For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 15, 2005

Statement on President Authorizing Secretary of State to Transmit to Congress Annual Report Listing Major Illicit Drug-Producing and Drug-Transit Countries

President Bush has authorized the Secretary of State to transmit to Congress the annual report listing major illicit drug-producing and drug-transit countries (known as the "Majors List"). The same report contains Presidential determinations of the countries that have "failed demonstrably" to make substantial efforts during the previous 12 months to adhere to international counternarcotics agreements and to take the counternarcotics measures specified in U.S. law.

In his report, the President identified as major drug-transit or major illicit drug-producing countries: Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela.

The President removed China and Vietnam from the list of major drug-transit or major illicit drug-producing countries.

The President also reported to Congress his determination that Burma and Venezuela have "failed demonstrably," during the previous 12 months, to adhere to their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements and take the measures set forth in U.S. law. However, the President also determined to maintain U.S. programs that aid Venezuela's democratic institutions, establish selected community development projects, and strengthen Venezuela's political party system.

The certification determinations required the President to consider each country's performance in areas such as reducing illicit cultivation, interdiction, law enforcement cooperation, extraditing drug traffickers, and taking legal steps and law enforcement measures to prevent and punish public corruption that facilitates drug trafficking or impedes prosecution of drug-related crimes. The President also considered efforts taken by these countries to stop production and export of, and reduce the domestic demand for, illegal drugs.

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