1. Despite constraints posed by funding difficulties for the implementation of its various projects, the ASEAN Senior Officials on Drugs (ASOD) continued their relentless efforts to prevent and control the drugs menace in the region.

2. ASOD held its 13th Meeting on 26-29 August 1991 in Jakarta during which it reviewed the status and progress of various projects failing under its four major topics of concern, i.e. Law Enforcement, Treatment and Rehabilitation, Preventive Drug Education and Information, and Research.

3. Malaysia tabled its proposal for an "ASEAN Training Course for Drug Rehabilitation Professionals" at the ASEAN-EC Senior Officials Meeting on Drugs held in Bangkok on 4-6 May 1992.

4. The following projects were successfully carried out during the period under review :

a. Second ASEAN Law Enforcement Workshop on Financial Investigation and Forfeiture of Assets, 28 January - 1 February 1991,Thailand;

b.ASEAN Law Enforcement Workshop, on Controlled Delivery, 4-8 November 1991, Thailand.

c. Third Training Course for Narcodog Handlers, 3 June - 25 July 1991,Singapore;

d. Second Training Course on Detection of Drugs in Body Fluids, 25 September - 16 October 1991, followed by a 2-day seminar
   on 17-18 October 1991, Singapore;

e. ASEAN-EC Experts Seminar on Drug Abuse Prevention Education, 25 February - 1 March 1992, Philippines.

f. ASEAN-EC Experts Seminar on Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation,17-21 June 1991, Malaysia.

Pending are the following projects :

a. Continuation of the remaining courses on ASEAN Training of Narcodog Handling Instructors (Malaysia);

b. ASEAN Law Enforcement Training Course on Financial Investigation and Forfeiture of Assets which was

    postponed from May 1991 to 1992 (Thailand)

1. In addition, the Philippines has formulated an ASEAN 3-Year Plan of Action on Preventive Drug Education which consolidated the unimplemented projects under the topic. The 3-year Plan of Action was tabled at the ASEAN-EC Senior Officials Meeting on Drugs in Bangkok on 4-6 May 1992 whereby the EC has agreed to consider funding two out of four projects under the plan.

2. At its 13th Meeting, ASOD also agreed to undertake the following through the respective national narcotics control agencies/bodies of the member countries :

   - exchange of information on national drug statistics;
   - exchanges of data update on modus operandi, methods of concealment, profile data of drugs traffickers and 
     "watchlists" of vessels, vehicles and air transport;
   - exchanges of national annual reports on drugs control;
   - exchanges of information on use of false passports; and
   - exchanges of informational copies of narcotics laws
   

3. Recognizing that the drugs problem necessitates greater international cooperation, ASOD has welcomed the forthcoming ASEAN-EC Senior officials Meeting on Drugs Matters to discuss specific fields of cooperation and concrete methods and measures of cooperation in the joint fight against drugs between ASEAN and EC. ASOD also has under its consideration a proposal from the US for an ASEAN-US Conference on Narcotics for the purpose of developing a coordinated narcotics strategy. ASOD has set up a Working Group which will convene back to back with the ASEAN-EC SOM on Drugs in May 1992 to discuss the US proposal. The Meeting decided that before proceeding into further discussions, ASEAN would like the US to clarify their positions on what types of cooperation the US is willing to provide, that is, whether cooperation would be in the form of financial, advisorial or other types of assistance. ASEAN has however expressed that ASEAN Would like the US to cooperate on all areas of counter narcotics activity and not to limit the cooperation enforcement, and especially not "joint law enforcement". ASEAN proposed that an exploratory meeting, taking into consideration major areas of cooperation, should be convened between ASEAN and the US. It was also emphasized that the conference should also be funded by the US.

4. The problems of drug abuse and the spread of AIDS were highlighted during the Fourth Meeting of the ASEAN Heads of Government which called for ASEAN to exert greater efforts to combat drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking and to prevent and control the spread of AIDS. This calls for intensified cooperation at the national, regional and international levels.