Myanmar’s relentless efforts on narcotic drug elimination have once again been ignored by the United States Myanmar striving to eliminate narcotic drugs in active cooperation with UN agencies, other like-minded countries under international counter narcotic agreements

YANGON, 23 Sept— The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today issued a statement concerning the Presidential Determination released by the White House Press Secretary which has wrongly identified Myanmar as a country that has failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months to adhere to the obligations under international counter-narcotics agreements. The following is the full text of the statement.

It is most regrettable that Presidential Determination on Major Drug-Transit or Major Illicit Drug-Producing Countries for fiscal year 2006 released on September 15, 2005 by White House Press Secretary has wrongly identified Myanmar as a country that has failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months to adhere to the obligations under international counter narcotics agreements. Myanmar’s relentless efforts on narcotic drug elimination have once again been ignored by the United States.

It is a well-known fact that Myanmar has been implementing the 15-year narcotic drugs elimination plan with three 5-year phases, which was launched in the fiscal year of 1999-2000. Myanmar is now implementing the second 5-year phase after the first 5-year phase has been completed in 2003-2004 with great success especially in the supply reduction sector of which significant reduction in the illicit production of opium has been able to achieve. This has been validated through opium yield surveys and illicit crop monitoring programme conducted jointly by the Myanmar Government and the US-DEA and UNODC respectively. Myanmar has been jointly conducting opium yield surveys with the US government since 1993 and altogether 10 surveys have been carried out up to 2004. According to the joint assessment conducted by Myanmar and US-DEA, 34% in poppy cultivation and the potential production of 292 metric tons or 39% in opium production had declined in 2004 as compared with 2003. Similarly, Myanmar and the UNODC joint team assessed that 29% in poppy cultivation has also declined, which was equivalent to 54 % in opium production decline in 2004 as compared with 2003.

Myanmar believes that it alone cannot combat the drug menace and needs international support and cooperation. Myanmar therefore is striving to eliminate narcotic drugs realizing as a national task, in active cooperation with UN agencies, ASEAN member countries, neighbour countries and the other countries interested in Myanmar.

Myanmar signed the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs on 30 March 1961 and became a member on 29 July 1963. It also signed the 1988 Vienna Convention against Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances on 11 June 1991 and became a member on 9 September 1991. On 20 June 1994, Myanmar signed the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and became a member on 20 December 1995. Myanmar signed on 13 September 2002 the 1972 Protocol with two reservations and became member on 22 August 2003.

Since Myanmar was elected as a member to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) for 4 years (1st January 2004-31st December 2007) at the ECOSOC meeting in 2003 she takes responsibilities and cooperates with CND as a member of the commission.

These facts are an eloquent testimony of Myanmar’s serious and steadfast efforts to eliminate the scourge of narcotic drugs in active cooperation with UN agencies and other like-minded countries under international counter narcotic agreements.

However slanderous the negative and unconstructive campaign against Myanmar and even if no assistance is forthcoming, our struggle to eliminate narcotic drugs, which threatens humankind, will continue with our own available resources. We are confident that the goal will definitely be achieved.