UN DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

July 1, 1998

The Executive Director of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme, Pino Arlacchi, will travel to Iran on Thursday to attend a ceremony featuring the burning of illicit drugs, a United Nations spokesman announced on Wednesday.

The ceremony will take place in Theran at 5pm local time, according to Mr. Arlacchi's spokesman, Sandro Tucci. Mr. Tucci said that 50 tonnes of opium, heroin and morphine - with a street value of some seven hundred million dollars -would be destroyed during the event. Iran's President Mohammed Khatami, is scheduled to attend together with Mr. Arlacchi, who was invited by the President.

Before the ceremony, Mr. Arlacchi is expected to meet privately with President Khatami. He will also meet the country's Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharazi, as well as the Secretary of the Anti Narcotic Headquarters, Mohamed Hossein Zedeh Fallah.