Excellencies
Distinguished Delegates
Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Introduotion

I am pleased to have the opportunity to address you on the subject of transnational crimes at this ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference. I consider it timely as one of the most disturbing developments of our times has been the rise of transnational issues such as terrorism, piracy, proliferation of small arms, trafficking in women and children and the trafficking of narcotic drugs. If left unchecked, these problems are bound to grow and erode the very foundation of our societies.

 ASEAN Perspectives

 In recent years there have been growing recognition in ASEAN of the urgent need to strengthen cooperation to meet the challenge posed by transnational crimes. A series of agreements have now been adopted to focus attention on fostering regional cooperation to combat them. Significant among the agreements is the ASEAN Vision 2020 adopted by the I leads of State and Government in Kuala Lumpur in 1997 which envisages the evolution in Southeast Asia of agreed rules of behaviour and cooperative measures to deal with problems such as drug trafficking. Subsequently, ASEAN leaders have reiterated their commitment to strengthen and promote linkages among ASEAN countries to fight against drug abuse and trafficking. The Ha Noi Plan of Action also calls for implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Drug Abuse Control by 2004.

 Myanmar's National Efforts

Myanmar has waged a relentless war on illicit drugs since regaining independence in 1948. Successive Myanmar Government have carried out campaigns to eradicate poppy cultivation and drug abuse.

In spite, of our efforts, the problem of drug trafficking linger on mainly because poppy is cultivated in remote border areas bordering China, Laos and Thailand. Until recently, these areas were under the control of insurgent groups and were difficult to access making it impossible to tackle the problem of narcotic drugs at its source, The Kokang and Wa areas were dominated by the Burma communist Party (BCP) from the early sixties to 1989, It was only in 1989 that the Kokang and Wa national groups were able to break away arid join hands with the government to develop their regions. Local farmers were Once dependent on poppy cultivation for, their livelihood, have now been weaned away from poppy and have been introduced to alternative cash crops such as buckwheat and sugarcane,

 It is significant that the government was able to build trust and confidence, which led to the unconditional surrender of Khun Sa and his Mong Tai Army. Further progress, in eradicating narcotic drugs can be expected as 17 out of 18 armed groups In the country have returned to the legal fold and are now en d in nation building.

Implementation of Strategy

In carrying out its national programme for the suppression of narcotic, drugs, the government has committed new and additional resources for rural development, law enforcement, preventive efforts, education, treatment and rehabilitation programmes. With the end of the insurgency, peace now reigns in the country and the government is making efforts to raise the living standards of all its people, particularly those living in remote areas and who were dependent on poppy cultivation for their livelihood. The priority that the Myanmar government accords to narcotic drug suppression can be seen by the fact that a new ministry has been created to oversee the progress of border areas and national faces. Once the border areas are developed and the gap between these areas arid other parts of the country are closed, our objective of a drug-tree country will become, a reality. Development of the rernote areas in a sine qua nan for the eradication of the narcotic problems. The government is currently implementing programmes to promote alternative income generation for the poppy farmers. The vast transformation now taking place in the border areas is a testimony to the success of the programmes.

The 15-Year Plan

Since assuming State responsibilities in 1988 the present government has been tackling the problem of narcotic drugs in all its facets. Never in our history have we been more determined to eradicate narcotic drugs. from our country. Since last year we have been implementing a 15-Year plan to totally eliminate tile cultivation, production and abuse of narcotics by the year 2014. The multi­sectoral plan covers the whole spectrum of supply reduction, law enforcement, Community participation and international cooperation.

We plan to carry out the plan in 3 phases: the first from 1999-2000 to 2003-2004; the second from  2004-2005 to 2008-2009 and the third from 2009-­2010 to 2013-2014. A total of Kyats 33,588 million and US dollars 150 million have been allotted. We are confident that our goals can be achieved on time. Needless to say, the timetable can be advanced if the international community is ready and willing to assist us.

