18 March 1998

Dear Mr. Santer,

As you are aware, in a few months the international community will meet in New York for a Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly an drugs. During the past year, all nations of the world have renewed their commitment and determination to intensify their efforts in all, key areas of drug control: demand reduction, judicial cooperation, money laundering, precursor control and alternative development. A universal consensus has indeed emerged on the principles underlying this global policy.

This Session will endorse a set of Innovative measures including, inter alia, a Declaration, on the Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction and a strategy for alternative development aimed at the elimination of illicit drug crops.

The European Union has played an active role in the preparation of the Special Session and is party to the consensus that has emerged. However, over the last few months we have witnessed with concern a misinformation campaign on drug policy issues conducted by Commissioner Emma Bonino. The fact that Ms. Bonino has been speaking publicly and signing Official statements in her capacity as European Commissioner raises two sensitive issues which I would like to bring to your personal attention:.

Compatibility of policy:

The policy of the European,Community and its, institutions on the drug issue has, up to now, been well understood and highly respected by the international community. It is reflected in EU

policy documents such as the EU Action Plan, Against Drugs (1995- 1999) and, in the numerous drugrelated programmes supported by the EC in various parts of the world, many of them carried out in partnership with UNDCP. This Policy is firmly based on acceptance of and adherence to the three UN International Drug Conventions and it was reaffirmed as recently as this month by the Presidency of the EU during the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs. The position adopted by Ms. Bonino in her article published in "El Pais" on 12 March 1998 and in her other statements on the issue is in open conflict with this policy. That she uses her status as a European Commissioner to preach policies exactly the opposite of those of the Organization which she-represents must be as much a matter of concern to you as it is to me.

It is even more disturbing that Ms. Bonino does so by providing incorrect information. One clear example of such misinformation relates to the UNDCP intervention in Afghanistan, the largest illicit opium producer in the world. Ms. Bonino claims, inter alia, that UNDCP has "recognized the Taliban Government" and that substantial UN funds are channelled to this movement. This is simply untrue. UNDCP has entered into an ad-hoc agreement with these local authorities as a minimum requirement for UN staff to beable to work in drug-producing areas. The same agreement will be entered into with the local authorities in other regions of Afghanistan not controlled by the Taliban movement. It will allow UNDCP to work directly with farmer communities, who are the key recipients of UN assistance. This will of course be done on the basis of precise conditions, including full respect for gender equality. The above UNDCP approach has been fully supported by the European Union, as reflected in the Common Position on Afghanist

an adopted by the Council of the European Union at its 2066th meeting on 26 January 1998. In addition, the General Assembly of the United Nations, in its resolution A/52/L.68 of 12 December 1997, has unanimously praised the efforts of UNDCP in this country.

Appropriateness of "style"

In her statements, Ms. Bonino utilizes, an unacceptable tone and a derogatory language. Her main objective seems to be to ridicule the efforts undertaken by the international community and by the people devoted to reducing the suffering provoked by drug abuse. In her plea in favour of legalization of drug use, Ms. Bonino continues to overlook and omit the fact that psychoactive drugs are dangerous to users and to society, irrespective, of their legal status, and that millions of families worldwide have to cope daily with the effects of these substances'.

In fight of the above, I wish to raise the critical issue of the compatibility of Ms. Bonino's behaviour with the role and functions of a top official of the European Commission. While the international community should welcome and indeed support all constructive criticism and suggestions as part of an open dialogue with all sectors of public opinion, the distorting and offensive campaign launched by Ms. Bonino, targeting in particular the UN, has no justification.

All 185 UN Member States have unanimously concluded, based an pharmacologic, toxicologic, sociologic and historical facts, that radical steps to repeal the prohibitions on currently illicit drugs would, on balance, make matters worse rather than better. Ms. Bonino is, of course, free to believe that legalization of illicit drugs may offer a valid option to mankind but, in order to engage herself in a meaningful dialogue with the international community, she should restrict herself to arguments based on facts rather than use personalized attacks supported by factual mistakes,

I would therefore like to request your personal attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from you with regard to ways in which this worrying situation can be redressed, to avoid the risk of confusion within the international community on where the European Commission stands on the drug issue.

I remain, dear Mr. Santer,

Yours sincerely,

Pino Arlacchi