ANKARA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkey will increase cooperation with its neighbors Iran, Iraq and Syria to protect the environment and improve responses to weather and climate changes, the four countries' top environment officials said here Thursday.
Turkish Minister of Environment and Forestry Veysel Eroglu agreed with his Iranian, Iraqi and Syrian counterparts to set up a joint task force to prepare a two-year action plan aimed at reducing environmental pollution, fighting dust formation and preventing wind and soil erosion, said a declaration releaased by the officials after meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara.
The four countries will also exchange experience and knowledge on such subjects as air and water quality, weather forecast and drought monitoring, according to the declaration.
Eroglu told a press briefing that the four countries would particularly strive to curb dust formation and transport which had become a major problem in the region.
He said the cooperation would also be expanded to cover other countries in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and even north African countries.
