[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 9 (Monday, March 3, 1997)]
[Page 268]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Memorandum on Certification for Major Narcotics Producing and Transit 
Countries

February 28, 1997

Presidential Determination No. 97-18

Memorandum for the Secretary of State

Subject: Certification for Major Narcotics Producing and Transit 
Countries

    By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 490(b)(1)(A) of 
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, (``the Act''), I hereby 
determine and certify that the following major drug producing and/or 
major drug transit countries/dependent territories have cooperated fully 
with the United States, or taken adequate steps on their own, to achieve 
full compliance with the goals and objectives of the 1988 United Nations 
Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic 
Substances:
      Aruba, The Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Dominican 
      Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, 
      Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Taiwan, Thailand, 
      Venezuela, and Vietnam.
    By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 490(b)(1)(B) of 
the Act, I hereby determine that it is in the vital national interests 
of the United States to certify the following major illicit drug 
producing and/or transit countries:
      Belize, Lebanon, and Pakistan.
    Analysis of the relevant U.S. vital national interests, as required 
under section 490(b)(3) of the Act, is attached. I have determined that 
the following major illicit drug producing and/or major transit 
countries do not meet the standards set forth in section 490(b) for 
certification:
      Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, Iran, Nigeria, and Syria.
    In making these determinations, I have considered the factors set 
forth in section 490 of the Act, based on the information contained in 
the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report of 1997. Because the 
performance of each of these countries/dependent territories has 
differed, I have attached an explanatory statement for each of the 
countries/dependent territories subject to this determination.
    You are hereby authorized and directed to report this determination 
to the Congress immediately and to publish it in the Federal Register.
                                            William J. Clinton