FOREIGN MINISTER: OVERALL CHANGE NEEDED TO CURB GLOBAL WARMING

            Jakarta  - Indonesian Foreign Minister, Hassan Wirajuda, said that an overall change at national, regional and international level would be needed to curb global warming. "To stop global warming, an overall change at national, regional and international level as well as community and individual level would be needed," he said before Yoseph E Stiglitz, a 2001 Economics Nobel laureate, delivered an address at the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta on Wednesday (15/08).

            According to the Minister, such change would save the world from certain parties seeking temporary advantage ignoring the threats of a disaster and its negative impact on human life. The spirit to make a change should be continuously nurtured by political and social institutions in Indonesia in dealing with climate change. 

            The government of Indonesia, he added, had also devised a national action plan for the safety of environmentally friendly energy. 

            "In the spirit of change, the government is seeking the best policy to make sure that there is no compromise in making a change except giving a better contribution to sustainable development of the environment," he said.

            Hassan reiterated that the Government had to work hard to taking concrete steps in the preservation of the environment in view of existing awareness of Indonesian ability to contribute more to environmental preservation.

            On that occasion, Foreign Minister also said this message for change was also conveyed by Stiglitz, because it brought about an extraordinary impact on Indonesia especially in making an economic revival in the wake of the economic crisis in Asia.

            "By such a change, Indonesia will be able to pass the transitional crisis to create a more democratic government," he said (Antara, 16/08/07).