Embassy of the United States

Speech

Counternarcotics Training Graduation

Excellency He Sophea, Lieutenant General Neth Savoeun, Brigadier General Moek Dara, Assistant Regional Director Lee, police officials, and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agents: 

Thank you for inviting me here today.  I'm delighted to be here to congratulate you as you complete your 11-day Basic Counternarcotics Training course.  This course, funded by the State Department and taught by Special Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, underlines the shared US and Cambodian commitment to fighting international crime.

This counternarcotics program illustrates that as partners, we assist each other in tackling our toughest problems—whether those problems involve terrorism, human trafficking, or narcotics – Cambodia and America stand together.

The drug problem in Cambodia is very real, and the biggest part of that problem, as you all know, is amphetamine-type stimulants.  Over 100,000 methamphetamine tablets enter Cambodia daily.  Some are consumed in Cambodia, and others are trafficked out of the country.  And of course, this problem is not unique to Cambodia.  We're able to help share our knowledge about battling drugs because we're also fighting the drug trade in our own country.  America, like Cambodia, has a serious drug problem, but together we can alleviate much of the problem.

The war on drugs, like the war on terror is a long, arduous struggle.  It does not lend itself to quick, easy solutions, and it cannot be won only by conventional means.  But the primary ingredient in this war is closer cooperation and coordination among like-minded countries, such as the United States and Cambodia.

During the past 11 days you've learned effective law enforcement techniques--from conducting surveillance to handling evidence to dealing with informants.  You've talked about worldwide trafficking trends, and now have a better sense of how drug trafficking in Cambodia is related to drug trafficking worldwide.  You've also learned how to keep yourselves safe.  And I hope you've shared your insights about trafficking in Cambodia with your DEA partners.  We don't have all the answers, and we are eager to learn from you.

Through these training exercises and the close cooperation, we are working together to stem the tide of methamphetamine, heroin and other drugs.  In fact, I'd like to thank the Anti-Drugs Department for their continuing efforts in fighting narcotics in Cambodia.  The close working relationship that we've forged with the Anti-Drugs Department over the past ten years is one that I hope can serve as a model for bilateral cooperation in other areas.

As we know all too well in the United States, the drug trade does not only affect drug users, it affects us all.  Narcotics trafficking leads to increased violence and other crimes, and money spent on drugs and on the war on drugs is money that could otherwise be used to help improve people's lives through education and economic development.  I am glad that today we can stand together to applaud these thirty newly-trained counternarcotics police officers and to reaffirm our commitment to work together to battle this problem.