This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 003243 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INL/PC MAREN BROOKS; DEPARTMENT PASS ONDCP 
CHARLOTTE SISSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID KCRM PREL SNAR EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: CENTRAL DUBLIN GROUP MEETING: JUNE 2003 
 
REF: BRUSSELS 0614 (NOTAL) 
 
¶1. This cable contains an action request.  See para. 9. 
 
¶2. Summary.  In a productive June 9-10 meeting in Athens, the 
members of the Central Dublin Group reviewed regional reports 
from Central Asia (Italy), Eastern Europe (Germany), 
Southwest Asia (UK) and Southeast Asia and China (Australia). 
 Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou addressed the Group 
in connection with the thematic discussion of the "Balkan 
route." Europol, UN Office of Drugs and Crime (ODC) and the 
U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) made presentations.  In 
connection with the 2004 Olympics to be held in Athens, there 
was a brief presentation on sports and doping by officials of 
the Olympic Committee.  It was noted that Spain and the 
United States would switch regional chairs for the next two 
years: Spain would be responsible for the regional report on 
South America and the U.S. for Central America.  The reports 
would be due at the next meeting of the Central Dublin Group 
in December/January 2004.  On the margins of the meeting, the 
Italian delegation asked if the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek could 
take the lead on formation of a Mini Dublin Group in 
Kyrgystan.  This was the first meeting of the Group attended 
by EU accession state members who were there as observers. 
USEU NAS Frank Kerber, INL/PC Program Analyst Maren Brooks, 
and Embassy Athens JHA officer Alfred Schandlbauer attended 
the meeting.  End Summary. 
 
General Discussion 
------------------ 
 
¶3. The thematic discussion of the "Balkan route" was opened 
by Jorge Molling, Deputy Head of the Europol Drugs Unit.  He 
divided the Balkan drug trafficking route into three primary 
sectors: the northern, central and southern routes.  The 
northern route, in turn, could be divided into three: 1) 
Turkey-Bulgaria-Romania-Hungary-Poland; 2) 
Turkey-Bulgaria-Romania-Germany; and 3) 
Turkey-Bulgaria-Serbia-Croatia-Slovenia.  The central route 
is Turkey-Bulgaria-FYROM-Bosnia-Italy. The southern route is 
Turkey-Greece-Albania-Italy).  He noted that 75 percent of 
the heroin in Europe is processed in Turkey by organized 
criminal groups.  Fifteen percent of the Balkan economy is 
based on the illicit drug trade.  The UNODC presentation was 
given by Vladimir Femepetov. He noted that 75 percent of the 
heroin in Europe is processed in Turkey by organized criminal 
groups, and that 15 percent of the Balkan economy is based on 
the illicit drug trade.  Tony Ballas, DEA representative at 
Embassy Athens, said that the Balkan route for contraband, 
illegal narcotics and human trafficking is the prime gateway 
to the Western Europe market.  In addition, the Balkans have 
become a major transfer and storage point.  There has been a 
proliferation of clandestine labs along the route for the 
manufacture and/or synthesis of heroin and synthetic drugs 
like Ecstasy.  The French delegate gave a summary of the 
recommendations of the Ministerial Conference on drug 
trafficking routes from Central Asia to Europe hosted by 
France on May 21-22, 2003. 
 
¶4. Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou addressed the 
Group, stressing that the interrelation between supply and 
demand for narcotics "should prompt us to examine how we can 
contribute to combating criminalty and whether it is possible 
for drug users to stay away from criminal circles."  He 
stressed the great importance attached by the Greek 
Presidency to problem of drug trafficking, as well as to all 
security issues relating to narcotics smuggling, while 
underlining the need for the EU to formulate a common policy 
on the issue.  Papandreou noted the "polarization" between 
more lenient policies in some European countries and those in 
favor of the present legal structure.  He said it is 
important to hold a continuous dialogue on drug policy with 
all regions of the world, including the U.S., "the leader in 
the area of anti-narcotics policies."  On harm reduction, the 
Foreign Minister said: "I continue to believe that it is a 
justified approach.  There is some ambiguity which allows 
certain misconceptions and criticism by international 
narcotics control agencies of the practices adopted in 
certain (European) countries, as well as hesitation on the 
part of other countries  (read U,S,) to adopt measures which 
have proven effective."   Finally, he called on the EU to 
promote an open dialogue on how to deal with the growing 
problem of cannabis use. 
 
Regional Reports 
---------------- 
 
¶5. The members reviewed regional reports from Central Asia 
(Italy), Eastern Europe (Germany), Southwest Asia (UK) and 
Southeast Asia and China (Australia).  It was noted that 
Spain and the United States would switch regional chairs for 
the next two years: Spain would be responsible for the 
regional report on South America and the U.S. for Central 
America.  The reports are due at the next meeting of the 
Central Dublin Group in December/January 2004.  On the 
margins of the meeting, the Italian delegation asked if the 
U.S. Embassy in Bishkek could take the lead on formation of a 
Mini Dublin Group in Kyrgystan. 
 
Other Business 
-------------- 
 
¶6. The chair (Raymond Yans, Belgian consul in Luxembourg) 
announced that the next meeting of the Central Dublin Group 
would be held in Brussels in December or January 2003, 
depending on the availability of meeting rooms at the EU. 
The thematic discussion at this meeting will be the 
toxicological impact of cannabis use.  In this connection, 
the chair asked if the U.S. could provide a scientific expert 
on the subject. 
 
¶7. The chair noted that several EU ambassadors, including 
Germany and The Netherlands, had asked about the harmful 
health and environmental impact of the U.S. eradication and 
fumigation program in Central and South America.  He asked 
whether the U.S. could provide an expert to discuss this 
issue at the next meeting. 
 
Accession States 
----------------- 
 
¶8. This was the first meeting to which the EU accession 
states were invited.  Only Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech 
Republic sent observers.  The accession states will continue 
in observer status at the winter meeting, but will assume 
full membership at the summer 2004 session.  These countries 
have converted from their previous status as the subjects of 
Mini Dublin regional reports to that of Dublin Group members 
solely by virtue of their accession to the EU next year. 
Kiyokazu Ota, Minister at the Japanese Mission to the UN in 
Vienna, and Elizabeth Day, Second Secretary at the Australian 
Mission to the UN in Vienna, expressed their concern 
privately to the USDEL that inclusion of all ten accession 
states clearly weighed Central Dublin Group membership in 
favor of the EU (25 to 5), with the U.S., Canada, Japan, 
Australia and Norway the only non-EU members.  They indicated 
their intention to press for a discussion of "Dublin Group" 
membership criteria at the next meeting. 
 
¶9. Action request.  Please advise whether the U.S. intends to 
provide experts on the health impact of cannabis use as well 
as the U.S. eradication and fumigation program in Central and 
South America at the winter Dublin Group meeting.  Request 
also department thoughts on membership criteria for Dublin 
Group. 
 
FOSTER