16/12/2008 (ANTARA News), London - Director General for American and European Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, Retno LP Marsudi, said the government appreciated international efforts to make environmental issues the mainstream in the economic policies of the countries in the world.

"The diplomat made the statement during a workshop entitled Promoting Sustainable Palm Oil Production held by the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin, Germany, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture," first secretary at the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin, Agus Priono, said here Sunday.

The workshop was participated in by 60 people from several institutions such as government institutions, the private sector, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), entrepreneurs and the press.

On the occasion, Priono said, Retno LP Marsudi also urged all countries to respect the "right to development" of every nation, which had been recognized internationally.

According to Retno, Indonesia had a strong commitment to the environment. This has been seen from Indonesia`s leadership in the 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Bali at the end of 2007.

Moreover, he said Indonesia had succeeded in keeping the process towards COP negotiations and eventually produced the Bali Roadmap.

In the joint Troika along with Poland and Denmark, Retno said, Indonesia also kept trying to make the negotiation about environmental issues a success up to the holding of the 15th COP meeting next year in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Therefore, Retno said that Indonesia`s environmental policy, including on the development of the palm oil industry, would be in line with the COP`s commitment.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture, Anton Apriyanto, in his opening speech read by Director General of Management and Marketing of Agricultural products, Prof Dr Ir Zaenal Bachruddin, stressed the importance of palm oil for Indonesia`s economy because it could create jobs, produce export commodities and have multiplier effects.

The government, the minister said, kept supporting the development of sustainable palm oil production by issuing regulations in several sectors namely forestry, plantations, and the environment.

However, the government was concerned about new clauses in the draft of the new European Union Directives on biofuel which was considered a burden to the palm oil industry. The clauses cover calculations on changes in land use of oil palm plantations and industry.