    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
    [November 3, 1993]
    [Page 1892]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1892]]

    Statement by the Press Secretary on Drug Control Policy
    November 3, 1993

        The President today signed a decision directive that provides a
    policy framework for U.S. international drug control efforts as part of
    the Administration's overall counterdrug policy. The President
    designated Director Lee Brown of the Office of National Drug Control
    Policy as responsible for oversight and direction for all counterdrug
    policies, in coordination with the National Security Council.
        In his directive to Agencies involved in the fight against illicit
    drugs in the hemisphere, the President said that the scourge of illegal
    narcotics is severely damaging the social fabric of the United States
    and other countries. He said that the operation of international
    criminal narcotics syndicates is a national security threat requiring an
    extraordinary and coordinated response by civilian and military
    agencies, both unilaterally and by mobilizing international cooperation
    with other nations and international organizations such as the U.N.,
    OAS, and international financial institutions.
        The President's directive, the result of an exhaustive 8-month
    review of U.S. international policies and strategies, instructed Federal
    Agencies to change the emphasis in U.S. international drug programs from
    the past concentration largely on stopping narcotics shipments to a more
    evenly distributed effort across three programs:
        --assisting source countries in addressing the root causes of
            narcotics production and trafficking through assistance for
            sustainable development, strengthening democratic institutions
            and cooperative programs to counter narcotics traffickers, money
            laundering, and supply of chemical precursors;
        --combating international narco-trafficking organizations;
        --emphasizing more selective and flexible interdiction programs near
            the U.S. border, in the transit zone, and in source countries.
        He directed that a working group chaired by the State Department
    manage implementation of the international strategy, reporting its
    activities to Director Brown.
        The President stressed the need for American leadership in the fight
    against international drug trafficking. He pledged to work with the
    Congress to ensure adequate funding for international counterdrug
    programs.