We, the Ministers responsible for forests in Europe, would like to express our sympathy to and solidarity with the people and the Governments of the countries of Southern Europe who have suffered during recent years from the effects of huge forest fires, the families of people who lost their lives, and those who lost their homes and their ways and means of life, with special reference to the disasters in Greece in the summer of 2007.
We would also like to express our readiness to explore further measures to prevent such forest fires and to restore the economic, social and ecological potential of the affected areas, as soon as possible.