---------- > > > > > >Subject: EU calls on Indonesia to rein in illegal loggers > > > > > >EU calls on Indonesia to rein in illegal loggers > > > > > >JAKARTA, Dec 3 (AFP) - The European Union has serious concerns about the > > >extent of illegal logging in Indonesia, home to 10 percent of the world's > > >remaining tropical rainforests, an EU envoy said Friday. > > > > > >Poul Nielson, EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, said > he > > >had raised the issue in talks Friday with Vice President Megawati > > >Sukarnoputri. > > > > > >"We have concerns as to the extent and uncontrolled character of illegal > > >logging. This is a problem that must be addressed," he told a press > > >conference here at the end of a five-day visit which also took him to > East > > >Timor. > > > > > >"I see it as a test case of governance for the new Indonesian government. > > >Whether or not they are able to do something real about this problem." > > > > > >The EU has set up five joint projects with Indonesia to protect, conserve > > >and > > >sustainably manage the country's forestry resources providing direct EU > > >funding to the tune of 85 million euros (84.8 million dollars). > > > > > >The projects have been set up in different provinces across the vast > > >archipelago which counts a vast biodiversity and is home to a number of > > >endangered species, including the orang-utan, now only find in Borneo. > > > > > >Illegal logging was "a threat to the ecological future that we all share, > > >and it is also a threat to the economy of any country if there is this > > >uncontrolled depletion of its natural resources," Nielson said. > > > > > >Indonesia's lucrative plywood, pulp, paper and timber industries are said > > >to be highly reliant on illegal logging, which consumes tens of millions > of > > >cubic metres of timber a year. > > > > > >The military, police and cronies of former president Suharto are thought > to > > >still have a stranglehold on the industries. > > > > > > > ********************************************************************* > Forest-Pacrim is an e-mail network of activists working on > PACIFIC RIM FOREST TRADE > To distribute information or questions to the group simply > SEND YOUR MESSAGE to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > _____________________________________________________________ > Start the new year off right by referring a list to Topica. > You'll earn $300 and your list owner friends will thank you. > http://www.topica.com/t/9 -= Dual T3 Webhosting on Dual Pentium III 450 - www.indoglobal.com =- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
