RI, Malaysia to cooperate in forestry projects<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and Malaysia yesterday agreed to
\ncooperate in fighting international campaigns against tropical
\ntimber and to conduct joint forestry projects with a view to
\nincreasing cost-efficiency and productivity.<\/p>\n
Officials of the two countries also agreed yesterday, at the
\nconclusion of the eighth ministerial meeting of the Indonesia-
\nMalaysia Joint Working Committee on Forestry, to work against the
\nunilateral bans imposed on the use of tropical timber by a number
\nof regional administrations of member-countries of the European
\nUnion.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's 40-member delegation to the two-day workshop was
\nled by Minister of Forestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo, while the
\n35-member Malaysian delegation was led by Minister of Primary
\nIndustries Lim Keng Yaik.<\/p>\n
\"The ASEAN-Brussels Committee will discuss with the EU the
\npossibility of eliminating the unilateral actions and bans
\nimposed by the local governments. We will also ask the EU to
\nencourage those governments to abide by EU regulations as well as
\nthe commitments reached through the World Trade Organization
\n(WTO) and the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO),\"
\nDjamaludin told a press conference.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin, who was accompanied by his Malaysian counterpart,
\nsaid both countries would explore the possibility of resolving
\nthe matter through the WTO.<\/p>\n
\"Although the ITTO has set the year 2000 as the starting-point
\nfor the introduction of eco-labeling requirements,
\nenvironmentalists and non-governmental organizations in Europe
\nhave already embarked on their boycotts,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Lim contended that anti-tropical timber campaigns have caused
\nMalaysia to lose about 50 percent of its market share in Europe,
\nparticularly in Germany and the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
\"The governments of these countries do not ban the use of
\ntropical timber, but local administrations do,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Malaysia agreed to work together to meet the
\nITTO's target for the year 2000, emphasizing that both producer
\ncountries and countries consuming tropical timber must carry an
\nequal amount of responsibility in achieving sustainable forest
\nmanagement.<\/p>\n
Vice chairmanship<\/p>\n
Malaysia also pledged its support yesterday for the nomination
\nof Indonesia's Wisber Loeis as vice chairman of the ITTO for
\n1996.<\/p>\n
Both expressed the view that close cooperation should be
\nmaintained and strengthened to ensure that the Intergovernmental
\nPanel on Forests focuses on critical forestry issues and provides
\nclear recommendations for concrete actions.<\/p>\n
Such issues include the establishment of rules applicable to
\nall types of forests, thereby avoiding double standards,
\ndiscriminatory practices and bans on the sale of products of a
\nparticular type of forest, the countries' representatives said.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin emphasized that developed countries, which mostly
\nhad boreal and temperate forests, should also implement
\nsustainable forest management practices.<\/p>\n
Malaysia and Indonesia also agreed yesterday to collaborate in
\nimplementing the Forest Principles established during the Earth
\nSummit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.<\/p>\n
On the issue of the illegal trans-border timber trade between
\nthe two countries, it was agreed that Indonesia would step up its
\nmonitoring of the movement of timber within its jurisdiction.<\/p>\n
The Malaysian Timber Industry Board, for its part, will
\nprovide accurate information on the certification and origin of
\nimported timber.<\/p>\n
A joint committee will be established to monitor the
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
The next ministerial meeting of the Indonesia-Malaysia Joint
\nWorking Committee on Forestry will be held in Miri, Sarawak, at
\nthe end of next year. (mun\/pwn)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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