Date of Release: 02 September 2006  

Arg, Kabul – H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, has expressed disappointment that the production of poppies in Afghanistan has increased in 2005–2006 compared to last year. 

In a meeting this afternoon with Mr. Antonio Maria Costa, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the President received a detailed briefing about the status of poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. 

Responding to the report the President said, “I am disappointed that our success in poppy eradication last year has been reversed this year.  What ever the reason was for the increase of poppies in Afghanistan, the Afghan government and the international community must learn the lessons that need to be learned and work better on all fronts of the fight against drugs to make sure at all costs that this reversal does not repeat next year.”

“Regrettably, over the last year, our efforts to fight narcotics have proved inadequate.  Among other things, our farmers have not received a comprehensive alternative livelihoods program.”

“I ask our partners in the international community to expand their cooperation with us in this area.  We also expect that, with increased international cooperation, we would strengthen the capacity of our police and law enforcement agencies.”

“In this respect, we have recently strengthened our supreme court and the Attorney General’s office, and emphasized the role of the Special Tribunal on drug-related crimes.”

For further information, please contact:

Office of the Spokesman to the President

Tel.:  00 93 799 33 77 55

        00 93 799 90 94 29

Released by the Office of the Spokesman to the President