Day 073 - 13 Jan 95 - Page 25
1 since the Second World War up to now in Finland has had an
2 adverse effect on the environment biodiversity and other
3 things connected with it.
4
5 Q. Are there any other very strong quotes?
6 A. No, this is fine; I think that covers it well.
7
8 Q. I am still working through the statement picking out
9 particular -- is there a recognition by any representative
10 of the British government of environmental concerns about
11 forests?
12 A. Yes. I can see you are, in fact, holding the
13 proceedings of the ministerial conference on the Protection
14 of Forests in Europe which was held in Helsinki during
15 1993. Hector Munro, who was Minister of Agriculture at
16 that time, attended that conference as the representative
17 of the United Kingdom and signed various documents on our
18 behalf. At that conference I cannot remember in detail
19 what he might say, but I know it is written down in the
20 proceedings.
21
22 Q. If I can just read it out: "Mr. Chairman, for many years
23 it has been the management of tropical forest that has
24 attracted most public scrutiny and concern. The forestry
25 policies and practices of many countries in which these
26 forests lie have been subjected to severe criticism - most
27 often, it has to be said, by people living in richer
28 countries whose welfare did not depend directly on the
29 exploitation of tropical forests." This is page 124 of
30 this document.
31
32 "But the focus of public concern has widened - the
33 management of temperate and boreal forests is now under the
34 same spotlight. We must be alive to the concerns being
35 expressed. We have the opportunity here in Helsinki to
36 show that we, the governments of the countries of Europe,
37 are building on the achievements Rio", that is the United
38 Nations Ecological Conference, yes?
39 A. Indeed, yes.
40
41 Q. "We shall put into effect in our own countries forestry
42 policies and practices which stand up to the test of
43 sustainability." What is your view about what he is
44 saying there?
45 A. I think it is very important because it is the first
46 time that I know a British government minister has made a
47 statement saying, or implying anyway, that within the sort
48 of political language there might be some problems in our
49 own forests here in Europe, and he basically says what
50 I say in my own statements in various places, that in the
51 past the focus was on tropical forests, and now it is
52 moving to our own forests, partly because we got called
53 hypocrites by Third World countries like Malaysia who
54 said: "You are, basically, ruining your own forests; do
55 not tell us what to do down here. Look at your own back
56 door", which we are now doing, or governments are now
57 doing.
58
59 Q. When he said: "We shall put into effect ... forestry
60 policies and practices which stand up to the test of
