TEHRAN -- Vice-President and Head of Department of Environment (DOE) Ma'soumeh Ebtekar and Swiss Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss here on Monday called for setting up a regional center for 'management and control of chemical and hazardous wastes'.

The two officials recalled the sensitive situation in the region and the entire world and said that bilateral and multilateral cooperation are required to enforce Johannesburg action plan to protect environment.

Ebtekar and Deiss exchanged views on Iran-Switzerland cooperation on the transfer of technology know-how for environmental protection and specialized training courses, IRNA reported.

Deiss called for the accession of all nations to the Kyoto Protocol to help achieve the objectives of the protocol.

He appreciated Iran's active participation in Earth Summit in Johannesburg.