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SALWEEN WATCH HOTMAIL OUT Salween Watch Update February 2003, Volume 13 XXxx<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<o0XxxX0o>>>>>>>>>>>>>>xxXX Three-fold eradication deal Yuwadee Tunyasiri Wassana Nanuam, Bangkok Post: February 11, 2003 Thailand and Burma have agreed on ``interrelated'' frameworks of cooperation to stamp out drug production and trafficking once and for all, said Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. After returning from his weekend official visit to Burma yesterday Mr Thaksin explained the drug eradication frameworks were three-fold. First, the bilateral cooperation would be aimed at forging peace on the common border. Relentless fighting waged by Burmese ethnic minorities spurred drug trade as the rebels produced and trafficked drugs to finance the war. The quest for a peaceful border would also need the leaders of the minority rebels at the negotiating table. Mr Thaksin said the commercial development of border areas would also be emphasised. Job creation would also lessen the number of alien workers slipping into Thailand, and once the border population was legally employed, few would then turn to the drugs trade. Their cooperation would also expand into a crop substitution programme whereby locals would be motivated to grow flowers and vegetables in place of drug-producing plants. The second framework would involve a macro-economic collaboration to
improve Burma's infrastructures.For example, a road would be built to
link Burma with India and Bangladesh. On the third framework, the prime minister said a collective effort would be made to correct Burma's negative image perpetuated by drugs dealing and ethnic hostility. A clean image in the eye of the international community would attract investment and alleviate poverty. Once people were less poor, they would not be compelled to escape hardship by working as illegal migrant workers in Thailand. Mr Thaksin said the three frameworks would complement one another and would present as a long-term solution to the bilateral problems that marred both countries' stability. The premier said Rangoon was thankful that the government had provided satellite photos of drug production areas. The two governments had discussed the process and means of weeding out drugs in depth but details were kept secret. Mr Thaksin said the dialogues had been successful and policies would be passed in close coordination down the echelons of power for implementation. Prime Minister Gen Than Shwe would himself monitor the progress of the policy implementation, Mr Thaksin said.
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