PBANRDA
Minister arrives back after attending Ministerial Meeting of signatory countries
to 1993 MoU on drug control
Yangon,
29 Sept – Chairman of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control Minister for
Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development Affairs Col Thein
Nyunt arrived back here by air yesterday after attending the Ministerial Meeting
of the signatory countries to the 1993 MoU on drug control held in Hanoi,
Vietnam from 23 to 26 September 2003.
He was welcomed back at Yangon
International Airport by Minister for Home Affairs Col Tin Hlaing, Minister for
Mines Brig-Gen Ohn Myint, Deputy Ministers for Progress of Border Areas and
National Races and Development Affairs Brig-Gen Than Tun and Col Tin Ngwe and
officials. Police Col Khan Aung and Col San Pwint who accompanied Minister Col
Thein Nyunt also arrived back on the same flight.
Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam
Mr Bhu Khaung on 25 September morning met with the ministers from Myanmar,
China, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam at Horizon Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam,
who attended the meeting held at the Van Mieu Hall of the hotel and made a
speech on the occasion. At the meeting, the ministers of the respective
countries discussed measures being taken nation-wise for control of narcotic
drugs. Discussing matters on control of narcotic drugs, Minister Col Thein Nyunt
said that Myanmar is making efforts for elimination of narcotic drugs not only
under own programmes but also in cooperation with neighbouring countries, adding
that Myanmar in cooperation with the People’s Republic of China has been
striving for regional development and improvement of the living standard of
national races in border areas in control of the illegal drugs production. The
government has laid down the 15-year narcotic drug elimination plan and is
implementing it from 1999 to 2014. The New Destiny Project has been laid down
and is being implemented since April 2002.
In the process, seeds of
poppy-substitute crops were distributed free of charge to farmers in the poppy
growing region. The farmers in turn handed over poppy seeds and poppy bulbs to
the authorities concerned out of their own volition. The poppy capsules were
being destroyed and torched he stressed. As a result, there is a decrease in the
poppy cultivation by 24 percent in 2003 when compared with that in 2002. Myanmar
has been making strenuous efforts for realization of the 15-year narcotic drug
elimination plan and will cooperate with the MoU countries, he noted. At the
meeting, the Hanoi declaration was released and the press conference held. After
the meeting, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Mr Phan Van
Khai met with the ministers of the MoU countries at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The prime minister separately met
with the delegation members led by the Chairman of Narcotic Drug Control Board
of Thailand the Minister of Justice, the member of the National Committee for
Control of Narcotic Drug of the People’s Republic of China the Assistant
Minister of Public Security, the member of the Narcotic Drug Control Committee
of Vietnam the Deputy Minister of Public Security, and the Chairman of the
National Commission for Control of Narcotic Drug of Laos the Minister at
President’s Office on 25 September afternoon and 26 September morning, and held
coordination meetings on drug control.
Before the ministerial meeting,
the senior officials meetings were held on 23 and 24 September. The Myanmar
delegation led by Joint-Secretary of CCDAC Police Col Khan Aung attended the
meetings.
Meeting on
reduction of poppy cultivation held
Yangon,
3 Sept – With the aim of eliminating the poppy cultivation, a meeting on
reduction of poppy cultivation in 2003-2004 took place at the meeting hall of
the Ministry of Home Affairs at the corner of No 1 Sethmu Road and Saya San Road
here this afternoon.
Col Tin Hlaing, Chairman of the
Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control and Minister for Home Affairs,
delivered an address on the occasion. Present at the meeting were Deputy
Minister for Home Affairs Brig-Gen Phone Swe, Director-General of the Myanmar
Police Force Brig-Gen Khin Yi, senior police officers, officials of the CCDAC
and guests. At the meeting, the minister stressed salient points on making field
trips down to districts and townships for reducing the poppy cultivation. Next,
Brig-Gen Khin Yi also explained procedures to be followed phase by phase for the
reduction of poppy cultivation.
Later, Police Col Kham Aung
presented a review of ground survey on illegal poppy cultivation in 2003.
According to the ground survey conducted by the CCDAC in cooperation with the
UNODC, in Myanmar there are estimated to be 153,600 acres of poppy, from which
some 810 tons of heroin could be produced, 24 percent less than the yesteryear’s
guess.
Senior police officers also
presented reports on measures to be taken for the reduction of poppy cultivation
in 2003-2004, followed by a general round of discussions.
Afterwards, the minister gave
instructions on efforts to reduce the poppy cultivation by another 50 percent on
a national scale and make sure total elimination of poppy cultivation in 22
townships covered in the first phase of the 15-year plan.