Bolivia Demands WHO to Disseminate Study on Coca Leaf

http://www.insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2011/january/25/latinamerica11012502.htm

La Paz - Bolivia will demand the World Health Organization (WHO) to spread the results of the study on coca leaf in 1995, to give everyone a real insight into its properties

According to the research, coca leaf chewing is not harmful to human health and therefore the WHO recommended then further research to identify the properties of the coca leaf, said Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca.

During his appearance on the Sunday program "El Pueblo es Noticia ", the Bolivian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship regretted that the WHO has not published the research and attributed this attitude to possible pressure from some power.

Bolivia launched an international campaign for the UN to approve an amendment to the Convention adopted in 1961, banning the chewing of coca without considering that this is part of the ancestral culture of some Andean peoples and is in full force, because of the faith in its healing powers.

Choquehuanca said the Bolivian intention was communicated to the WHO by President Evo Morales through a letter, after which the approach went to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), for procedural issues.

This UN dependence set an 18 month-term for members to express their position on the chewing of coca.

"This period ends on January 30. So far there is any official position of UN member countries, there is expressions of support that were released to Bolivia, although", said the Foreign Minister.

As part of the international campaign, Choquehuanca visited last week Spain, Belgium, France and Britain and verified the interest in knowing the reasons for coca leaf chewing.