t
AA
A
B
BRITISH EMBASSY
3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20008
Telex Domestic USA 89-2370/89-2384
Telex International 64224(WUI)/440015(ITT)
Telephone (202) 462-1340
Ms E C Robson
NCAU FCO
RECFIN-
HUD B86/
2 6 MAR 1987
GISTRY ཡང་འཐད་འདི་གིས་་་4"
та
Your reference
Our reference
Date
6 March 1987
Dear Corol
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT FOR 1987
1. On 2 March the President certified that the major drug producing and trafficking countries met the requirements of current US legislation with the exception of Iran, Afghanistan and Syria. Since these three countries do not receive economic assistance from the US, the President's action will have no effect on them. The President also granted national interest waivers to Laos and Lebanon. He felt that since the Bekaa Valley, the centre of Lebanese trafficking, was under the control of the Syrians, the Lebanese Government were unable to show that they were taking effective steps to reduce production and trafficking. In the case of Laos, he considered that the over-riding national interest of the US was to avoid complications over cooperation on the POW-MIA issue. This statement on certification is required under Section 481 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and Section 2005 of P.L. 99-590 (better known as the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986).
have also
This
an
2-
State Department/ released their annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report in support of the President's decision on certification at a press conference held by Ms Ann Wrobleski, Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics Matters. report has drawn quick criticism from several Congressmen who think that State Department have painted far too rosy a picture in several of the individual country reports. Congressman Rangel, the Chairman of the House Select Narcotics Abuse and Control Committee, is reported to have stated forcibly that this was incredible conclusion reached by the President and State Department, given the current picture of world drug production and smuggling. The President's certifications are subject to Congressional disapproval, by a vote in both Houses, within 30 legislative days. The House has already started hearings on the report and the first
target of concern has been the Bahamas. It is too early yet to guess whether a sufficient head of steam will be generated on the Hill to disapprove the certifications. Much will depend on how well State Department put over their case during the hearing on
/how
22