Six nations sign CTI leaders` declaration

            Six countries attending the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit here Friday launched CTI Leaders' Declaration to address threats to marine, coastal and small island ecosystems in the coral triangle region through accelerated and collaborative action. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines, Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta of Timor Leste, Prime Minister Michael Somare of Papua New Guinea, Prime Minister Derek Sikua of Solomon Islands and Prime Minister Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia launched he CTI on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Securities (CTI-CFF) at their one-day summit.

In his speech President Yudhoyono said he welcomed the declaration as an ambitious government-level action plan to preserve marine resources. He said the aim of the CTI Summit was opening up a brighter future for the next generation in the region. He said 17 years ago when the East Summit was first held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, world leaders did not sign any deal for the preservation of oceans which cover 72 percent of the earth. "That is why we are gathering here now to prevent the destruction of the riches and safeguard them for the next generation," he said.

President Yudhoyono considered preserving ocean riches a moral obligation for future generation. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Derek Sikua meanwhile said on the occasion that with the signing of the declaration the CTI was not longer an idea and a concept but a real action. Philippine President Arroyo said the declaration confirmed the committment of the six countries to protect the sea and find harmonious relationship between life and the environment. President Ramos Horta underlined the importance of the commitment with regard to protecting the sea from illegal fishing and climate change.

Prime Minister Somare said the CTI declaration was a positive solution to prevent natural degradation in the region. Malaysian Prime Minister Razak meanwhile considered the declaration a political commitment for marine preservation. Under the cooperation the six countries located on the 5.7 million square kilometers area agreed to coordinate protection of marine resources. With its width only two percent of the world`s ocean, the Coral Triangle is home to 76 percent of the world`s known coral species.

The six leaders agreed the CTI primarily focuses on areas of cooperation related to coral reefs, fisheries, food security and adaptation to climate change. They also agreed to adopt the CTI regional plan of action, a living and non-legally binding document to conserve and sustainably manage coastal and marine resources in the coral triangle region by observing laws and policies of each country.

They recognized that the implementation of the declaration is a voluntary cooperation and without prejudice to their respective countries' sovereignty, territorial integrity, sovereign rights over their marine resources, and their position on the ongoing and future negotiation on delimitation of maritime boundaries between the countries. Under the declaration, the six leaders agreed to task their relevant ministers to formulate the implementation modalities of the CTI-CFF with a view to enhancing cooperation and to establish a secretariat for CTI-CFF to service the ongoing CTI-CFF implementation process.

They called for the mobilization and effective allocation of sustainable financial resources needed to implement the CTI regional and national plans of action. To help ensure that a high level of political commitment continues to be dedicated in furthering the attainment of CTI-CFF's goals, they agreed to convene the next CTI summit if considered necessary. (ANTARA)