ASEAN won’t interfere in drug war

By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star)

The regional bloc welcomed the assistance of dialogue partners and other external parties in addressing this problem through capacity-building, intelligence information sharing and other forms of cooperation consistent with relevant international laws “all the while preserving the sovereign right of countries in deciding the most appropriate approaches to address their national drug situations.” King Rodriguez/Presidential Photo

MANILA, Philippines — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) recognizes the sovereign right of countries in deciding the “most appropriate approaches” to address their national drug problems, in an acknowledgement of President Duterte’s war on drugs.

In a draft chairman’s statement of the 31st ASEAN Summit, the group also recognizes that the illegal drug problem is affecting not only some member-states but also other countries outside the region.

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The regional bloc welcomed the assistance of dialogue partners and other external parties in addressing this problem through capacity-building, intelligence information sharing and other forms of cooperation consistent with relevant international laws “all the while preserving the sovereign right of countries in deciding the most appropriate approaches to address their national drug situations.”

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“We reaffirmed our commitment to a Drug-Free ASEAN,” the statement said.

The bloc also welcomed the progress in the implementation of the ASEAN Work Plan on Securing Communities Against Illicit Drugs 2016-2025 and the adoption of the ASEAN Cooperation Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle 2017-2019, charting the region’s actions for the next two years in tackling the drug problem.

It commended the good work of the ASEAN Narcotics Cooperation Center in publishing the second installment of the region’s drug report – the ASEAN Drug Monitoring Report 2016 – incorporating the drug trends and drug problem in the region in 2016. 

It also acknowledged the continuing efforts of the ASEAN bodies – Narcotics Cooperation Center, Airport Interdiction Task Force and Seaport Interdiction Task Force – in strengthening ASEAN cooperation, especially on information sharing and intelligence exchange as well as capacity building among drug control and law enforcement agencies at border checkpoints in the region.