UN General Assembly
2001

decrease in the poppy crop in Afghanistan this year has not resulted in a reduction of illicit heroin trafficking, either to neighbouring countries or to Europe. Huge amounts of raw opium stored in the Taliban-controlled territory were used for heroin trafficking. The quantity of heroin that has been destroyed in Tajikistan this year alone is three times as much as last year, and this amounts to tons of this deadly product. As a result of the tragic events of 11 September, a new situation has emerged in Afghanistan. The United Nations has been unable to continue assistance to the Afghan farmers and exercise control over drug production and trade. The Taliban movement, for whom, under the current circumstances, drug trafficking has become one of its major sources of income, took advantage of this situation. That has put an additional burden on neighbouring countries, such as Tajikistan, that are trying to block drug trafficking from Afghanistan. We understand that the drug threat emanating from Afghanistan can be eliminated only through a lasting peace settlement in the country and