WASHINGTON, United States President Barack Obama has named threeCaribbean Community (CARICOM) countries among what he has described asthe worlds major drug-transit and illicit drug-producing nations.

Obama identified the Bahamas, Haiti and Jamaica among 20 countries with those designations in 2009.

The others include the Dominican Republic, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Brazil, Col****ia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela.

Under the Foreign Relations Authorisation Act (FAA), the President isrequired to notify Congress of those countries he determines to bemajor illicit drug-producing countries or major drug-transitcountries, said a US State Department statement issued here.

A countrys presence on the list does not necessarily reflect itscounter-narcotics efforts nor does it reflect its cooperation with theUnited States, it added, noting that the designation can reflect ac****ination of geographic, commercial, and economic factors that allowdrugs to be produced and/or trafficked through a country despite itsown best efforts.

When a country does not live up to its obligations under internationalcounter-narcotics agreements and conventions, the President determinesthat the country has failed demonstrably, the State Department said,pointing out that such a designation can lead to sanctions.

At the same time, it said the President may execute a waiver shouldhe determine that continuing US assistance is in the national interestof the United States.

But the State Department warned that, even without such a waiver,humanitarian assistance and counter-narcotics assistance may continue