[Via Communist Internet... http://www.egroups.com/group/Communist-Internet ] . . CITES committee on trade in endangered species meets The 17th conference of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Committee opened in Hanoi on July 30 with the participation of 135 delegates from 42 countries in the world. During the five-day conference, the participants are discussing the classification of fauna, registration and management of animals and their farms, transportation of living animals, trade in coral and traditional medicines, labelling of salted fish eggs, trade in fresh water turtles in South East Asia, preservation of seahorses, and trade in sharks and hybrid creatures. Addressing the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Cong Tan said that Vietnam has paid a special attention to protecting its environment. The country has carried out activities in line with the CITES and effectively implemented its obligations as a CITES member. Vietnam has built more than 100 nature reserves and national parks. The government has issued legal documents to protect and develop forests as well as endangered fauna and flora. It has also instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to draft a government decree on the implementation of the CITES. In addition, Vietnamese scientific workers have co-ordinated with international organisations and scientists in conducting surveys and discovered many rare species of fauna and flora not only in Vietnam, but also in the region and the world. Vietnam officially became a CITES member in 1994. (VNA) ****
