VIENTIANE, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Environment officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have met in Lao capital Vientiane to discuss a number of environmentally related issues and enhance cooperation in solving transboundary haze pollution.
The 18th Meeting of the Committee under the Conference of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (COM-18) kicked off on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Head of the Natural Resources and Environment Research Institute under Lao Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Lonekham Atsanavong.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Lonekham said the meeting is an important opportunity for delegates from ASEAN member countries to exchange knowledge, information and lessons in depth, aiming to increase cooperation to achieve the common goal of mitigating transboundary haze pollution.
Lonekham expressed his confidence that the meeting will be a highly effective platform to evaluate the progress and results of ASEAN member countries' cooperation, improve the national action plan to prevent and fight forest fires, and review the ASEAN cooperation plan to improve the control of transboundary haze pollution.
The achievements of this meeting will be reported to the COM-18 on Wednesday, for official adoption. ■
