Indonesia and Malaysia to discuss forestry issues
Indonesia and Malaysia to discuss forestry issues
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and Malaysia will hold their eighth
ministerial conference on the forestry sector in Yogyakarta this
Thursday and Friday.
Minister of Forestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo said yesterday
that the two countries' delegations to the meeting will exchange
information and experiences in dealing with forestry issues.
He said the two countries would also seek common ground in
order to face future challenges, including ecolabelling
requirements.
"The two countries need to establish a single perception on
issues such as these because Indonesia and Malaysia are
practically the only producers of tropical wood in the region,"
he said.
Djamaludin said that the delegations would also discuss
follow-up actions on the 1992 Earth Summit to make sure that
there will be no double standards imposed by consumer countries.
"We will figure out ways through which consumer countries can
convince us (producers) that they will keep their promises to
give certain premiums to environmentally-friendly timber
producers," he said, stressing that abiding by environmental
regulations requires economic incentives.
Other issues to be discussed, Djamaludin said, would include
the prevention of forest fires, trans-border timber smuggling and
illegal trading.
Indonesia, he said, would also propose to become the vice
chairman of the International Tropical Timber Association.
Malaysia's delegation will consist of 35 officials led by
Minister of Primary Industries Lim Keng Yaik, while the
Indonesian delegation will consist of 40 officials led by
Minister Djamaludin.
The ministerial meeting will be preceded by a senior official
meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday in the same city.
The senior officials involved in the meeting are divided into
four committees which will discuss the expansion of forest
resources, the utilization of forests, the trading and marketing
of forestry products as well as forestry research and training.
The last ministerial meeting was held in Langkawi, Malaysia.
(31/pwn)