Atmosphere of the holiday filled the celebration of the Day of the Caspian Sea observed in Avaza.Annual action is aimed at wide popularization of environment protection policy of Turkmenistan as well as at expansion of international ecological cooperation.
According to the Resolution of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the holiday was organized by the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Natural Protection and Land Resources, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, State Department for the Caspian Sea Affairs under the President of Turkmenistan and administration of Balkan Velayat.
The programme included scientific and practical conference, cultural, education and sports events.Ecologists, leader and specialists of environmental agencies, branch departments, which activities are related to the Caspian Sea, took part in the conference in Hasyl Hotel.
Representatives of diplomatic missions of the Caspian states accredited to our country as well as international organizations including the UN Development Programme, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Union, German International Cooperation Society (GIZ), Central Asian Regional Ecological Centre and other were among the guests.
As it was mentioned by the speakers, environment protection and rational natural management are the most important priorities of the state policy.Important international documents including the Agreement on Protection and Rational Use of biological resources of the Caspian Sea and Agreement on Cooperation in Prevention and Response of Emergency Situation in the Caspian Sea were developed by the proposal of Turkmen leader.
Turkmen side also actively promoted final endorsement of the text of the Agreement on Cooperation in Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea, the work on which was accomplished during the chairing of Turkmenistan in Coordination Committee for Hydrometeorology and Pollution Monitoring of the Caspian Sea.
At present, number of regulatory and legal acts, which are planned to be signed in five-sided format, are developed.There is the Agreement on Cooperation of the Caspian States in trade and economic sphere and in transport sector among them.
Besides, the Protocols, which are to supplement the Agreement of Cooperation in Security in the Caspian Sea signed during III Summit of the Caspian States in Baku in 2010, are actively elaborated.
In particular, this documents will establish legal base for cooperation of competent bodies of neighbouring states in such fields as combat of illegal production of biological resources (poaching) and safety of navigation.
In this regard, the importance of the summits of the heads of the Caspian states in Ashgabat, Teheran, Baku and Astrakhan, which were a significant stage in further improvement of joint efforts aimed at the development of good relations between five Caspian states, was noted.
Together with other Caspian states, Turkmenistan actively participated in implementation of the Caspian Ecological Programme (CEP).Framework Convention for Protection of Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Teheran Convention), which made legal foundation of environmental protection activity in the Caspian Sea, was developed under this Convention.
The Convention has come into force right after ratification by the parliaments of all Caspian states on August 12, 2006 and since then this day was declared as International Caspian Day, which is observed by all Caspian states by the initiative of the UN Environmental Programme.
The main importance paid to ecological wealth of the Caspian Sea is stipulated by the special status of the sea, which is the largest internal water pool of the planet isolated from the ocean and true pearl of the nature with exclusively rich flora and fauna.
At the same time, Caspian region is one of the most important geopolitical and economic centres in Eurasian space, being strong energy, transport and communication hub.Intensive development of the sea coast, high growth rates of oil and gas industry, projects for development of international logistic infrastructure implemented and planned for future in the region, which would connect the Europe and Asia, all of these stipulate the necessity of coordinated international cooperation based on clear legal standards, equality and mutual interests of all Caspian state.
The main areas of the activity of the State Committee for Natural Protection and Land Resources and the State Department for the Caspian Sea Affairs under the President of Turkmenistan for sustainable management of the coastal zone were highlighted in details.
Consolidation of scientific and technical potential of the country supports the protection of ecological prosperity of the Caspian Sea.Modernization and technical rearmament of Turkmenbashy Refinery Complex can be given as specific example.
Thus, Turkmenbashy Refinery Complex was one of the first enterprises of the CIS that stopped production of leaded gasoline, having arranged the production of high-octane fuel and developed the production of hydro-treated diesel fuel that meets international quality standards.
New industrial system of treatment facilities and recycled water supply of fuel and petrochemical installations were commissioned in June of this year.Implementation of this project allowed considerable reduction of the risk of ground and ground water pollution and opportunity of second use of water for technical needs and irrigation of plantation has appeared.
Construction of new International Sea Port in Turkmenbashy undergoes at high rates.The project aimed for the development of port infrastructure, stipulating the construction of automobile, passenger, container, loading and polypropylene terminals and other facilties was developed in accordance with Greenport International Standard, in other words, taking into account the requirements of ecological safety.
Study of biological diversity and systematic monitoring of water quality of the Caspian Sea were among the subjects reviewed during the conference.Special interest was aroused by the presentation of the work of Hazar State Natural Reserve that observes it 85th anniversary this year.
The wetlands of Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea where Central Asian and East African migration routes of birds, are inhabitation, nesting and hibernation places of hundreds of thousands of birds like flamingo, swans, geese, ducks, herons, pelicans, and included in special list of Ramsar Convention with the status of the wetlands of international significance.
Ecological component of the project of establishment of the world-class resort on the Caspian Sea, Avaza National tourist zone received high evaluation of the participants of the conference.
It was reflected in the pictures of famous professional photographers, which exhibition was expanded in the hall of the hotel complex.Beautiful pictures of young painters, the master of applied arts using natural material like different stones, shells, sand, feather, etc.
were also exhibited there.The participants expressed great interest with the items from the collection of local history museum of Turkmenbashy.Beautifully made exposition of Natural Museum of Hazar State Natural Reserve also attracted great attention of the visitors.