FM JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC

SUBJECT: BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF ILLICIT CROPS

REF:A) CHIANG MAI 1139 B) STATE 376972 AND PREVIOUS

1. NAS MET WITH REDACTED ON NOV. 25 REGARDING THE BIOLOGICAL CROP CONTROL PROJECT IN CHIANG MAI AND DR. DAVID SANDS’ ROLE IN IT. MOST OF THE SUBSTANTIVE QUESTIONS RAISED IN REF B WERE ANSWERED IN REF A, BUT REDACTED FURTHER CLARIFIED A FEW POINTS THAT MAY USEFUL FOR THE MEETING WITH SANDS IN WASHINGTON ON NOVEMBER 26.

2. REDACTED SAID THAT NEITHER SANDS NOR ANY ONE ELSE HAD PROVIDED THE THAI WITH FUNDS FOR THE CHIANG MAI BIOLOGICAL CONTROL STUDY. WHATEVER INCIDENTAL EXPENSES HAVE BEEN INCURRED ON THIS END HAVE BEEN BORNE BY CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY FROM REGULAR BUDGET. REDACTED SAID THAT HE HAD PRESENTED TO SANDS A PROPOSED ASSISTANCE BUDGET OF 14,000 DOLLAR PER YEAR FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, BUT THAT SANDS TOLD REDACTED LAST WEEK THE REQUEST WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE THROUGH THE EMBASSY. REDACTED TOLD NAS HE WOULD WAIT FOR THE WATERS TO CLEAR REGARDING SANDS’ ROLE BEFORE TAKING ANY FURTHER ACTION.

3. NAS QUERIED REDACTED AS TO WHETHER THE THAI FELT THE PROJECT WAS WORTHWHILE ON ITS MERITS AND WHETHER THE THAI WOULD FUND IT IF USG FUNDING DID NOT MATERIALIZE. REDACTED SAID THAT THE RESEARCH INDEED HAD PROMISE, BUT ONCB HAD NO BUDGET FOR IT. HE OPINED, HOWEVER, THAT CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY MIGHT FUND THE PROJECT.

4. REDACTED SAID THAT AS FAR AS HE KNEW, ONCE SECRETARY GENERAL CHAVALIT YODMANI HAD NOT BRIEFED ANY OTHER THAI OFFICIALS, INCLUDING DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER POW SARASIN, ON THE PROJECT. AS FAR AS WE CAN DETERMINE, THAI KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN LIMITED FORMALLY TO ONCB AND CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY, THOUGH GIVEN THAT THE RESEARCH WAS NEVER A SECRET PER SE, KNOWLEDGE OF IT HAS NO DOUBT SPREAD INFORMALLY BY WORD-OF-MOUTH.

5. REDACTED SAID THE THAI HAVE VIEWED THE RESEARCH AS A NATURAL FOLLOW-ON TO THE CONFERENCE IN VIENNA IN 1990. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE PROJECT RESULTED FROM THAI INITIATIVE. THE THAI CLEARLY GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE RESEARCH IDEA WAS FIRST BROACHED BY SANDS AND/OR OTHER USDA SCIENTISTS. NEVERTHELESS, AT THIS POINT THE THAI SEEM COMFORTABLE WITH THE PROJECT AND THEIR COOPERATION WITH IT.

6. TO GIVE WASHINGTON BETTER INSIGHT INTO THE PROPOSED MEETING ON DEC. 8, WE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING MEETING RATIONAL AND AGENDA EXACTLY AS IT WAS FIRST PROPOSED TO NAS IN EARLY NOVEMBER SHORTLY AFTER THE EMBASSY WAS ASKED TO SEND LETTERS OF INVITATION. FYI: THE THAI UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEC. 8 MEETING/VISIT HAS BEEN POSTPONED INDEFINITELY PENDING RESOLUTION OF SANDS’ ROLE AND THE FUNDING SITUATION. END FYI.

