US BACKS DOWN OVER AFGHAN POPPY FIELDS DESTRUCTION

The US government has conceded defeat in its attempt to persuade the
Afghanistan government to begin the aerial destruction of poppy
fields as part of its opium eradication strategy.

"We have decided to stop pursuing the aerial spraying of poppy fields
in Afghanistan," said Thomas Schweich, principal deputy assistant
secretary for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement Affairs.

US officials have climbed down in the face of widespread criticism
from the Afghan government and other coalition partners, notably the UK.

Although attempting to destroy poppy crops from the ground can be
dangerous, the Afghan government is against the use of aerial
spraying because of fears about the herbicide glyphosate's effect on
the environment, other smaller crops and on health.

"The United States has always indicated that we would not pursue any
counter-narcotics activity in Afghanistan that did not have the full
support of the government of Afghanistan," said a spokeswoman in the
US State Department.

"While we believe there are advantages to using aerial spray to
augment existing eradication programmes, president Karzai is on
record opposing the use of aerial spray and we respect his decision
in this matter."

The decision was met with widespread approval. "We agree with the
Afghanistan government that the best way forward is through the
building up of law enforcement, treating addiction and providing
alternative livelihoods," said a spokesman at the Foreign Office.

Schweich, now touring Europe to explain the change in policy and to
drum up support for other counter-narcotics initiatives, wants to
"dramatically expand" the so-called Good Performers Intiative, which
pays communities to finance local infrastructure if they cease poppy farming.

The thirteen provinces declared poppy free in August will each
receive $500,000 (UKP 244,000) in development assistance. Next year,
this is set to rise to $1m.

The US and UK governments have allocated over $25m for the
initiative. The US administration wants to go further and has already
asked Congress for an additional $50m.

Schweich hopes to persuade other countries, including Germany,
Belgium, Denmark and Austria to support the programme. "I hope we can
get to over $100m," he said.

But the US is still committed to destroying poppy fields.

"Gound-based eradication ... will continue, but the decision on
whether to proceed with ground-based spraying is still under
discussion with the government of Afghanistan," said the US State
Department spokeswoman.

Reducing the country's reliance on the opium trade will be difficult.
Afghanistan's poppy harvest this year is expected to be 17% bigger
than that recorded in 2006, according the UN Office on Drugs and
Crime. The country produces 93% of world's heroin supplies, worth around $4bn.