BBC NEWS article in full:
"Ministers from 23 countries in Africa and south-east Asia have appealed for international help to save the world's great apes from extinction. Urgent action was needed to protect the great apes and provide sustainable ways of living for local communities, the UN-backed meeting in Kinshasa agreed.
"Poaching and damage to forest habitats have led gorilla, chimpanzee, bonobo and orangutan numbers to fall sharply. Experts warn wild populations of great apes could disappear in a generation.
"The five-day meeting in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was the first involving ministers from the countries where the threatened species remain.
"Officials for the United Nations Great Ape Survival project, which set up the conference, said the nations' joint commitment was an important step forward. "
