US embassy cable - 05MADRID659

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 000659 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE, IO/T, AND IO/EDA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A 
TAGS: AORC, SNAR, UN, OPEC, United Nations 
SUBJECT: SPANISH DIPLOMATIC NOTE ON CANDIDACY FOR UN COMMISSION ON 
NARCOTIC DRUGS 
 
 
1. (U)  The following is an Embassy translation of a diplomatic 
note that we received from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs on February 15 regarding Spain's candidacy for 
reelection to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs: 
 
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation presents its 
compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America and 
has the honor to inform that the Spanish Government has decided 
to present its candidacy for reelection to the UN Commission on 
Narcotic Drugs, in elections to be held in New York in 2005 
during the continuation of the organizational session of the 
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). 
 
Spain's geographical location as the European Union's external 
border to the African continent and normally the first point of 
entry for Spanish-speaking countries is a strategic location on 
illegal international drug trafficking routes. 
 
In 1985, the Government of Spain established the Government 
Delegation for the National Drug Plan in response to our 
nation's political will and its institutional consensus 
regarding co-responsibility by different government 
administrations and social organizations.  The Plan set forth 
the principles on which the drug strategy was to be based and 
remains valid today: social consensus, scientific and 
technically basis, and appropriate funding.  During the twenty 
years that have elapsed, the National Drug Plan has undergone 
structural changes in response to the need to adapt to 
developments in drug-related phenomena. 
 
The ample experience acquired by Spain during this period of 
time has given rise to a social network in which the activities 
are carried out by the civil society on the national, regional 
and local levels. 
 
Additionally, a broad, diversified, professionalized network of 
care has been consolidated, offering responses to the addict 
population.  A variety of social and labor rehabilitation 
efforts have been carried out and are solidly based, providing 
for the generalization of prevention policy and the 
consolidation of information systems leading to more complete, 
in-depth knowledge of the realities and consequences of drug use 
in Spain.  Furthermore, a legal framework has been developed in 
all drug-related areas, and the means and instruments for 
controlling the drug supply have been reinforced and specialized. 
 
It is also necessary to point out that the priority in demand 
reduction involves prevention and treating drug use from an 
early age, where education, training, clear and precise 
information and the family are central elements in measures 
taken.  Furthermore, special attention is going to be given to 
developing basic clinical research activities, especially in the 
area of epidemiology. 
 
In the legal area, the Special Prosecutor's Office for the 
Prevention and Enforcement of Illegal Drug Trafficking was 
created in 1988 to be directly involved in criminal proceedings 
on drug-related charges and the coordination of the activities 
of the different prosecutor's offices in the area of prevention 
and enforcement of illegal drug trafficking prevention and 
enforcement. 
 
The twentieth special session of the United Nations General 
Assembly, held in June 1998, approved a political declaration 
and a series of multi-annual measures, goals and objectives for 
compliance by the States.  In the presence of this important 
international milestone in dealing with the drug problem, it was 
considered appropriate to draft the National Strategy on Drugs 
for 2000-2008 which, based on the unanimous agreement of all the 
parliamentary groups that at the time made up the joint Congress- 
Senate Commission for the study of the drug problem, determined 
the different aspects of the drug phenomenon to be dealt with. 
This strategy continued the consensus policy that had been in 
force since the creation of the National Drug Plan and has had 
very positive effects on the drug addiction policy implemented 
in Spain. 
 
Spanish international participation has long been quite 
substantial and involves all the fora to which Spain belongs 
dealing with the subject of drugs, since one of the fundamental 
principles on which a drug policy should be based is constant 
reinforcement of international cooperation activities. 
 
Spain is a party to the three United Nations Conventions (Single 
Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 and its Amendment Protocol 
of 1972, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971 and 
the United Nations Convention on Illegal Trafficking in 
Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances of 1988). 
 
Spain contributes voluntarily to funding United Nations Drug 
Control Program (UNDCP) programs and projects and contributes to 
upgrading the training of professionals involved in drug-related 
areas.  Throughout the years, funding for these programs and 
projects has been substantially increased through the provision 
of supplementary funds under Law 17/2003, of May 29, regulating 
the Fund of Assets Seized from Illegal Drug Trafficking and 
related crimes, Article Two of which provides the possibility of 
contributing to international cooperation activities. 
 
Spain is, furthermore, a producer of medications that contain 
narcotic raw materials that come from papaver somniferum and 
also a major producer of medicines created from synthetic 
substances. 
 
Lastly, Spain has organized major international conferences on 
drugs.  During the last Spanish presidency of the Council of the 
European Union in 2002, Spain held the Fourth High Level Meeting 
of 
the Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs between the 
European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as 
the Meeting of National Drug Coordinators of the European Union. 
 
On the basis of all the above, Spain hopes to be able to count 
on the valuable support of the Government of the United States 
for its candidacy for reelection to the Commission on Narcotic 
Drugs of the Economic and Social Council. 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation avails itself of 
this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of 
America the testimony of its highest consideration." 
 
2. (U)  Embassy requests Department's guidance on how to respond 
to the Spanish MFA diplomatic note. 
 
 
MANZANARES