Ministers concerned over nuclear testing

Ministers concerned over nuclear testing

JAKARTA (JP): Environment ministers attending a United Nations
meeting here yesterday added concern over nuclear testing to the
draft statement of the conference.

The final draft of the Jakarta Ministerial Statement on the
Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity,
scheduled for completion yesterday evening, now calls for the
assessment of the harmful effects of nuclear testing before such
activity takes place.

The document had previously not included the issue. It was
later amended to accommodate the demands of several ministers to
the Second Conference of Parties to the Convention on
Biodiversity, which will conclude tomorrow, to address nuclear
testing.

Another issue which may prove to be contentious at the final
stage of this meeting is that of funding. The latest draft of the
statement makes no mention of funding.

Controversies mostly revolve around the availability of funds
for developing countries to enable them to set up conservation
programs in relation to their natural resources.

An earlier draft had included "the provision of new and
additional financial resources" to developing countries.

This is in line with an article in the Convention, which was
issued at the 1992 Earth Summit in Brazil.

A source said debates may be resolved by including in the
final statement a reference to "the creativity of countries to
find new sources" of funding.

A delegate from Malaysia quoted Southeast Asian ministers who
said they should not rely on developed nations.

Aca Sugandhy, the head of the Indonesian delegation, told
reporters that the Jakarta statement is a step forward from the
first conference in the Bahamas.

"This statement reflects the beginning of the implementation
stage of the Convention," he said.

One crucial point is the agreement on the need of "a protocol
on the safe transfer, handling and use of any living modified
organisms resulting from modern biotechnology" that may be
ecologically harmful.

Another point is the need for government efforts to promote
education on biodiversity, in order to correct widespread
ignorance among both the public and government officials.

The ministers also "encourage" better links between the
Convention and other international conventions. This includes the
need to make agreements consistent with one another, such as the
Convention on International Trafficking of Endangered Species,
world trade agreements and intellectual property rights. (anr)