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E-046/99ie
May 3, 1999

OAS OPENS INTERNATIONAL MEETING ON HEMISPHERIC DRUG PROBLEM

 

Government representatives from Organization of American States (OAS) member countries will gather in Washington from May 3 to 7 for the Twenty-fifth Regular Session of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD).

The hemispheric gathering opens at 9:00 a.m. in the Hall of the Americas at OAS headquarters. It will be addressed by CICAD Vice Chairman Alberto Scavarelli of Uruguay and David Beall, the Commission’s Executive Secretary.

During their first three days of meetings, the delegates will focus on the work of the Inter-Governmental Group on the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM), which will begin with remarks by the MEM Chairman, Jean Fournier of Canada, and Vice Chairman Pablo Lagos of Chile.

The Inter-Governmental Group has been meeting regularly to continue negotiations towards establishing an objective multilateral process involving governments, to evaluate and follow up on the progress by the countries individually and collectively in the war on the drug scourge, as decided by the Second Summit of the Americas held last year in Chile.

While in session, the Inter-Governmental Group will consider indicators on arms traffic control, the financial and human toll of the war on drugs and the proposal for a short list of indicators for the first round of evaluation and questionnaire format. The Group will wrap up its meetings after considering the process by which the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism will operate.

On Wednesday, May 5, CICAD will begin consideration of a broad agenda including, among other items, proposed amendments to the model regulations for the control of chemicals used in illegally producing drugs and psychotropic substances; the advisability of drafting an inter-American convention to combat money-laundering; and amendments to the model regulations on money-laundering crimes involving illicit drug trafficking and other serious crimes.

CICAD will also take up the financing and operations of the Commission’s experts groups, implementation of the hemispheric anti-drug strategy and recommendations contained in the annual report to the OAS General Assembly.

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