BEGIN TEXT:

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF ILLICIT CROPS
DECEMBER 8-11, 1991

RATIONALE

IN THE EARLY DECADES OF THE 1900'S IN THE USA, THE FIELD OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF PESTS WAS QUITE IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF PEST REDUCTION, INCREASED YIELD AND REDUCED NEED FOR CHEMICALS. GRADUALLY CHEMICAL USAGE INCREASED AND RESEARCH ON CHEMICALS DISPLACED RESEARCH ON BIOLOGICAL CONTROL, TO THE POINT WHERE FUNDING OF AND PUBLICATIONS ON CHEMICAL CONTROL WERE SIX-TIMES GREATER THAT WITH BIOLOGICAL CONTROL. THE ADVANTAGE OF CHEMICALS FOR THE FARMER WAS THEIR EASE OF USE, THEIR BROAD SPECTRUM AND CHEMICAL USAGE DID NOT REQUIRE MORE THAN RUDIMENTARY KNOWLEDGE OF INSECT OR DISEASE IDENTIFICATION. IF (CHEMICAL USAGE) WAS USER FRIENDLY IN ONE SENSE, OVER THE YEARS, HOWEVER, MORE AND MORE UNDERSTANDING OF THE BROAD SPECTRUM TOXICITY OF PESTICIDES HAS LED TO A FEAR OF CHEMICALS AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE PESTICIDE LEVELS IN SOME FOODS IS HIGH, ESPECIALLY IN COUNTRIES WHERE FARMERS DO NOT NEED TRAINING AND LICENSING. AS FARMERS ARE BECOMING BETTER TRAINED IN PESTICIDE USE THEY TOO FEAR THE TOXICITY OF THE CHEMICALS, AND TEND TO REDUCE USE OF CHEMICALS AND LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVES SUCH AS BIOLOGICAL CONTROL. IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS PERHAPS BIOLOGICAL CONTROL WILL BECOME AS IMPORTANT AS IT WAS AT THE START OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

OBJECTIVES:

- REVIEW THE PRESENT STATUS OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROL METHODS USED TO CONTROL ILLICIT CROPS

--IDENTIFY THE MAJOR CONSTRAINTS ON THE USE OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROL TO CONTROL ILLICIT CROPS

- THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNIQUES FOR APPLYING BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS IN THE FIELD

PLACE RINCOME HOTEL, CHIANG MAI, THAILAND

DATE 8-10 DECEMBER 1991

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE:

ORGANIZER:

DR. PONSAK ANGKASITH

CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY, CHIANG MA.I

CO-ORDINATOR: MR. SORASIT SAENGPRASERT

OFFICE OF THE NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD

(ONCE)

CROP CONTROL DIVISION

DINDAENG ROAD, SOI CHOOSRI, PHAYATHAI

BANGKOK 10400

SPONSOR:

DR. DAVID C. SANDS
DEPARTMENT OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
BOZEMAN, MONTANA 59717
USA.

PHONE (406) xxx-xxxx

FAX (406) xxx-xxxx

TENTATIVE AGENDA
INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF ILLICIT CROPS

DECEMBER 8, 1991

8:30- 15:30

16:00- 19:00

-ARRIVAL OF OVERSEA PARTICIPANTS

-INTRODUCTION OF ILLICIT CROP ERADICATION AND CROP SUBSTITUTION, COUNTRY REPORT, PROGRESS ON BIOLOGICAL CONTROL DISCUSSION

19:30 - 2:30 - DINNER

DECEMBER 9, 1991

8:00-12:00 -VISIT FIELD TRIALS OF PATHOGEN

12:00-13:00 -LUNCH AT SITE PLOT

15:30-17:30 -DISCUSSION IN MEETING ROOM

18:30 - 20:00 - DINNER

DECEMBER 10, 1991 (FULL-DAY FIELD VISIT)

STUDY TRIP TO HIGHLAND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT WHERE THE CROP SUBSTITUTION PROJECT IS UNDERWAY.

DECEMBER 11 - 13, 1991

OPTION

ILLICIT CROP ERADICATION ACTIVITY IN THIRD ARMY AREA IS ARRANGED FOR PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN OBSERVING.

END TEXT. LAMBERTSON

UNCLASSIFIED