U.S. lauds RI's forestry policies

U.S. lauds RI's forestry policies

JAKARTA (JP): Three U.S. politicians announced their support
of Indonesia's recent forestry policies to Minister of Forestry
Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo in Washington on Friday.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbit, Pat Roberts, who
chairs the Congressional Agriculture Committee, and Senator J.
Bennet Johnston from Louisiana cited Djamaludin's sanctions
against forestry concessionaires violating government regulations
as positive steps, Antara reported Saturday.

Aside from canceling a number of concession rights, Djamaludin
took over 49 percent of the stakes in 28 concessions to guarantee
sustainable the management of forests last year.

Djamaludin was in the United States from the end of last month
to attend a meeting on sustainable development held by the United
Nations, to meet World Bank executives and to brief a number of
U.S. officials on the development of Indonesia's forestry sector.

Several American timber companies, such as Weyerhauser and
Georgia Pacific, were actively in logging Indonesian forests
throughout the 1970s and into the early 1980s.

Antara quoted Djamaludin as saying that the World Bank,
sensing progress in Indonesia's forestry programs, was offering
to extend forestry related aid.

The World Bank, in its 1993 country report on Indonesia,
reported that the country's logging activities were above
sustainable levels. (hdj)