U.S. to help stem drug flow from Golden Triangle

U.S. to help stem drug flow from Golden Triangle

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): The United States has expressed
willingness to help countries in the Asia-Pacific region stem the
flow of drugs from the Golden Triangle, Malaysian newspapers
reported yesterday.

Malaysia's Deputy Home Minister Megat Junid Megat Ayob was
quoted as saying the United States had set aside US$22 billion to
draw up programs to stop the drug supply from the area.

"Individually, Asian countries cannot act against the poppy
farmers in Burma, which forms a major part of the triangle, as
the activities are controlled by drug lord Khun Sa and his army,"
Megat Junid said.

"As such, we need an international force to pressure Khun Sa
to stop his operations."

Megat Junid said he recently met U.S. representative and chief
advisor on narcotics, Lee Brown, to discuss the issue.

Brown was in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month on one of his
series of visits to several Asia-Pacific countries to discuss the
drug problem.

"We are prepared to take part in the U.S.-initiated program
because it will also indirectly benefit us as we believe the
heroin in the local market originate from the Golden Triangle,"
Megat Junid said.

The Golden Triangle -- comprising parts of Myanmar, Thailand
and Laos -- produces between 2,500 and 3,000 tons of heroin a
year.

Megat Junid said the United States had managed to convince
Thai poppy farmers to switch to other commercial crops but was
not successful in Myanmar.

He said that while Colombia, a major heroin producer, had
taken steps against the drug trade, the Myanmarese government was
having problems dealing with Khun Sa.

"Khun Sa uses drug money to finance his army to fight Burmese
government troops," Megat Junid said.