For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 2, 2001
List of Major Illicit Drug-Producing or Major Drug-Transit Countries
Text of a Letter from the President to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, the House Committee on International Relations, and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
November 1, 2001
Dear Mr. Chairman: (Dear Representative:)
(Dear Senator:)
In accordance with section 490(h) of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961, as amended (FAA), I have determined that the following countries
are major illicit drug-producing or major drug-transit
countries: Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,
China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India,
Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
I note that a country's presence on the list of major drug-transit
countries is not an adverse reflection on its government's
counternarcotics efforts or on the level of its cooperation with the
United States. Consistent with the statutory definition of a major
drug-transit country set forth in section 481(e)(5) of the FAA, among
the reasons that major drug-transit countries are placed on the list is
the combination of geographical, commercial, and economic factors that
allow drugs to transit despite the most assiduous enforcement measures
of the government concerned.
In recent years, we have seen rapidly rising quantities of illegal
synthetic drugs entering the United States, especially MDMA (Ecstasy)
from Europe. MDMA abuse is an emerging problem that we are
studying closely. Because much of the Ecstasy consumed in Europe and
the United States is manufactured clandestinely in the Netherlands, we
are working closely with Dutch authorities to stop the production and
export of the drug. I commend the Government of the
Netherlands for its excellent cooperation with the Government of the
United States.
CHANGES TO THE LIST
I have removed Cambodia from the Majors List. Cambodia
was added to the Majors List in 1996 as a transit country for heroin
destined for the United States. In recent years, there has
been no evidence of any heroin transiting Cambodia coming to the United
States. On the basis of this cumulative evidence, I have
determined that Cambodia no longer meets the standard for a major
drug-transit country and I have removed Cambodia from the Majors
List. I will, however, keep it under observation as a
country of concern.
COUNTRIES/ECONOMIES AND REGIONS OF CONCERN
I am also noting in this letter various "countries/economies and
regions of concern." These are countries or areas that are
not "majors," but which in the past met, or could in the future meet,
the statutory definition. This informational category
carries no stigma, penalty, or sanction. This information is
provided to keep the Congress informed of those additional countries
and regions on which the executive branch is focusing its antidrug
cooperation efforts.
The Majors List applies by its terms to "countries." The
United States Government interprets the term broadly to include certain
entities that exercise autonomy over actions or omissions that would
lead to a decision to place them on the list and subsequently to
determine eligibility for certification.
Belize. Belize was removed from the list of major
drug-transit countries in 1999 because there was clear evidence that
the drug trade was not currently using it as a transit point for drugs
moving to the United States. If, at a future date, there is
reliable information that U.S.-bound drugs are again moving through
Belize in significant quantities, I will again place it on the Majors
List.
Central America. Central America's position as a land
bridge between South America and Mexico, together with its thousands of
miles of coastline, several container-handling ports, the Pan-American
Highway, and limited law enforcement capability, makes the entire
region a natural conduit and transshipment area for illicit drugs bound
for Mexico and the United States. Currently, only Guatemala
and Panama have been designated major drug-transit countries, since
there is clear evidence that drug trafficking organizations use their
territory to move significant quantities of illegal drugs to the United
States. The same is not yet true of Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Honduras, or Nicaragua.
Although there is no question that fluctuating quantities of drugs
do flow through these countries en route to the United States, the bulk
of the drug traffic has shifted away from land
routes. Stringent law enforcement and interdiction measures
on land have forced trafficking organizations to move drugs along sea
routes. In the event that I receive evidence that drugs
transiting these countries are having a significant effect on the
United States, I will add them to the Majors List.
Central Asia. United States Government agencies have
again conducted probes in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, the traditional
opium poppy growing areas of the former Soviet Union. These
probes did not show significant opium poppy cultivation. If
ongoing analysis reveals cultivation of 1,000 hectares or more of
poppy, I will add the relevant countries to the Majors List.
Cuba. Cuba's geographical position, straddling one of
the principal Caribbean trafficking routes to the United States,
continues to make it a logical candidate for consideration for the
Majors List. While in the past there have been some
anecdotal reports that trafficking syndicates use Cuban land territory
for moving drugs, we have not confirmed that this traffic carries
significant quantities of cocaine or heroin to the United
States. For the last several years, much of the suspect air
traffic that previously crossed Cuban airspace has shifted to
Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic). I will
continue to keep Cuba under careful observation for any changes in
current transit patterns. If there is evidence of
significant quantities of drugs transiting Cuba to the United States, I
will add Cuba to the Majors List.
