OREANDA-NEWS. The Forestry Ministry of Belarus is expanding international cooperation. Head of the forestry department under the Forestry Ministry Valentin Shatravko took part in the meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Legally Binding Agreement on Forests in Europe that took place in Turkey. Attending the event were delegates from 47 countries, observers from 19 international organizations and Japan. The Committee continued the reading of the draft Legally Binding Agreement on Forests in Europe developed at the previous meeting in Bonn in September 2012.

Belarus’ participation in the meeting proved the country’s commitment to the principles of sustainable forest management, interest in developing the Forests in Europe campaign and joint implementation of international decisions. Adoption of the Legally Binding Agreement on Forests in Europe is very important at the regional and global levels as there is still no international multilateral agreement on forests. Belarus’ participation in the process opens up new prospects and creates additional conditions for developing international cooperation in the forestry. The intergovernmental negotiating committee is a promising platform for establishing and expanding contacts with European states, the Forestry Ministry said. Valentin Shatravko also held business meetings and consultations with delegates from Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova.

 According to the Forestry Ministry, agreements reached at the consultations with representatives of the forestry departments of the participating states will help expand mutually beneficial cooperation. The Committee will next meet in Saint Petersburg in April 2013.