COMMISSION RECOMMENDS 1998 ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION ON DRUG ABUSE, ALSO ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON MONEY LAUNDERING
Press Release
SOC/NAR/737
COMMISSION RECOMMENDS 1998 ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION ON DRUG ABUSE, ALSO ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON MONEY LAUNDERING
19960426 Other Texts Concern Sports against Drugs, Draft Declaration On Demand Reduction, Drugs for Emergency Care, System-Wide Action Plan(Reproduced as received from UN Information Service.)
VIENNA, 24 April -- The Economic and Social Council would recommend the convening of a three-day special session of the General Assembly in 1998 devoted to the combat against the illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, under a draft resolution approved this afternoon by the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, as it took action on one of nine texts before it.
By that proposal, sponsored by 39 States, the special session would be convened to propose new strategies, methods, practical activities and specific measures to strengthen international cooperation to address the problem of illicit drugs. It would take place 10 years after the adoption, in Vienna, of the 1988 United Nations Convention against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
The Commission also adopted a 31-Power resolution on money laundering, titled "Encouragement of each Member State to require the establishment by banks and other financial institutions of customer identification policies and to broaden anti-money-laundering measures, and of the UNDCP to strengthen cooperation with the Financial Action Task Force". Among its provisions, the Commission urged States to prohibit banks and other financial institutions from offering accounts identified only by number, anonymous accounts or accounts in obviously false names, and to ensure that such institutions were informed of the identities of beneficial customers in all transactions, particularly those conducted by nominees.
Another resolution adopted this afternoon deals with promoting sports as an effective measure to prevent drug abuse. In it, the Commission encouraged Governments to establish "Sport against Drugs" national committees, also involving non-governmental organizations, national sports federations, national Olympic committees and individual athletes. And it requested the
United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) to consider extending its support and expertise to such committees within the framework of the UNDCP/International Olympic Committee Cooperation Agreement.
Six other resolutions adopted this afternoon related to drug profiling/signature analysis; measures to enhance subregional, regional and international cooperation in drug control in western and central Afghanistan; timely provision of controlled drugs for emergency care; a draft declaration on guiding principles of demand reduction; and improvements in the United Nations System-Wide Action Plan on Drug Abuse Control (SWAP).
The Commission took up a draft resolution on strengthening the role of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) by the development of a unified information system for the collection and analysis of data concerning the nature, patterns and trends of the global problem of drug abuse. Action on that text was deferred when the members failed to agree on the wording of a preambular paragraph which referred to countries that might employ unilateral evaluation procedures in their drug control efforts.
Action on Resolutions
The revised draft resolution on drug profiling/signature analysis in support of a scientific approach to law enforcement (document E/CN.7/1996/L.3/Rev.1) was introduced by TADANORI INOMATA (Japan). By the resolution, the Commission requested the Executive Director to develop standard protocols and methods for the profiling/signature of key narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; asked him to designate regional collaborating laboratories to ensure liaison with the Programme and to provide advice and assistance to national laboratories in drug profiling/signature analysis; further requested him to develop a mechanism for regular exchange of seized samples and relevant data between the laboratory of the Programme and the regional and national ones; and also asked him to develop the programme of technical assistance relating to drug profiling/signature analysis in consultation with interested Governments, particularly those of developing countries, taking into account their specific needs in that field. Twenty-five other countries joined as co-sponsors, including Morocco on behalf of the African Group.
Under the text on measures to enhance subregional, regional and international cooperation in drug control in western and central Asia (document E/CN.7/1996/L.4), the Commission urged the Programme and donor countries to provide technical assistance in the development of special programmes for transit States in subregions affected by drug trafficking, and to support those countries' efforts to reduce and eliminate the illicit drug traffic through their territories, by extending to Afghanistan and to members
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of the Commonwealth of Independent States in central Asia the ongoing project designed to strengthen law enforcement in border areas of south-west Asia.
