04.02.2008, 17:52
Tokyo urges Russia to hold meeting on Sea of Okhotsk protection Japan urges Russia to hold a first meeting of experts in Sapporo, Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, in February to discuss prospects for bilateral cooperation in environmental protection of the Sea of Okhotsk, including Hokkaido and the Kurile Ridge, Itar-Tass reports. At present, Moscow and Tokyo are coordinating the issue, a Japanese foreign ministry official told Itar-Tass on Monday. The issue on cooperation in environmental protection of the Sea of Okhotsk was for the first time put on the agenda of the foreign ministers’ meeting in May 2007. The two countries decided to set up a working group and work out a program of joint actions to discuss it at the G8 summit in Hokkaido bordering with Russia in July 2008. Tokyo wants to make public an agreement on environmental protection of the Sea of Okhotsk at the G8 summit. Russia and Japan plan to pool efforts to conduct environmental monitoring in the region, protect flora and fauna and prevent pollution of coastal areas. It is not ruled out that they will step up cooperation to fight poaching and other activities that may endanger the environment of the Sea of Okhotsk.
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