Preparation of a draft convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 33/168 of 20 December 1978, 35/195 of 15 December 1980, 36/132 of 14 December 1981, 36/168 of 16 December 1981, 37/168 of 17 December 1982, 37/198 of 18 December 1982, 38/93 and 38/122 of 16 December 1983, 39/141 and 39/143 of 14 December 1984, 40/120, 40/121 and 40/122 of 13 December 1985 and other relevant provisions,

Recalling also the Declaration on the Control of Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse of 14 December 1984, in which it is stated, inter alia, that the eradication of trafficking in narcotic drugs is the collective responsibility of all States and that States shall utilize the legal instruments against the illicit production of and demand for, abuse of and illicit traffic in drugs and adopt additional measures to counter new manifestations of this crime,

Bearing in mind the Quito Declaration against Traffic in Narcotic Drugs of 11 August 1984, the New York Declaration against Drug Trafficking and the Illicit Use of Drugs of 1 October 1984 and the Lima Declaration of 29 July 1985, in which profound alarm was expressed at the seriousness of the problem,

Noting the recommendations adopted at the first Interregional Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, held at Vienna from 28 July to 1 August 1986, which was convened pursuant to resolution 39/143 to examine in depth the most important aspects of the problem, including proposals that might be considered in the preparation of a draft convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances,

Noting also the adoption by the Organization of American States of the Inter-American Programme of Action against the Illicit Use and Production of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and Traffic Therein at the Inter-American Specialized Conference on Traffic in Narcotic Drugs, held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 22 to 25 April 1986,

Recognizing that the preliminary draft convention prepared by the Secretary-General in compliance with Commission on Narcotic Drugs resolution 1 (S-IX) of 14 February 1986 constitutes a positive step in the preparation of the convention and that the elements included in the draft correspond to many of the interests of the international community in its efforts to confront the problem of illicit drug trafficking,

Emphasizing the importance of the contribution that will be made by the convention in supplementing the existing international instruments on the subject, such as the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, as amended by the 1972 Protocol Amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971,

1.         Expresses its appreciation to and commends the Secretary-General for his effective response to the request made in paragraph 4 of Commission on Narcotic Drugs resolution 1 (S-IX), entitled "Guidance on the drafting of an international convention to combat drug trafficking", in which the Commission requested that a preliminary draft of a convention be prepared containing the elements specified in paragraph 3 of that resolution and that the draft be circulated to members of the Commission and other interested Governments;

2.         Expresses its appreciation to the Member States that responded to the request contained in paragraph 5 of Commission on Narcotic Drugs resolution 1 (S-IX), in which they were invited to submit their comments on and/or proposed textual changes to the draft, and urges all Member States that have not yet done so to comply with this request as soon as possible;

3.         Requests the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, through the Economic and Social Council, to continue at its thirty-second regular session its work on the preparation of a draft convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in the most expeditious manner, so that it may be effective, and widely acceptable, and enter into force at the earliest possible time;

4.         Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking, to be held in 1987, a report on progress achieved in the preparation of a new convention against illicit drug trafficking;

5.         Once again urges all States that have not yet done so to ratify and to accede to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, the 1972 Protocol Amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971;

6.         Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its forty-second session on the implementation of the present resolution.