SE Asian ministers talk about haze

SE Asian ministers talk about haze

KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia (AFP): Southeast Asian environment
ministers began talks Friday on ways to combat the choking haze
which has blanketed parts of the region in recent years.

Indonesia recognizes the regional anger over the pollution and
is prosecuting plantation companies which start most of the
blazes to clear land, Jakarta's Environment Minister Sonny Keraf
was quoted as saying before the meeting began.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) adopted an
action plan to douse the fires at the height of the pollution in
late 1997. The haze returned to a lesser degree in 1998 and this
year.

Keraf, in an interview with The Sun newspaper, pleaded for
understanding and said Indonesia faced several constraints
including a lack of firefighting equipment.