§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Malaysian Government to prevent further deforestation of the Sarawak region.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI have been asked to reply.
My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development held discussions on 15 May 1992 with a delegation led by the Malaysian Minister of Primary Industries, Dr. Lim Keng Yaik. The two Ministers signed a memorandum of understanding on co-operation for the conservation, management and development of forest resources, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
We have regular contact with the Malaysian Government on policies in this area as on many other issues. It is clear from these contacts that the Malaysians are very much aware of international concern about such matters.
436WThe Sarawak state authorities have made a number of important undertakings to the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) Council. At a meeting in November 1991, they reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable forest management and declared their intention to reach sustainability before the year 2000. They also announced measures to bring extraction levels down within two years to those recommended by the 1990 ITTO mission led by Lord Cranbrook. We, like many other countries, consider this to be a welcome statement of intent.