The Commission underlined the need for the implementation of alternative development and crop substitution programmes, particularly in Afghanistan. It requested the Programme to seek assistance of donor countries and to encourage various multilateral development banks and international financial institutions to increase the flow of assistance designed to enable countries producing drugs or affected by the drug problem to implement supply reduction programmes.
The resolution was introduced by MEHDI MIRAFZAL (Iran), and he informed the Commission that Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Turkey and Austria had joined as co-sponsors, and that the Philippines, Syria, Bahamas, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bolivia and Qatar had also indicated that they would join the list.
M.C. AZUIKE (Nigeria) introduced the resolution on consideration of national drug control plans through an expert committee (document E/CN.7/1996/L.6/Rev.1). By that measure, the Commission, expressing alarm that drug abuse and illicit production of, and trafficking in, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances were threatening millions of people, youth in particular, requested the UNDCP to continue assisting States in developing, carrying out and evaluating national drug-control "master plans", and to report to the Commission, where appropriate. It called on States to implement the recommendations contained in the Global Programme of Action and to develop and to adopt comprehensive national drug-control strategies. Austria, Italy, Syria, Ukraine, Côte d'Ivoire, Uruguay, Papua New Guinea, Angola and Senegal joined as co-sponsors.
By a 31-Power resolution, on encouragement of each Member State to require the establishment by banks and other financial institutions of customer identification policies and to broaden anti-money-laundering measures, and of the UNDCP to strengthen cooperation with the Financial Action Task Force (document E/CN.7/1996/L.7/Rev.3), the Commission, in recognition of the growing threat posed to the economies of the world, particularly the danger to emerging economies, by drug-trafficking and the other criminal organizations, urged States to prohibit banks and other financial institutions from offering accounts identified only by number, anonymous accounts or accounts in obviously false names, and to ensure that such institutions were informed of the identities of beneficial customers in all transactions, particularly those conducted by nominees.
The Commission recommended that States consider implementing measures to detect and monitor the physical transportation of cash and bearer negotiable instruments at the border, impeding strict safeguards but without impeding legitimate capital movements; and that they require banks and other financial
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institutions to take reasonable measures to determine the true identities of persons on whose behalf an account was opened or a transaction conducted.
The Commission urged States to broaden money-laundering counter-measures to include the transit, conversion or other disposition of illegal proceeds from all serious crime. It encouraged them to consider adopting legislative measures for the confiscation of illicit proceeds from drug trafficking and other serious offences, for asset forfeiture and for provisional arrangements, such as the freezing or seizing of assets, with due respect to the interests of bona fide third parties. States should consider introducting of bilateral arrangements for equitable sharing of forfeited assets in such cases.
The Commission called on States to require financial institutions to maintain all transaction records, to facilitate responses to requests for information to be used in criminal investigations and prosecutions, civil forfeiture proceedings or regulatory actions. It urged the UNDCP to continue to work with the Financial Action Task Force and other relevant multilateral and regional anti-money-laundering institutions in order to strengthen international efforts against money laundering and to review progress made by the States in implementing the 40 recommendations of the Task Force and the anti-money-laundering provisions of the 1988 Convention. The resolution was introduced by RECIA MCMAHON (United States).
H.P. KUMAR (India) introduced the revised text on timely provision of controlled drugs for emergency care (document E/CN.7/1996/L.9/Rev.1). Under the terms of that measure, the Commission endorsed the position of the INCB that the transportation and provision of controlled drugs needed for humanitarian aid in acute emergencies justified the application of simplified controlled procedures, and further endorsed the existing practice by some countries of applying simplified controls in such emergency situations.
It recommended that the national authorities of exporting countries conclude standing agreements with bona fide suppliers of humanitarian aid, specifying operational procedures to ensure the proper handling of controlled drugs; further recommended the authorities of the recipient countries to report to the exporting countries and the INCB, wherever possible, the quantity of the unused emergency care drugs, to make possible the re-evaluation of the annual requirements estimation. It also invited the World Health Organization (WHO), in consultation with the INCB and interested Governments, to draw up model guidelines to assist national authorities in developing such standard agreements with bona fide humanitarian organizations.
