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DATE=2/19/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-245734 TITLE=U-N / DRUGS / SATELLITES (L - ONLY) BYLINE=MAX RUSTON DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS (FRIDAY) IT HAS REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY TO PROVIDE SATELLITE MONITORING OF ILLICIT DRUG CROPS AROUND THE WORLD. THE AGREEMENT IS PART OF THE UNITED NATIONS' STEPPED-UP EFFORT TO COMBAT THE PRODUCTION AND ABUSE OF DRUGS WORLD-WIDE. V-O-A'S U-N CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS. TEXT: THE DIRECTOR OF THE U-N DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM, PINO ARLACCHI, SAYS THE AGREEMENT IS AN IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ILLICIT DRUGS. HE SAYS IT WILL ALLOW THE DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM, THE U-N-D-C-P, TO DETERMINE ACCURATELY AND ON A WORLD-WIDE SCALE HOW EFFECTIVE ITS PROGRAMS ARE. /// ARLACCHI ACT /// THE AGREEMENT WILL PROVIDE THE U-N-D-C-P WITH ALL THE INFORMATION AND DATA ABOUT CULTIVATION OF OPIUM, COCA AND CANNABIS IN MOST COUNTRIES THAT ARE AFFECTED. COUNTRIES THAT ARE OBSERVED WILL BE THE OWNERS OF THE DATA AND THE UNITED NATIONS WILL BE THE CO-OWNER OF THE DATA. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENT BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME ... IT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE AGREEMENT ... WE COULD HAVE AN EFFECTIVE INSTRUMENT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE SITUATION OF ILLEGAL CROPS AND WHAT ARE THE PROGRESSES OR FAILURES IN OUR ACTIONS TO ELIMINATE THESE CROPS. /// END ACT /// MR. ARLACCHI SAYS THE AGREEMENT IS ONE OF SEVERAL STEPS FORWARD IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS SINCE A MAJOR U-N DRUG CONTROL SUMMIT WAS HELD IN NEW YORK LAST YEAR. HE SAYS THE U-N-D-C-P HAS ALSO HELPED RAISE 270 MILLION DOLLARS TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE WORK FOR COCA PRODUCERS IN PERU. HE SAYS SIMILAR PROGRAMS, WITH FUNDING FROM INTERNATIONAL DONORS, ARE PLANNED FOR COLOMBIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES. AT THE SUMMIT LAST YEAR, WORLD LEADERS AGREED TO FIGHT ILLICIT DRUGS PRIMARILY BY REDUCING CULTIVATION. THAT PLAN WAS CRITICIZED BY MANY NON-GOVERNMENTAL GROUPS AS USELESS. THEY SAID DRUG PRODUCTION AND ABUSE SHOULD BE FOUGHT THROUGH DEMAND REDUCTION MEASURES, INCLUDING SOCIAL PROGRAMS IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. MR. ARLACCHI SAYS HE IS CONVINCED THAT DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM BY REDUCING CULTIVATION IS ALREADY PRODUCING GOOD RESULTS. (SIGNED) NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/JO 19-Feb-99 3:13 PM EST (2013 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .