1. Malaysia hosted the ASEAN Meeting on the Management of Transboundary Pollution in Kuala Lumpur on 14-17 June 1995. The Meeting consisted of Official- Level and Ministerial segments. The Ministerial Meeting on 17 June 1995 was attended by Ministers from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The Philippines and Thailand were represented by senior officials.
2. The Ministerial Meeting was preceded by an Official-Level Meeting on 14-16 June 1995 attended by delegates from ASEAN member countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Japan, New Zealand, United States of America, ASEAN Institute of Porest Management, ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre, International Tropical Timber Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme.
3. The Official-Level Meeting considered the reports presented by ASEAN member countries, other invited countries and international organisations on their experiences in dealing with the issue of transboundary pollution. The Meeting also developed an ASEAN Cooperation Plan on Transboundary Pollution which was adopted by the Ministers at their meeting on 17 June 1995. The Plan comprises of three programme areas:
- Transboundary Atmospheric Pollution
- Transboundary Ship-borne Pollution
- Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes
In each programme area the objectives, strategies, activities and institutional arrangements are further elaborated.
4. The Plan of Cooperation also contains a section on Resources and Extra Regional Support which describes the various sources of technical expertise and financial assistance that are available or can be mobilised to support ASEAN's efforts in implementing the Plan.
5. The Plan further includes a section on Implementation and Evaluation which outlines the steps required to implement the Plan and evaluate the progress made. A copy of the Plan is attached to this Press Statement.
6. The ASEAN Plan of Cooperation on Transboundary Pollution represents a significant milestone in the history of ASEAN environmental cooperation as it reflects the common resolve of ASEAN member countries to join hands in addressing a significant problem facing the region.
