4921, 24-Mar-95, 19:01, -E----, 4506

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ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SYSTEM DEMONSTRATED IN COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS

SOC/NAR/705

24 March 1995

Designed to Give National Drug Control Authorities Access to UNDCP Databases, Facilitate Submission of Mandated Reports

VIENNA, 21 March (UN Information Service) -- The Commission on Narcotic Drugs this morning saw a demonstration of a new computer system designed to improve vastly the capacity of United Nations agencies and governments to share information on various aspects of international drug control.

A representative of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme demonstrated how national drug-control authorities would be able to access Programme databases, and how the new system would facilitate member States' submission of mandated reports and questionnaires. He explained the need for common definitions, classifications and information collection standards so that input from different agencies could be integrated. As a start, the Drug Control Programme and the World Customs Organization were adopting compatible terminologies for the identification of illicit drugs and precursors.

The information services provided by the Drug Control Programme will include database applications for statistical purposes; information and data exchange for control purposes; electronic bulletin boards for discussion of drug-related issues; on-line access to United Nations publications and reports; and electronic mail. National administrations are promised secure access to the services, which can be accessed by any authorized user with a personal computer and a modem. For the time being, the services are being offered free of charge.

Also this morning, the Commission discussed the agenda for its next session. Commission Secretary Paulsen Bailey, introducing the provisional agenda, suggested that the general debate should focus on implementation of the global Programme of Action. The representatives of Sweden and Austria expressed concern that the general debate gave too much attention to national situations, and not enough to policy matters. The representative of the Netherlands expressed concern that the Commission might have too full an agenda, especially in the light of budget cuts. The representative of Japan was concerned over the timeliness of documents and suggested that more time be allocated to discussing the Programme's administration. The representative of

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- 2 - Press Release SOC/NAR/705 24 March 1995

Colombia challenged the credibility of the documents. The representative of Austria suggested that Commission members were generating too many draft resolutions. The representative of Peru suggested the inclusion of an item on reduction of crops for illicit supply. The representative of Ecuador spoke on the question of adequacy of national drug control legislation.

Debate on the budget of the Drug Control Programme was deferred, pending the outcome of discussions in the Committee of the Whole.

Bertrand Juppin de Fondaumiere, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, said the Programme's proposed revised budget for the 1994-1995 biennium amounted to $190,641,600. The proposed budget for the 1996-1997 biennium incorporated a resource decrease in real terms of 26.2 per cent.

Adequacy of National Legislation

CATHERINE VOLZ, Chief of the Legal Affairs Section of the Drug Control Programme, drew attention to the Programme's report on the adequacy of existing national legislation. She said it indicated that most States which had implemented the international drug control Conventions had adequate legislation in place. The legal advisory programme was assisting governments with model legislation on money laundering and had developed model legislation for civil and common law countries.

MARIA GABRIELA TROYA (Ecuador) said her country had been one of the first to ratify the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and had continued its legislative work against illicit drugs. To lower the risk to the financial sector, all transactions over $10,000 had to be reported and were subject to investigation.

Her country was not receiving adequate attention from the Programme because, unlike other countries in that region, it was not a producer. Based on the large amount of drugs in transit through Ecuador and high consumption rates, she reiterated her request for a permanent Drug Control Programme adviser.