28 Jan 2011

UN / COCA LEAF

Briefing journalists on Bolivia’s intention to amend the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in relation to coca leaf chewing. Bolivian Ambassador Pablo Solon says that his country is not looking to have unlimited cultivation of coca leaves. UNTV/ FILE

Posted at: January 28, 2011 5:18 pm

Duration: 02:55

Available in: SD

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STORY: UN / COCA LEAF
TRT: 2.55
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 28 JANUARY 2011, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

RECENT 2011, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

28 JANUARY 2011, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Bolivian Ambassador Pablo Solon sitting down
3. Cutaway, press conference room
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Pablo Solon, Permanent Representative of Bolivia to the United Nations:
"What we are asking is that the two references that have to do with the coca leaf chewing should be deleted. If these two references are deleted that doesn't mean that all the countries legalize coca leaf chewing in their territories. That only means and allows countries like Bolivia to establish inside their territories the right of its people to chew coca leaf."
5. Cutaway, reporters
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Pablo Solon, Permanent Representative of Bolivia to the United Nations:
"I had conversations with very high officials in Washington and they recognize that it's a practice that is part of indigenous culture and it should be respected. What they say is, 'how do we do this without changing the convention'. And from our side is 'well if you want to respect indigenous rights you have to recognize your mistake, our mistake need to recognize your mistake and we have to amend the convention."
7. Cutaway, reporters
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Pablo Solon, Permanent Representative of Bolivia to the United Nations:
"Bolivia is not saying at all that we want to have unlimited cultivation of coca leaves. We clearly have stated that. Coca leaf cultivation should be controlled. Why? Because there are coca leafs that are being delivered to narcotraffic so there must be control over coca leaf cultivation and it cannot be something that is free without no limits inside our territory. Coca leaf cultivation should be reduced to the proportion that allows traditional consumption chewing of coca leaf."

17-29 NOVEMBER 2008, CUSCO, PERU

9. Various shots, indigenous woman folding and chewing coca leaves
10. Various shots, indigenous man with his children in the jungle chewing leaves

17-29 NOVEMBER 2008, AGUAYTIA, PERU

11. Various shots, coca plants

STORYLINE:

Bolivian Ambassador Pablo Solon briefed journalists today at the United Nations (UN) in New York on his country's proposal to remove language from the UN's 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs that obliges those countries that signed it to ban the chewing of coca leaves.

Solon told reporters that Bolivia was asking to have the two references having to do with the coca leaf chewing deleted permanently, adding that deleting them didn't mean that all countries were legalizing coca leaf chewing in their territories.

"That only means and allows countries like Bolivia to establish inside their territories the right of its people to chew coca leaf", Solon said.

Monday January 31st is the deadline for countries to raise objections to Bolivia's proposed amendment.

Solon said that six countries had filed formal objections to Bolivia's move to de- penalize coca leaf chewing. But three countries, Colombia, Macedonia and Egypt, withdrew them. The United States (US), United Kingdom and Sweden have maintained their formal objections.

The ambassador said he had conversations with "very high officials" in Washington who recognized the coca leaf chewing practice as part of the Bolivian indigenous culture and that it should be respected, but, he said that the US will still maintain their objection to the convention.

Solon said that Bolivia was not looking to have unlimited cultivation of coca leaves. "We clearly have stated that. Coca leaf cultivation should be controlled", he said adding that Coca leaf cultivation should be reduced to the proportion that allows traditional consumption chewing of coca leaf.

The adoption of the 1961 United Nations Convention was regarded as a milestone in the history of international drug control. The Single Convention codified all existing multilateral treaties on drug control and extended the existing control systems to include the cultivation of plants that were grown as the raw material of narcotic drugs.

The principal objectives of the Convention were to limit the possession, use, trade in, distribution, import, export, manufacture and production of drugs exclusively to medical and scientific purposes and to address drug trafficking through international cooperation to deter and discourage drug traffickers.