REPORTNUMBER=2-246218
TITLE=ALBRIGHT / BURMA (L ONLY)BYLINE=GARY THOMASDATELINE=BANGKOKCONTENT=
VOICED AT: INTRO: U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SAYS BURMA IS
NOT DOING ENOUGH TO COMBAT THE DRUG TRADE. SPEAKING IN BANGKOK,
MS. ALBRIGHT SAID BURMESE AUTHORITIES ARE IGNORING WHAT IS GOING ON. V-O-A
SOUTHEAST ASIA CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS.
TEXT: SECRETARY ALBRIGHT THURSDAY AGAIN PRAISED THAILAND'S
EFFORTS AT COMBATTING THE DRUG TRADE AND PLEDGING MORE
COUNTER-NARCOTICS AID, WHILE LASHING OUT AT NEIGHBORING BURMA.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS STRATEGY REPORT -- RELEASED
LAST WEEK -- SAYS THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS IN
ERADICATING OPIUM CROPS. IT ALSO SAYS THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THE BURMESE
GOVERNMENT IS INVOLVED IN THE DRUG TRADE ON AN INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL,
ALTHOUGH IT SAYS THERE ARE CORRUPT ARMY PERSONNEL IN OUTLYING AREAS. BUT AT
A NEWS CONFERENCE IN BANGKOK, MS. ALBRIGHT SAID BURMA MUST DO MORE, IF IT IS
TO RESUME RECEIVING COUNTER-NARCOTICS AID.
// ALBRIGHT ACTUALITY //
I THINK THAT THEY CAN CERTAINLY DO A BETTER JOB. I ALSO
THINK THAT HAVING SOME OF THEIR TOP DRUG DEALERS,
KINGPINS, LIVING IN RANGOON IS NOT EXACTLY A SIGN THAT
THEY ARE DEALING WITH IT ON AN INSTITUTIONAL BASIS. WE
OBVIOUSLY KEEP THE SITUATION UNDER REVIEW AT ALL TIMES,
BUT WE ARE CONCERNED BY THE FACT THAT THE BURMESE
GOVERNMENT IS NOT DOING ALL IT CAN TO DEAL WITH THE
ISSUE. I THINK THEY COULD DO A LOT MORE. WE KNOW THEY
CAN. OTHER GOVERNMENTS ARE CAPABLE OF DOING IT. AND I
THINK THAT THEY SOMETIMES TURN A BLIND EYE TO THE THINGS
THAT ARE GOING ON. // END ACTUALITY //
U-S DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO BURMA WAS HALTED IN 1988 IN RESPONSE TO HUMAN
RIGHTS ABUSES BY THE COUNTRY'S RULING GENERALS, AND BEEN WITHHELD EVER
SINCE.BURMA IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST PRODUCER OF ILLEGAL OPIUM AND HEROIN.
MOST OF THE TRADE IS CENTERED IN THE SO-CALLED "GOLDEN
TRIANGLE," WHERE BURMA, LAOS, AND THAILAND MEET. LAST MONTH, THE UNITED
STATES -- ALONG WITH SEVERAL EUROPEAN NATIONS -- BOYCOTTED AN INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE HELD IN RANGOON
ON THE NARCOTICS TRADE. U-S AUTHORITIES SAID IT WAS "TROUBLING"
THAT THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE ORGANIZATION DECIDED TO HOLD THE CONFERENCE
IN RANGOON. IN A STATEMENT ISSUED THURSDAY, THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT SAID IT
SINCERELY WANTS COOPERATION IN ANTI-NARCOTICS EFFORTS FROM BRITAIN AND THE
UNITED STATES. RESPONDING TO EARLIER COMMENTS BY MS. ALBRIGHT, THE BURMESE
GOVERNMENT SAYS THAT TO CONSTANTLY PUT THE BLAME ON DEVELOPING NATIONS
ALREADY VICTIMIZED BY ILLEGAL NARCOTICS WILL BEAR NO FRUIT IN THE FIGHT
AGAINST DRUGS. (SIGNED)
NEB / GPT / CB / WD04-Mar-99 5:25 AM EST (1025 UTC)NNNNSource: Voice of
America