Indonesia seeks international help to protect forests

"We need financial assistance for the conservation of our forests. Developed countries must give their support by providing financial assistance to developing countries," Rachmat Witoelar told AFP.

Indonesia is gearing up to host a global UN summit on climate change next month in which nations will attempt to lay the groundwork for an agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions after the current phase of the Kyoto protocol expires in 2012.

Witoelar said that direct funding from foreign governments was a more efficient way of financing his country's climate change fight than the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) agreed under the Kyoto Protocol.