“Drugs destroy lives and communities, undermine sustainable human development and generate crime. Drugs affect all sectors of society in all countries; in particular, drug abuse affects the freedom and development of young people, the world’s most valuable asset. Drugs are a grave threat to the health and well-being of all mankind, the independence of States, democracy, the stability of nations, the structure of all societies and the dignity and hope of millions of people and their families;” ¹⁾

1. Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the political declaration of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (1998);
   
   

2. Solicited by the Joint Communique of the 33rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting held in Bangkok on 24-25 July 2000, and the Resolution of the UNDCP Conference on Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS) in East and South-East Asia held in Tokyo on 24-27 January 2000;
   
   

3. We, the Participating States ²⁾ in the International Congress “In Pursuit of a Drug-Free ASEAN 2015: Sharing the Vision, Leading the Change” held in Bangkok on 11 - 13 October 2000, deeply concerned about the growing threat of the drug problem ³⁾, in particular the new and dangerous phenomenon of ATS, and its related menace, hereby declare our continued political will and commitment in the full realization of the following:

1. Stress the urgent need for collective and shared responsibility of the international community in addressing root causes of drug problems and their related menace in a comprehensive manner through an intersectoral approach and integrated coordination at national, regional and international levels;
   
   

2. Also stress the prime responsibility of concerned countries to employ all possible means to overcome drug problems by intensifying measures to reduce both the illicit supply of and demand for drugs, including raising public awareness of drug problems;
   
   

3. Emphasize the immediate need for all countries to place drug issues as one of the high priorities on their national development agendas;
   
   

4. Affirm the need for an intersectoral plan of action with clear objectives, measurable targets, collectively owned by the international community, that will enable us to execute the necessary actions towards the achievement of our common goal of a drug-free ASEAN 2015 and of the implementation of the ACCORD Plan of Action ⁴⁾ ;
   
   

5. Endorse the ACCORD Plan of Action and its four pillars namely, to proactively advocate civic awareness on dangers of drugs and social response; to build consensus and share best practices on demand reduction; to strengthen the rule of law by an enhanced network of control measures and improved law enforcement cooperation and legislative review; to eliminate the supply of illicit drugs by boosting alternative development programmes and community participation in the eradication of illicit crops;
   
   

6. Commit ourselves to consider contributing financial resources in the full implementation of the Bangkok Political Declaration: In Pursuit of a Drug-Free ASEAN 2015 and the ACCORD Plan of Action through the existing mechanisms of grants to the Organizations of the United Nations System and ASEAN;
   
   

7. Call upon the G8 countries to take appropriate actions to support regional initiatives to end narcotics production and trafficking as mentioned in their G8 Communique, Okinawa, 23 July 2000.
   
   

8. Call upon the United Nations System and invite the European Union, international financial institutions, the Asian Development Bank and other best institutions of mankind to join us in our collaborative efforts in pursuit of a drug-free ASEAN 2015 and the ACCORD Plan of Action;
   
   

9. Urge UNDCP and ASEAN to raise funds from funding sources for financing the ASEAN Three Year Plan of Action on Drug Abuse Control and the ACCORD Plan of Action and for assisting the countries in the execution of these plans of action and to report to their respective responsible bodies through their annual reports.

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1) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly, S-20/2 Political Declaration, UNGASS, 10 June 1998.

2) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Laos, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States of America and Viet Nam.

3) Illicit cultivation, production, manufacturing, sale, demand, trafficking and distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, including amphetamine-type stimulants, the diversion of precursors and related criminal activities.

4) ASEAN and China Cooperative Operations in Response to Dangerous Drugs (ACCORD).