Ministers in charge of the environment from some ASEAN countries will discuss issues surrounding haze pollution at their 15th meeting, scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 17.

The participating countries include Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

The meeting will focus on potential strategic cooperation to resolve the current haze pollution crisis, caused by a recent forest fire in Riau, Indonesia.

Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Seri G. Palanivel described haze pollution as a regional issue, as the pollution is likely to spread into neighbouring countries.

He added that in 2010, all of the bloc’s member countries, with the exception of Indonesia, ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.

Indonesian Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya told the press on July 12 that the country will share its strategic plan to deal with haze pollution, which will pay special attention to long-term and sustainable solutions preventing forest fires.

Source: VNA