§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about his consultations with the American Government about an Anglo-American response to the Turkish Government's policy on poppy growing resulting in potential increase in the production of substances likely to cause drug addiction.
§ Mr. HattersleyI understand that the Turkish Government are still conducting a review of the effects of the ban on poppy growing in Turkey and have not yet finally formulated their policy. We are concerned on humanitarian grounds at the possibility that the ban might be lifted, and have been in touch with the Turkish Government. We have also had contacts with the United States Government.
The Turkish Government have stated that if it is decided that the licit cultivation and export of opium should be recommenced they intend to enforce strictly the controls required under the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961 of which Turkey is a party.