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)