Eastern Caribbean. The Leeward and Windward Islands,
together with Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles, constitute a broad
geographical area through which U.S.-bound drugs pass en route from
Latin America. There is no evidence at this time, however,
that any of these Eastern Caribbean nations is a major drug-transit
country under the definition in section 481(e)(5) of the
FAA. The information available indicates that drugs moving
through the area are overwhelmingly destined for Europe. I
am, therefore, keeping the region under observation and will add
relevant countries to the Majors List, should conditions warrant.
Hong Kong. Hong Kong was removed from the Majors List in
2000 and listed as a country of concern. Since 1996, there
have been no significant seizures in the United States of heroin linked
with Hong Kong. Similarly, the Hong Kong authorities report
that in the past 4 years they have made no large seizures locally of
heroin destined for the United States. If in the future we
detect any drug flows through Hong Kong that significantly affect the
United States, I will again place Hong Kong on the Majors List.
Iran. While Iran was once a traditional opium-producing
country, the Government of Iran appears to have been successful in
eradi-cating significant illicit opium poppy
cultivation. The latest United States Government survey of
the country revealed no detectable poppy cultivation in the traditional
growing areas. Although one cannot rule out some cultivation
in remote parts of the country, it is unlikely that it would be
sufficient to meet the threshold definition of a major illicit
drug-producing country under section 481(e)(2) of the FAA.
Important quantities of opiates reportedly continue to transit Iran
en route to Europe, but I have no evidence that these drugs
significantly affect the United States, a require-ment for designation
as a major drug-transit country under section 481(e)(5) of the
FAA. Moreover, Iran has taken extensive measures to thwart
the use of its territory by drug traffickers, seizing well above 200
metric tons of drugs annually in recent years.
Malaysia. Malaysia was removed from the Majors List in
1998 because there was no evidence that drugs transiting the country
were reaching the United States in significant
quantities. That situation did not change in 2001.
North Korea. United States Government observations this
year have been unable to confirm reports that significant quantities of
opium poppy may be under cultivation in North Korea or that heroin
originating in the country may be entering the international drug
trade. I continue, however, to monitor the
situation. If there is evidence that there is indeed
significant poppy cultivation or that North Korea is a transit point
for drugs significantly affecting the United States, I will add it to
the Majors List.
Syria and Lebanon. Syria and Lebanon were removed from
the list of major drug producers 4 years ago after the United States
Government determined that there was no significant opium poppy
cultivation in Lebanon's Biqa' Valley. Recent surveys have
confirmed that there has been no detectable replanting of opium poppy,
and we have no evidence that drugs transiting these countries
significantly affect the United States. I continue, however,
to keep the area under observation.
Taiwan. Taiwan was removed from the Majors List in 2000,
because there was no evidence that it was any longer a transit point
for drugs destined for the United States. Stringent law
enforcement procedures, together with enhanced customs inspection and
surveil-lance methods, have all but cut off serious flows of heroin
from
Taiwan to the United States. At the same time, the
opening of major container ports in southern China has diminished
Taiwan's importance for the drug trade. If in the future we
detect any drug flows through Taiwan that significantly affect the
United States, I will place Taiwan on the Majors List.
Turkey and Other Balkan Route Countries. I continue to
be concerned by the large volume of Southwest Asian heroin that moves
through Turkey and neighboring countries to Western Europe along the
Balkan Route. There is no clear evidence, however, that this
heroin significantly affects the United States. In the event
that I determine that heroin transiting Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria,
Greece, Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or other European countries on the
Balkan Route significantly affects the United States, I will add the
relevant countries to the Majors List.
Major Cannabis Producers. While Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Morocco, the Philippines, and South Africa are significant cannabis
producers, I have not included them on this list since in all cases the
illicit cannabis is either consumed locally or exported to countries
other than the United States. I have determined that such
illicit cannabis production does not significantly affect the United
States.
Sincerely,
GEORGE W. BUSH
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