"Of the ten ASEAN members only Indonesia that has not ratified the agreement. Following Indonesia`s appointment as ASEAN chair for 2011 we will try to speed up the ratification," he said.
Arief said that meetings had been held among institutions to lead the process and discuss kinds of regulations to be made.
The ASEAN Agreement on Trans-boundary Haze Pollution was signed by ten countries on June 2011 in Kuala Lumpur and had been effective as of November 25, 2003 after six countries ratified it.
If the agreement is ratified a lot of benefit would be enjoyed by Indonesia such as opportunities to use human resources and equipment available in ASEAN member countries and outside ASEAN to conduct monitoring, assessment and emergency response on forest fires that cause trans-boundary haze.
The opportunity is also open for Indonesia to become an ASEASN Center that could benefit optimally from transfer of knowledge and technology and researches to minimize forest fires, educate and promote public awareness through ASEAN cooperation and with international assistance towards prevention, mitigation and control of forest fires.
Indonesia could also strengthen its management and capability in the prevention, mitigation, readiness, monitoring, control of forest fires.
In economic terms Indonesia would be able to benefit bigger Clean Development Mechanism benefit if no forest fires happen.
Negative campaign from Europe on the country`s palm oil or wood could also be avoided, he said.
"In view of that I think this process is important and must be escorted and followed up whether it would become a draft law or a presidential decree," he said. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
