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104737
MDHOAN 1440
BACKGROUND
8. THE HOME SECRETARY S ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE AT THE OPENING OF
AN EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE S POMPIDOU GROUP IN LONDON. THE POMPIDOU GROUP IS A 19 NATION CO-OPERATION GROUP WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO CO-ORDINATE ACTION WITHIN EUROPE ON ALL ASPECTS OF DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING. THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD AT THE INITIATIVE OF THE UK, WHICH HAS CHAIRED THE GROUP SINCE 1984.
9.
A.
THE MEASURES ANNOUNCED BY THE HOME SECRETARY ARE
-
AN EXTRA-BUDGETARY CONTRIBUTION OF POUNDS STERLING 500,000 FINANCE THE WORK OF THE UN DRUGS BODIES ON DEMAND REDUCTION, ON ASSISTANCE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW UN CONVENTION
AGAINST ILLICIT DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ON BOOSTING WORK ON LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING:
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
THE PROVISION OF TWO JUNIOR PROFESSIONAL OFFICERS FOR THESE
BODIES:
WORKING AT THE UN IN NEW YORK FOR THE DRUGS BODIES TO BE
ALLOCATED AN APPROPRIATE SHARE OF THE OVERALL UN RESOURCES:
THE PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW FACILITY FOR TRAINING
CUSTOMS OFFICERS FROM PRODUCER AND TRANSIT COUNTRIES IN
METHODS TO COMBAT ILLICIT DRUG TRAFFICKING, THE FIRST STAGE OF WHICH WILL BE A SERIES OF SURVEYS CARRIED OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO IDENTIFY TRAINING NEEDS, WITH A VIEW TO
THE TRAINING PROGRAMME ITSELF BEGINNING NEXT APRIL:
UP TO POUNDS STERLING 2 MILLIOON OF OVERSEAS DRUGS-RELATED ASSISTANCE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO PROVIDE BETTER EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN
COCAINE PRODUCER/ TRANIST COUNTRIES:
AN OFFER TO HOST A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN 1990 TO
ADDRESS DEMAND REDUCTION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE THREAT POSED
BY COCAINE WITH THE AIM OF MAINTAINING THE MOMENTUM OF INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION ON DRUGS AND STRENGTHENING THE
COMMITMENT TO REDUCING DEMAND.
10. IN THE MARGINS OF THE MEETING, THE HOME SECRETARY AND THE SWEDISH MINISTER OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS WILL BE INITIALLING A BILATERAL AGREEMENT CONCERNING THE RESTRAINT AND CONFISCATION OF THE PROCEEDS OF CRIME. THE UK HAS ALSO CONCLUDED AGREEMENTS TO TRACE, FREEZE AND CONFISCATE THE ASSETS OF DRUGS TRAFFICKERS WITH THE US, CANADA, THE BAHAMAS, AUSTRALIA AND SWITZERLAND. SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN CONCLUDED WITH BERMUDA. THE UK IS
NEGOTIATING AGREEMENTS WITH ABOUT 20 OTHER COUNTRIES AND HAS MADE
PRELIMINARY CONTACTS WITH A FURTHER 20.
11.
THE HOME SECRETARY ALSO DREW ATTENTION TO A NUMBER OF RECENT
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