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FIRST REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON A REGIONAL PLAN ON CO-OPERATION IN CASES OF MAJOR OIL SPILL IN THE CASPIAN

The Caspian Environment Programme (CEP), a regional programme approved by the Caspian Governments and supported by international donors such as UNDP, is holding the first regional workshop on the development of the Caspian Regional Plan on co-operation in cases of major oil spills on the 26^th-30^th November, 2001 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The event is organized in cooperation with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), UN specialized Agency mandated to deal with oil spill preparedness, response, and coordination planning.

The workshop is held as a continuation of a work on oil spill contingency planning started in littoral countries recently on initiative international organizations and is fully supported by the Caspian Governments.

The workshop will bring together official representatives from five Caspian countries, experts from IMO and IPIECA (International Petroleum Industry Environment Protection Association), oil industry, represented by BP, ExxonMobil, Lukoil and Chevron and representatives from international NGOs from Russia and Azerbaijan. The Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Mr. Goussein Bagirov, and the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Marco Borsotti, event will inaugurate the event.

The objective of the meeting is to review of the Draft Caspian Sea Regional Cooperation Plan in case of a Major Oil Spill.

The workshop programme in brief includes:

• discussion, revision and agreement on a Draft Caspian Sea Regional Plan on Co-operation in Cases of Major Oil Spill;
• presentations of existing situations in relation to national preparedness, response and co-operation on oil spill response in each of the Caspian countries;
• presentation, discussion and agreement on the Draft Protocol Concerning Co-operation in Combating Pollution in Cases of Emergency to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea. It is also expected that the five littoral States will approve and adopt the Protocol in the nearest future.

The first regional workshop will at ISR Plaza Azeri Apart & Business Centre, Nizami, 340, at 10.00.

Contact persons:

Fargan Abbaszadeh, UN office in Azerbaijan,
3, UN 50^th Anniversary St., Baku 370001 Azerbaijan,
Phone: + (99412) 989888
Fax: + (99412) 983235

Elina Farmanova, the Caspian Environment Programme,
Programme Coordination Unit, Room 108,
Government Building, 40 Uzeir Gadjibekov Street,
Baku 370016 Azerbaijan,
Phone: + (99412) 97 17 85, 93 80 03
Fax: + (99412) 97 17 86
E-mail: efarmanova@caspian.in-baku.com