UN's top anti-crime official to step down next year

Pino Arlacchi, the top United Nations official dealing with drug control and crime prevention, will not stay for a second full term after his current tenure expires early next year, according to a UN spokesman.

The spokesman announced the decision last Friday in a statement released after Secretary-General Kofi Annan met with Mr. Arlacchi, the Director-General of the UN Office at Vienna and Executive Director of the UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention.

During their meeting, the two officials discussed Mr. Arlacchi's appointment, which is set to expire on 28 February 2002. "Mr. Arlacchi indicated that he could not continue in his post for another full term," the statement said. "It was agreed that he would stay in his position until mid-2002."

According to the statement, Mr. Annan and Mr. Arlacchi also reviewed the state of the UN drug control programme, especially the situation in Afghanistan in the context of recent developments.