“Caspian Sea Sustainable Development Strategy” 2-days international ecologic conference started yesterday in Baku, as reported by KZ-today correspondent.
Opening the event, Azerbaijan Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Gusein Bagirov, stated that Azerbaijani government works actively to realize measure to improve ecologic situation in the country and protect Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.
“This question is one of the priorities for Azerbaijani government. The complex plan is already prepared and is being realized. The plan was set to improve ecologic situation in Azerbaijan in a period of 2006 – 2010. For its realization 500 million of manta will be spend up to 2011. About 18,5 million of mantas will be spend in 2007. we placed the task to completely clean the coast zone and, in perspective, the whole Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea”, – said Gusein Bagirov.
According to the minister, Azerbaijani State Oil Company has already spent for ecology improvement activities about 63 million of manat.
In his turn Khoshbakh Yusifsade, the first vice president of Azerbaijani State Oil Company, said that Azerbaijani State Oil Company has developed its own ecology program for 2006 – 2010 which is mainly for oil pollution cleaning of the territory of Apsheron peninsula (about 2700 hectares). In the frames of the program in 2006 the company spent USD 28 million (USD 16 million more then by 2005), and up to 2011 will spend about USD 630 million”, – said the first vice president.
“Caspian Sea Sustainable Development Strategy” conference is held under support of Germany. It aims to evaluate Caspian Sea pollution reasons and create real opportunity to unite efforts to solve natural environment problems and to attract international organizations and donors attention to the problem.
The following representatives take part in the conference: Azerbaijan Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Gusein Bagirov, Germany State Secretary on Natural Environment and Nuclear Safety Astrid Kluk, Georgia Vice Minister on Natural Environment Kocha mamachashvili, Turkmenistan Ecology Vice Minister Geldykichayev, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia ecology ministries representatives including conference participants representing the UN Development Programs and Embassies accredited in Azerbaijan.
Participants discuss on the Plenaries such questions as bio diversity of the Caspian Sea protection, sea environment protection strategy, risk management and technical security, atmosphere protection, measures for environment protection fundin.