¡¡¡¡YANGON, Jan. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- A two-day coordination meeting on control of trafficking in chemical precursors used in producing narcotics in Myanmar, India and China ended here Tuesday.

¡¡¡¡The meeting, co-sponsored by the Myanmar Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control and the Bangkok-based UN Drug and Crime Office (UNDCO), discussed UNDCO's participation in Myanmar-India cross border cooperation, providing assistance to Myanmar by India and China and holding another meeting in Myanmar in August this year.

¡¡¡¡The meeting, which began on Monday with 26 delegates from the three countries, was aimed at enhancing cooperation of the three nations in control of trafficking in chemical precursors used in producing narcotics including ephedrine.

¡¡¡¡Myanmar's opium production was estimated to drop from 1,097 tons in 2001 to 828 tons in 2002 and expected to decrease to 400 tons in 2003.

¡¡¡¡Although the opium output has declined to a certain extent, theproblem of precursors and stimulant drugs has become more and moreserious at present.

¡¡¡¡According to official statistics, during the past 14 years since 1988, Myanmar seized 532,147 liters of precursor chemicals, 20,187 kilograms of ephedrine, and 82,061.8 liters of acetic anhydride as well as over 116 million tablets of stimulant drugs. Enditem

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