B4-1227/95

Resolution on the depletion of Surinam's tropical forests

The European Parliament,

A.noting the plans of the Government of Surinam to grant three concessions of 1 150 000 ha each to the Indonesian companies, Musa and Suri-Atlantic, and the Malaysian company Berjaya,

B.having regard to the report of the World Resources Institute entitled 'Backs to the wall in Surinam' with the sub-title 'Forest Policy in a Country in Crisis',

C.sharing the genuine anxiety which has led to offers of assistance from the World Resources Institute, the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme, Sweden, the Netherlands, the Netherlands Committee for IUCN and the Food and Agricultural Organization,

D.expressing its desire that the last tropical forests in this planet be preserved and that any exploitation should be carried out in a sustainable way,

E.understanding the wish of the Government of Surinam to use its natural resources to alleviate the difficult economic, social and political situation,

1.Requests the Government of Surinam to withdraw the proposed concessions for Musa, Berjaya and Suri-Atlantic;

2.Requests the Government of Surinam to accept the offers of the IDB, in particular its offer to set up an International Trust Fund to pay for the postponement of granting forest concessions and to use this time to build up an efficient infrastructure which guarantees that the exploitation of the forests of Surinam will be sustainable;

3.Requests the Government of Surinam to react positively to the large number of international offers to assist the country in establishing a sustainable forest policy;

4.Requests the Government of Surinam, once a sustainable forest policy is in place, to convene an international auction to which all credible forest companies can subscribe and thereafter to grant concessions to companies which have a reliable status in the area of sustainable forest exploitation;

5.Requests the Commission to participate in the International Trust Fund;

6.Calls on its colleagues in the National Assembly of Surinam not to grant the concessions to Musa, Berjaya and Suri-Atlantic and to encourage their government to endorse the demands contained in this action agenda;

7.Declares that the members of GLOBE will do everything in their power to assist Surinam in developing a truly sustainable forest policy;

8.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments of the Member States and the government and parliament of Surinam.