Pubdate: Mon, 15 Apr 2002
Source: Frontier Post, The (Pakistan)
Copyright: 2002 The Frontier Publications (Pvt)
Contact:  http://frontierpost.com.pk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/575

IRAN UNDERSCORES ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN

Kabul (Agencies): The visiting Secretary-General of the Iranian Anti- Drug 
Campaign Headquarters Mohammad Fallah, during a meeting with his Afghan 
counterpart Abdul-Hai Elahi, underlined Iran's complete support for the 
campaign against narcotic drugs production and smuggling.In that meeting he 
gave the assurance that Iran can do as well as Afghanistan to attract 
concerned international organizations to come to an agreement regarding the 
transfer of impounded opium to Iran to be used for medical purpose, and 
that Iran is ready to take part in a program to send back the medicines to 
Afghanistan.

For his part, Abdul-Hai Elahi praised Iran's firm and principled stance 
against drug smuggling and production, noting that the government has made 
an offer to help destroy poppy farms so that they can be devoted to useful 
crops.

"The new war against narcotic drugs started after the establishment of the 
Afghan interim government headed by Hamid Karzai and a new Afghan society 
aided by 18 governmental companies recently established to realize the 
goals," he observed.

Elahi went on to say that Iran, England, the United States, Japan, Russia, 
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and China are among the countries that have 
announced their readiness to help rebuild Afghanistan.

The official stressed that poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is expected to 
be abandoned during the next two to five years.

"We have been informed of Iran's efforts in the anti-drug campaign and have 
requested its officials to cooperate more with our government in this 
regard," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager