Today President Clinton is sending to Congress his annual decisions on narcotics certification. Also, the State Department will send its report on International Narcotics Control Strategy to Capitol Hill. I'm here briefly to discuss the President's key decisions. And I want to begin by welcoming my Cabinet colleagues, Attorney General Reno and Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, General McCaffrey. Their presence symbolizes the strong team effort we are making in the war against drugs.
Every nation has a stake because wherever illegal drugs are found, societies suffer.
Clearly, we will succeed in our efforts only if consuming countries, producing countries and transit countries work together not with their fingers pointed or their elbows out, but with their arms linked. We make our certification decisions not to stand above other countries in judgment, but to hold them up to the same public scrutiny to which we hold ourselves. Our National Drug Plan is a public document, and we expect to be measured publicly by its effectiveness. So let me assure all our partners that we are not asking of them any more than we ask of ourselves. This year, the President granted full certification to 22 of the 30 major drug-producing and transit countries on our list.