Just as we consider it out, national responsibility to eradicate narcotic drugs from our soil, we consider it our international community to rid the world of the scourge of narcotic drugs.

International Cooperation

Here I would like to stress that Myanmar has always welcomed the opportunity to cooperate with the  international community in the fight against narcotic drugs. However, Myanmar has not been given the credit it deserves for its cooperative efforts. The fact remains that in keeping with the resolution adopted by the 17th Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly calling for cooperative measures to be taken at the international, regional and sub-regional levels, Myanmar is actively cooperating with China, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam in the field of narcotic drugs control with the technical and financial assistance of the UNDCP.

The government, in cooperation with the UNDCP, is implementing, "Alternative Development Projects and Illicit Crop Monitoring Programmes" in the POPPY growing areas. At the same time buckwheat cultivation has been introduced as an alternative crops with the assistance of Japan. Likewise, other cash crops are being cultivated with the help of China. Non-governmental Organizations like Karamosia International of Japan have also contributed by initiating work for socio-economic development of the "Wa" region.

I am proud to be able to inform. you that our perseverance has yielded significant results. Cultivation of opium has been declining steadily from 151,200 acres in 1997/98 to 102,067 acres in 1998/1999 and to only 90,437 acres in 1999/2000. In the same period, the authorities destroyed 44,479 acres in 1997/98, 9825 acres in 1998/99 arid 10,970 acres in 1999/2000.

In the light of these tangible results, no one can deny that Myanmar is doing its part to put an end to the Menace of narcotic drugs. Thee International Narcotic Control Board confirms in its report for 1999 that opium production in Myanmar has declined. The United States too has acknowledged a decrease of 31 % in cultivation and 38% in production in Myanmar last year.

Stimulant.

In parallel with our efforts to eradicate illicit opium cultivation and production, we are doing our best to tackle the emerging threat posed by stimulants. Although some of our neighbouring countries faced the problem of stimulants through out the past decade it was only around 1996 that it spread to Myanmar. Criminal drug gangs took advantage of our long and porous borders to set up mobile production facilities in some remote corner to produce amphetamine type stimulants, information and intelligence sharing with neighbouring countries in 1994/95 on illicit trafficking of ephedrine and the manufacture of methamphetamine tablets at the border areas led to seizure of millions of stimulants in subsequent years. Major seizures were made in the Shan State. In the current year, we have seized 17.2 million tablets. Last year the amount was 5 28,89 million.

The numbers indicate that. notwithstanding Our efforts, we still have a serious Problem on our hands. However, we are convinced that we can still be successful in stemming the rise of drug abuse if the international community can work together. It is common knowledge that without chemical precursors such as acetic anhydride arid ephedrine there would be no heroin or mathamphetamine. These chemicals are essential to the production of those drugs.

I should like to emphasize that essential precursor chemicals for production of stimulants like ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are not produced in Myanmar. They invariably come from industrialized countries through

neighbouring lands. Since 1997, large quantities of chemical precursors smuggled into the country from Thailand, China arid India have been seized. Prior to 19197, our enforcement agencies did riot have the technical equipment and training to identify the chemicals. It was only after training arid test kits were provided by the UNDCP Precursor Control Project that more and more ephedrine was identified and seize. In the past year over 60,000 litres of precursor chemicals were seized.

In addressing transnational issues, I have focussed on the problem of narcotic drugs. That should in no way be interpreted to mean that we attach less importance to other, issues. We realize the threat that all those issues pose for our region. If we single out one issue, it is because there have been glaring attempts by some countries to rate our sincerity and success in fighting the drug war. Recent statements oversimplify complex issues arid fail to weigh consequences.

To conclude, I would like to reiterate that Myanmar remains committed to carrying Out the task of eradicating the cultivation and production of narcotic drugs in the country by the year 2014. We will proceed alone if we must but would welcome cooperation from those who desire to assist us.

The problem of narcotic drugs is a global problem that requires a global solution.

Thank you.