Environment And Forestry Minister Pepe Leaves For Italy

ISTANBUL - Environment and Forestry Minister Osman Pepe said on Wednesday that the two sea accidents which took place in Istanbul Strait and Black Sea fortunately didn't cause any harm, but such accidents showed the big dangers which Istanbul and straits faced.
''Straits can't be regarded as oil pipelines by anybody,'' said Pepe.
Pepe left for Italy the same day to attend the '''13th Conference of the Parties to the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea and of its Coastal region'' and the ministerial meeting on ''the specificity of Mountain Areas in the European Union.''
Speaking to press members before leaving for Rome, Pepe said that issues of ''implementation of Sustainable Development Action Plan (Johannesburg Plan) in the Mediterranean, determination of strategies aiming to decrease polluters, development of Council of Europe Action Plan for the Mediterranean, and adoption of Biological Diversity Strategic Action Plan and Catania Declaration'' would be taken up in the first meeting.
Pepe said that he would later attend the ministerial meeting on ''the specificity of Mountain Areas in the European Union,'' adding that the meeting would draw attention to the International Year of the Mountain in 2002 which was announced at the end of a series activities pioneered by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in order to increase consciousness of public opinion for protection of mountain ecosystems and mountain resources. Formation of a permanent secretariat within FAO regarding the issue would also come onto agenda during the meeting, he said.
Pepe said that he would also hold bilateral contacts with ministers of other countries particularly with Italian and German environment ministers, adding that the technical committee which was formed between Italian Environment Ministry and Turkish Environment and Forestry Ministry would start its activities next January.
Upon questions of journalists about the two sea accidents which took place in Istanbul Anadolufeneri and Blacksea yesterday, Pepe said that ''yesterday two ships sank. Fueloil leaked from those ships to straits, Black Sea and Marmara. Fortunately those ships were not oil ships full of fuel oil.''
Pepe will return to Turkey on November 15.
(ÖŞ-AY) 12.11.2003