Turkish forestry minister meets Swiss energy minister

ANKARA (A.A) - August 10, 2011 - Turkish Forestry and Water Works Minister Veysel Eroglu on Wednesday met with Doris Leuthard, chief of Swiss Federal Department of Transportation, Communications, & Energy, in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Speaking at the meeting, Eroglu said Turkey was one of the rare countries to increase forested areas and wood resources by 1.3 million hectares and 436 million cubic meters, respectively. "This is a source of proud for Turkey," he said. 
Eroglu said Turkey proposed to the U.N. to set up a fund to increase forested areas in poorer countries, asking for Swiss support on this matter.
Leuthard, on her part, said Switzerland was interested in making cooperation with Turkey in fighting forest fires, adding that Turkish and Swiss fire fighters worked together to put out a wildfire in Israel last year.