U.N. DRUG CONFERENCE ENDS

UNITED NATIONS--Wrapping up a three-day U.N. drug summit Wednesday, world
leaders expressed broad agreement that combating the drug trade requires a
coordinated global campaign. But the delegates from about 150 countries,
who were to adjourn the conference Wednesday night, were divided out how
to wage the drug war. The summit was to end with participants endorsing 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 meeting underscored broad differences between drug-producing
countries of Latin America and Asia and the major consumers -including the
United States -on how best to direct limited resources in the fight against
drugs.

Speakers from Colombia, Myanmar, Mexico and other producers applauded U.N.
proposals to reduce illicit cultivation by providing Third World farmers
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 the U.N. crop substitution program,
saying the global drug war required more than "just funding for alternative
economic development."

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."

Despite those divergent views, the conference showed a universal belief
that curbing drug use must be a major international goal in the coming
century.

Nearly all delegates warned of increasing drug use in their countries,
especially among the young. None called for legalization of drugs.

Russia's deputy foreign minister, Yury Ushakov, said the number of Russian
addicts had risen dramatically since the collapse of the Soviet Union, an
observation repeated by leaders of other former Soviet republics.

"Two or three years ago, people in Kyrgyzstan had only a theoretical idea
what heroin is," said Kubanychbek Jumaliev, president of the former Soviet
Central Asian republic. "Nowadays, it has become one of the main drugs on
the illegal market."

During his speech Monday, President Clinton announced a $2 billion,
five-year media campaign against drugs targeted at young people.

Copyright Los Angeles Times