Caspain Sea Protocol Harmonization Meeting

The hills may not have been alive with the sound of music but harmony was the aim of a regional meeting, held at the Château de Bossey with a striking alpine backdrop.

The meeting was organized by UNEP’s Geneva office, acting as the Interim Secretariat for the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (the Tehran Convention). The purpose of the meeting was to harmonize four draft Protocols to the Convention, with a view to their adoption and ratification by the Contracting Parties (i.e. the countries bordering the Caspian sea).

A memorable chateau location led to focussed and productive negotiations

One of the Protocols concerns Oil Pollution Incidents; hence Peter’s attendance, which was on behalf of OSPRI. OSPRI had supported the efforts of the Caspian States, the IMO and the Caspian Environment Programme to draft this Protocol.

Delegations representing all five Caspian States attended the meeting, along with UNEP and IMO. Intense discussions took place over six days to meet the target of finalizing all the Protocols. The highest level political impetus had been given

Long sessions ensured the achievement of the meeting's aims

to the meeting, through a Statement of the Presidents of the five States at their Second Caspian Summit in October 2007.

The meeting achieved its aims and it is hoped that signing of the Protocols will now occur at the next meeting of Contracting Parties. The challenge will then be implementation e.g. the establishment of a regional centre to develop and strengthen regional cooperation mechanisms and operational use of the regional contingency plan.