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Belarus “interested” in acceding to environment conventions of Council of Europe, official says

Belarus is “interested” in acceding to two environmental conventions of the Council of Europe, Alyaksandr Rachewski, a departmental head at the environmental protection ministry, said at a “roundtable” discussion held in Minsk on Friday, as quoted by BelaPAN.

The country could join the 1979 Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats and the European Landscape Convention, the official said.

Mr. Rachewski said that the Belarusian authorities were particularly interested in the latter convention, which he noted would help them draw “serous resources” for the maintenance of historic estates and parks. “They require special protection today,” he said.

He said that efforts also should be made to support biodiversity. Often, national parks and other protected areas are judged as falling short of European standards, he said, suggesting that changes, "perhaps," should be introduced in regulations.