Belgian, Swiss envoys present credentials

PAPUA New Guinea appreciates Belgium’s contributions to the European Union and its presence here, Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane said.
Sir Paulias said this last Tuesday when accepting Belgian ambassador Patrick Renault’s letter of credential at the Government House.
“Papua New Guinea can definitely build a strong and prosperous future based partly on the natural resources that we as a nation are blessed with,” the governor-general said
“More often than not, development does have its negative aspect.”
He said the government was appreciative of the constructive solution that the Belgian company Dredeco, in conjunction with the Ok Tedi Mining Ltd in Western, had made since 2000 to excavate the build-up of sand, silt and mine tailings from the mine in the Ok Tedi River.
Renault acknowledged the PNG government for the long established relationship they had shared.
“We have enjoyed since independence a relationship based on mutual respect and shared values and priorities.
“Today, like in the past, we look forward to collaborating with Papua New Guinea on political matters and
on this note, we are eager to benefit from PNG views on regional matters, such as the Pacific Islands Forum,” he said.
Renault said a fast development could also bring drawbacks.
“We are particularly happy to see a Belgian company is playing an important role in addressing an ecological disaster, namely the Ok Tedi River,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Sir Paulias also accepted the Letters of Credentials from Sweden’s ambassador to PNG Sven-Olof Petersson.
Petersson said as a child he had read the books by Sten Bergman, a Swedish biologist who came to PNG three times in the 1940s and 1950s to study the birds of paradise.
“I was fascinated by these books and decided that I too wanted to see this beautiful and fascinating country, and the way to do it, I concluded, was to become a diplomat,” he said.