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VOA-ALBRIGHT / BURMA



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