[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 5 (Monday, February 3, 2003)]
[Pages 136-137]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Memorandum on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing 
Countries for 2003

January 30, 2003

 Presidential Determination No. 2003-14

Memorandum for the Secretary of State

Subject: Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit or Major 
Illicit Drug Producing Countries for 2003

    Pursuant to section 706(1) of the Foreign Relations Authorization 
Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-228) (FRAA), which was enacted on 
September 30, 2002, I hereby identify the following countries as major 
drug transit or major illicit drug producing countries: Afghanistan, The 
Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, 
Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nigeria, 
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
    The Majors List applies by its terms to countries. The United States 
Government interprets the term broadly to include entities that exercise 
autonomy over actions or omissions that could lead to a decision to 
place them on the list and, subsequently, to determine their eligibility 
for certification. A country's presence on the Majors List is not 
necessarily an adverse reflection of its government's counternarcotics 
efforts or level of cooperation with the United States. Consistent with 
the statutory definition of a major drug transit or drug producing 
country set forth in section 481(e)(5) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
1961, as amended (FAA), one of the reasons that major drug transit or 
drug producing countries are placed on the list is the combination of 
geographical, commercial, and economic factors that allow drugs to 
transit or be produced despite the concerned government's most assiduous 
enforcement measures.
    Pursuant to section 706(2)(A) of the FRAA, I hereby designate Burma, 
Guatemala, and Haiti as countries that have failed demonstrably during 
the previous 12 months to adhere to their obligations under 
international counternarcotics agreements and take the measures set 
forth in section

[[Page 137]]

489(a)(1) of the FAA. Attached to this memorandum are justifications for 
each of the countries so designated, as required by section 706(2)(B).
    I have also determined, in accordance with provisions of section 
706(3)(A) of the FRAA, that provision of United States assistance to 
Guatemala and Haiti in FY 2003 is vital to the national interests of the 
United States.
    Additionally, the alarming increase in the quantity of illegal 
synthetic drugs entering the United States, especially ecstasy from 
Europe, is of particular concern. A significant amount of the ecstasy 
consumed in the United States is manufactured clandestinely in The 
Netherlands (in 2001, a total of 9.5 million ecstasy tablets were seized 
in the United States, and the Drug Enforcement Administration believes 
that the majority of tablets originated in The Netherlands). We are 
working closely with Dutch authorities to stop the production and export 
of ecstasy, which we both regard as a serious threat to our citizens. We 
expect Dutch authorities to move effectively and measurably in the 
coming year against the production and export of this drug, including 
dismantling labs and proceeding against trafficking organizations. Early 
in the year, we plan to discuss specific steps we can take together to 
reduce drug trafficking.
    Although the United States enjoys an excellent level of bilateral 
cooperation with Canada, the United States Government is concerned that 
Canada is a primary source of pseudoephedrine and an increasing source 
of high potency marijuana, which are exported to the United States. Over 
the past few years there has been an alarming increase in the amount of 
pseudoephedrine diverted from Canadian sources to clandestine drug 
laboratories in the United States, where it is used to make 
methamphetamine. The Government of Canada, for the most part, has not 
regulated the sale and distribution of precursor chemicals. The 
regulations to restrict the availability of pseudoephedrine, which the 
Government of Canada has just promulgated, should be stronger. 
Notwithstanding Canada's inadequate control of illicit diversion of 
precursor chemicals, I commend Canadian law enforcement agencies, which 
continue to work energetically to support our joint law enforcement 
efforts.
    Under section 706 of the FRAA, you are hereby authorized and 
directed to submit this memorandum to the Congress, and to publish it in 
the Federal Register.
                                                George W. Bush

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., February 4, 
2003]

Note: This memorandum was released by the Office of the Press Secretary 
on January 31. The memorandum and its attached statements of explanation 
will be published in the Federal Register on February 5.