Indonesia stresses regional coordination in addressing haze issues

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Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry stressed the need for coordination at the ASEAN level to address haze in neighboring countries caused by forest fires in Indonesia.

Spokesperson Vahd Nabyl A. Mulachela said Indonesia is in intensive contact on the issue with partners such as Malaysia, bilaterally and through existing ASEAN mechanisms.

“Indonesia is committed to resolving the haze issue. Coordination is required since it cannot be resolved by only a single country or institution,” Mulachela said at a press conference on Thursday.

“We need coordination to address the issue,” he added.

The spokesperson said ASEAN has its own mechanism for cross-border haze, the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP).

In a spirit of cooperation and dialogue, Indonesia will keep working to control forest fires and mitigate their effects in neighboring countries.

Indonesia will also consider cooperation offers or proposed actions from partner countries as the situation develops, he added.

Malaysia plans to raise the transboundary haze issue at a foreign ministers’ meeting ahead of the 49th ASEAN Summit in the Philippines in November, seeking a more effective regional mechanism, media reports said.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said on October 12 that haze needs special attention, and he would personally raise the issue with fellow foreign ministers at the meeting.

Malaysia will keep pursuing diplomatic avenues and ASEAN mechanisms on haze from Indonesia, Malaysia’s national news agency BERNAMA reported on October 15.

Hasan said Malaysia prioritizes direct talks between leaders and regional avenues on sensitive haze issues, using legal action or protest notes only as last resorts because of their diplomatic implications.