Before action was taken on this text, the Commission agreed with a United States proposal to insert the words "where appropriate" after "countries" in operative paragraph 3, to avoid having to renegotiate thousands of other agreements. There were 22 co-sponsors.
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By a text on a draft declaration on guiding principles of demand reduction (document E/CN.7/1996/L.14), the Commission recommended that the Economic and Social Council request the Executive Director to continue to develop such a document in consultation with Member States, and with due regard to the linkages between demand and supply reduction activities. The Council would request him, if necessary, to convene a working group with expertise in demand reduction to assist in the further development of the draft declaration, using voluntary resources. The Council would further request the Executive Director to report next year on the progress made on developing the draft and to submit a timetable leading to its adoption. The draft was introduced by JANE BECKER (United States), and had more than 40 co-sponsors.
ALBERTO SCHEPISI (Italy) introduced the resolution on promoting projects and programmes that use involvement in sports as an effective measure to prevent drug abuse (document E/CN.7/1996/L.15). By that action, the Commission encouraged Governments to establish "Sport against Drugs" national committees, also involving non-governmental organizations, national sports federations, national Olympic committees and individual athletes, and requested the Programme to consider extending its support and expertise to such committees within the framework of the UNDCP/International Olympic Committee Cooperation Agreement. It invited the Programme to finalize a global "Sport against Drugs" programme in cooperation with the IOC, and to disseminate messages related to the theme at the Olympic Games and other major international sports events. It urged the UNDCP to submit the "Sport against Drugs" programme to potential donor Governments and organizations with the request to provide the additional resources necessary to implement it.
The Commission approved a draft resolution on the question of convening a special session of the General Assembly devoted to the combat against the illicit production, sale, demand traffic and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and related activities (document E/CN.7/1996/L.16/Rev.1). The text, with 39 co-sponsors, would have the Economic and Social Council recommend that the Assembly convene such a special session for three days in 1998 to propose new strategies, methods, practical activities and specific measures to strengthen international cooperation to address the problem of illicit drugs.
The special session would have the following objectives: to promote adherence to and full implementation of the 1988 Convention against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, as well as the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances; to adopt measures to increase international cooperation in the application of drug control laws; to adopt measures to reduce the illicit demand for drugs and to prevent and sanction money
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laundering; and to adopt measures to strengthen the fight against organized crime and illicit arms trade related to drug trafficking.
The session would take place 10 years after the adoption in Vienna of the 1988 Convention, and the Commission itself would act as the preparatory body, with funding to come through the regular United Nations budget as well as extrabudgetary contributions from Governments. The Council
would request the Secretary-General to report to the Assembly later this year on organizational matters regarding the special session.
The draft was introduced by MIGUEL RUIZ CABANAS (Mexico). He explained that the purpose of the resolution was to ensure that all Governments and the international community as a whole participated in the fight to control drugs. He hoped the council would endorse the draft and that it would then be submitted to the Assembly. He was unsure of the resource commitment required if the Commission were to act as the preparatory body for the special discussion. After a discussion, however, it was agreed that the preparatory work would be completed within Commission meetings.
In the resolution on improvements in the United Nations System-Wide Action Plan on Drug Abuse Control (SWAP) (document E/CN.7/1996/L.8/Rev.1), the Commission requested the Executive Director to ensure that the work initiated by the Subcommittee on Drug control of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) in elaborating a revitalized SWAP, was carried forward with determination and speed, and it underlined the continuing need for further efforts to improve coordination of drug-control activities at the field level.
