Summary: May 23, 2003: EU Presidency Statement at the Ministerial Conference on "Drug Routes from Central Asia to Europe", delivered by G.A.Papandreou, (Paris)
Mr. President,
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to be here today. I thank His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Mr. de Villepin personally and as chairman of the European Union's Council of Ministers for His kind invitation to address this Conference.
1. Trafficking of drugs from Afghanistan and Central Asia EU priority
The European Union considers the issue of drug trafficking from Central Asia and Afghanistan as a great priority. The increase of production and trafficking of opium does not only affect the development, political stability and the economies of these countries, but also the security, public health and the social well-being of their citizens.
Moreover, the availability of heroin in the countries along the trafficking routes and in the EU member states has devastating consequences for public health and the social conditions of especially the young generation. For these reasons the European Union participates actively in the international effort to deal with the
problem of illicit drugs and supports all initiatives of member states towards effective actions against drugs in Central Asia and Afghanistan.
The Union has a joint action plan with the Central Asian countries and there are regular consultations on this cooperation. The Greek Presidency of the European Union welcomes the French initiative to organize this conference and considers it as an important step towards the adoption of policies and measures that will improve the existing drug situation in Afghanistan, in the countries affected by the trafficking of drugs and in the European member states.
2. Coordination of actions and common policy is necessary
I believe that coordination of our efforts in combating illicit drugs is necessary in order to achieve concrete results. The Greek Presidency favours a common European Union policy on drugs. Strengthened cooperation and adoption of measures to face effectively the multi-faceted issue of drugs are included among the priorities of the Greek Presidency.
In the seminar on the Balkan routes of heroin trafficking, which was held in Athens last February, the participating countries of the region agreed to continue the exchange of information on a regular basis and to undertake more joint operations against traffickers.
On the 6th and 7th of March, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Public Order, in cooperation with the European Commission and the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), organized in Athens the conference "Towards an effective policy on drugs". At this conference it has been stressed that we have to work towards a common drug policy in Europe.
In the search for such a common policy it is indispensable that there is common political will, open dialogue among the member states and dialogue and cooperation with the civil society; that means dialogue with the research and academic community, the workers in the field, the people affected by drug use and various NGO's.
I am convinced that we need to encourage open dialogue at all levels in Europe and in the United Nations. A dialogue which overcomes the mentality of shame and blame. Drugs are a social problem that requires the contribution of all in the search for best practices.
3. The Action Plan on Drugs between the EU and the Balkan Countries. EU contribution to a coherent legal system and the rule of law
Over the last few years, there is a continuous improvement in a substantial cooperation between Police and Law enforcement. Europol and Eurojust, whose premises in the Hague were recently inaugurated, prove the determination of the E.U. to cope with organized crime. .
In this context, I would like to draw your attention to the initiative undertaken by the Greek Presidency for a Drug Action Plan between the E.U., the Western Balkan Countries and the acceding and candidate countries. This action Plan would be supplementary to the EU Action Drug Plan with the Central Asian Countries, and we and we hope that it will soon be implemented. This plan can be regarded as an important contribution to the fight of drug trafficking from Central Asia and Afghanistan
towards Europe.
The European Union has a great record of experience in combating Narcotic Drugs and can therefore contribute to the improvement of the situation in Afghanistan. The introduction of a coherent legal system defining a) the rights and duties of citizens b) the procedures of law enforcement, c) the powers awarded to law enforcement agencies is an imperative step to be taken. The introduction of the Rule of Law in Afghanistan constitutes the basis for a systemic and efficient approach in combating
crime, illegal profit and corruption. The EU can support programs aiming at the establishment of the Rule of Law in Afghanistan, including law expertise and technical assistance in setting up reliable security services.
[Nevertheless, I am aware that we do not herewith answer satisfactorily the observation made by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the preparatory papers of this meeting that "despite police, customs, border guards, legislation and courts, seizures remain limited compared with the volumes sold (between 5 and 15 percent), and it is rare to see heads of these networks convicted. On the other hand, the prisons are full of small-time traffickers, who are often drug addicts".]
4. Trafficking in narcotic drugs and demand reduction are interrelated and require a coherent policy
This brings me to the point that both production and trafficking of narcotic drugs are widely linked with the demand of narcotic drugs. Any effort should therefore be focused on both production and trafficking and consumption of drugs.
The Greek Presidency of the EU, addressing the 46th session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, emphasized this idea. Early intervention to prevent drug dependence and drug-related harm is equally important with means of repression of production and trafficking.
Drug abuse has caused a dramatic increase of deaths and communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, especially in the countries of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Pakistan and Iran. The policy of harm reduction in most of the European countries has proven that the deaths of addicts through overdoses are decreasing and that the HIV/AIDS is more or less under control. It is worthwhile to examine with the governments of these countries which of the harm-reduction methods used in Western Europe would be
helpful in their situation.
At the Athens Conference "Towards an effective policy on drugs" reference has been made to practices in various European countries, such as experimental treatment methods under drug free programs, programs using substitutes, programs of prescription of heroin under medical control, needle exchange and rehabilitation programs, all of them efforts to improve the conditions of life for drug addicts and make their reintegration into society possible. It is also pointed out that the use of
alternatives to punishment, especially imprisonment, means that the drug policy in this area is not only oriented towards punishment, but towards treatment, counselling, assistance, educational programs and social integration.
It is exactly on these areas that the EU can offer its vast experience. In this interrelation of drug supply and drug demand it would be a challenge to our states to examine to what extent we can make a serious contribution in combating organized criminality, when besides law enforcement and interdiction can keep users of narcotic drugs away from the criminal circles through better medical services and harm reduction measures.
5. Summary
Our proposal can be summarized as follows:
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