Turkey And Italy To Make Cooperation In Environment

ANKARA - Turkey and Italy decided to sign a cooperation agreement in environment and forestry.
Ministry of Environment and Forestry said on Tuesday that Environment and Forestry Minister Osman Pepe, who was currently in Cuba for the U.N. conference on United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, met with Italian Environment Minister Altero Matteali.
During the meeting, Pepe said that they wanted cooperation between the two countries in environment and forestry and that they particularly wanted this cooperation to focus on using donations or long-term loans from the European Union (EU).
Italian Environment Minister Matteali said in his part that they would be pleased to make cooperation with Turkey in various fields. He added that Italy attributed great importance to Turkey's EU candidacy.
Matteali stated that the studies which were earlier taken in fields of environment and forestry should be finished as soon as possible and Turkey had to convey its proposals to Italian side. The two sides decided to organize technical personnel visits and to finish all studies in order to sign an agreement between the two countries during the U.N. climate change meeting that will be held in Italy in December, 2003.
(Öª-AÖ) 02.09.2003