The Commission recommended that the Economic and Social Council, in considering drug-control issues in the high-level segment of its substantive 1996 session, to: give due attention to questions of coordination, including progress made on the new SWAP; endorse the approach adopted by the Subcommittee; call on relevant United Nations system agencies actively to participate in preparing the new SWAP and to integrate it fully into their planning and programming process; request them to reinforce efforts, especially at the field level, to ensure that the drug-control dimension of activities was fully taken into account, and to identify, in cooperation with the UNDCP, programmes and projects where a specific drug-control component could usefully be inserted; and requested the Programme and agencies to ensure that the drug-control dimension was fully considered when preparing, together with the recipient country, the country strategy note.
In addition, the Commission reiterated its call for States to support the efforts of the Executive Director by promoting, in other United Nations bodies, the inclusion of a drug-control dimension in their activities; and by
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engaging in a dialogue on drug abuse control at the field level with the multilateral development institutions.
The resolution, introduced by KRISTIAN HOJERSHOLT (Denmark), was also sponsored by Sweden. He informed the Commission that Japan had proposed an addition to operative paragraph 9, which would request the Secretary-General, as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), to give due attention to the implementation of action programmes on prevention of abuse addressing the vulnerable population of society, especially youth, children and women.
J.G.S.T.M. VAN HELLENBERG HUBAR (Netherlands) said the main focus of the draft resolution was improvement in the SWAP and that it would be awkward to insert the proposed paragraph.
JOSE ANTONIA DE YTURRIAGA BARBERAN (Spain) suggested replacing the phrase "especially children, youth and women" with "vulnerable groups".
KATALIN SZOMOR (Hungary) questioned the groups that had been identified, pointing out that men were also a vulnerable group since they comprised 85 per cent of drug users in her country.
Mr. VAN HELLENBERG HUBAR (Netherlands) said that women were also not the most vulnerable group in his country, and he suggested that the words "especially vulnerable population groups" be used instead.
The Commission accepted that proposal. Also taking part in the discussion were the representatives of the Russian Federation and the United States. The draft resolution was co-sponsored by 27 countries.
Discussion on Draft on Unified Information System for Drug Data Analysis
The draft resolution on strengthening of the role of the INCB by the development of a unified information system for the collection and analysis of data concerning the nature, patterns and trends of the global problem of drug abuse (document E/CN.7/1996/L.12) is co-sponsored by Colombia and Mexico. By that proposal, the Economic and Social Council would request the Executive Director to evaluate and design a unified data collection and information system for the Programme, with a view to providing Governments and the Board with information and analysis aimed at improving the formulation of prevention and control policies, both nationally and internationally, and to ensure that UNDCP activities would based on comprehensive and relevant information and knowledge.
The Board would be encouraged to intensify its programme of country inspections, to gain a more comprehensive and direct awareness of the drug
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control policies and programmes being carried out in other countries, as well as improve consultation with national drug control authorities.
The General Assembly would be requested to allocate sufficient resources, within the current regular budget, to enable the Board to carry out the functions assigned to it in a proper manner. And the Committee for Programme and Coordination and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) would be asked to take note of this resolution in considering drug control activities for the period 1998-2001.
There was considerable discussion on preambular paragraph 6 of the draft, and no action was taken. (The paragraph in question states: "Noting with concern that, in the context of the globalization of the drug problem and the principle of shared responsibility, the unilateral evaluation procedures employed by countries in their drug control efforts do not facilitate the consolidation of a worldwide policy of drug abuse and hinder the development of effective international cooperation".)
Ms. BECKER (United States) regretted that common ground could not be found. She said the resolution was purportedly about strengthening the role of the INCB and should therefore not single out specific countries that might employ a unilateral evaluation procedure. Because it did not relate to the Board or the information system, she asked that the paragraph be deleted.
CARLOS BULA CAMACHO (Colombia) expressed his country's willingness to reach a consensus, noting that his delegation had accepted other draft compromises offered. Also taking part in the discussion were the representatives of Germany, Iran, Australia, Brazil, Spain, Syria, Uruguay and Cuba.
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