Myanmar Regrets Over French Boycott

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Myanmar Regrets Over French Boycott of Drug Meeting

Asia:Myanmar


Myanmar Regrets Over French Boycott of Drug Meeting


Xinhua
20-FEB-99

YANGON (Feb. 20) XINHUA - The government of Myanmar has expressed its
regret over the refusal of France to participate in the Fourth
International Heroin Conference to be held here this month. 

Quoting the latest press release of the Myanmar Embassy in Paris, an
official Information Sheet said here Saturday evening that it is
regrettable that the French government has decided at the last moment not
to send a delegation to the Fourth International Heroin Conference to be
held in Yangon from February 23 to 26. 

It stressed, "The issue of drugs is a humanitarian issue and not a
political one, it is an issue related to human security. The narcotic drug
problem is not an individual national problem but a global one. Nations
cannot solve this problem by finger-pointing and laying blame, but only
through mutual understanding, help and cooperation". 

"Myanmar considers the fight against narcotic drugs a national cause and is
determined to carry on with or without the help of the international
community," it said. 

It added that despite the lack of assistance from foreign countries,
Myanmar has waged a relentless war against drug trafficking by relying on
its own resources. Immense sacrifices have been made by the security forces. 

Myanmar will host the conference in cooperation with the Office of
Director-General of Interpol, expecting several dozen countries to attend. 

Meanwhile, the United States, Britain and some European countries like
Belgium, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands have announced boycott of the
conference, over which Myanmar has expressed regret, urging them to put
politics aside for the sake of the millions of people around the world
whose lives are threatened by the drug trade. 

The first International Heroin Conference was held in Washington, U.S.A.,
in 1994, the second in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1995 and the third in Genoa,
Italy, in 1997. 




----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----



© 1999 Cable News Network, Inc. A Time Warner Company
All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this information is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.

Custom News is built on  technology.