Prince Charles asks Indonesia to preserve its forest

ANTARA News , Jambi, Mon, 11/03/2008

Prince Charles of Britain called on the Indonesian government to keep its commitment to preserving its forest as damages to forest areas in various countries had caused climate change.

Visiting Prince Charles, who arrived here on Sunday, made the appeal when he had an observation tour of the Indonesian Rain Forest Ecosystem Restoration park in Bungku village, Batanghari district.

During the tour of the rainforest`s restoration center, the British prince, who is on a five-day visit in Indonesia, was accompanied by Indonesian Forestry Minister MS Kaban and Jambi Governor Zulkifli Nurdin.

When observing the rain forest area which covered 49,000 hectares, the British prince was also welcome by local indigenous tribes (Suku Anak Dalam - SAD) who live an isolated life in the forest.

Charles asked the minister to support the development of the rain forest ecosystem restoration park, now being developed by PT Restorasi Ekosystem Indonesia (REKI).

In the mean time, Jambi Governor Nurdin asked Minister Kaban to issue a license for the development of the ecosystem forest restoration project.


He said that up to now, the Ministry of Forestry had issued only a principal license for the development of the project.

In response, Kaban said he had issued a license for PT REKI to manage forest restoration areas covering 101,000 hectares in Jambi.

On Monday Prince Charles is scheduled to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the state palace.

"The main agenda of the prince`s visit to Indonesia is for an interfaith dialog," Foreign Ministry`s spokesman Faiza said earlier in the day.

Prince Charles last visited Indonesia in 1989 in the company of his wife the now late Princess Diana. This time he will not be accompanied by his second wife Princess Camilla. He is scheduled to leave Indonesia on Wednesday morning.