NATIONS AGREE TO COOPERATE IN WAR ON DRUGS

But U.N. delegates divided on best tactics

United Nations World leaders wrapped up a three-day U-N. drug summit
yesterday by expressing broad agreement that combatting the drug trade
requires a coordinated global campaign.

But the delegates, from about 150 countries, were divided about how to wage
the drug War.

The 'summit concluded with the endorsement of a plan for governments to
work together to curb trafficking, reduce demand, improve judicial
cooperation, combat money-laundering and reduce the illegal cultivation of
narcotic crops by 2008.

However, the U.N. General Assembly special session on drugs underscored
broad differeuces bctween drug producing countries of Latin America and
Asia and themajor consumers - including the United States -on how best to
direct limited resources in the fight.

Speakers from Colombia, Burma Mexico and other producing nations applauded
U.N. proposals to reduce illicit cultivation by providing farmers in
developing nations with financial incentives to stop growing opium poppies,
coca and cannabis.

Several developed countries,including Germany, Japan and Australia,
endorsed those plans. But few promised substantial, new funds to pay for
them, although Canada's solicitor general, Andy Scott, said his government
Would consider additional payments.

U.S. drug czar Barry McCaffrey, speaking to reporters Monday, avoided
committing the United States to support of the U.N. crop substitution
program, saying the global drug war required MONre than "just funding for
alternativ economic development. tt

During his speech Monday, president Clinton announced a $2 billion, five
year anti-drug media campaign targeted at young people.

Sandro Tucci, a U.N. spokesman, said the conference had succeeded in
convincing governments that reducing demand in rich countries was a
priority.

But some private drug research organizations expressed disappointment that
more was not said about ways to treat and rehabilitate addicts.

"Like the drug war itself, the U.N. drug summit was a failure" said Dr.
Ethan Nadelmann, director of the Lindesmith Center. "Rather than producing
the intended unity, the drug summit exposed deep divisions ... between drug
war zealots who advocate spending on a failed policy and the reformers who
want new approaches.

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)