Today, Day of the Caspian Sea was solemnly celebrated in Avaza national tourist zone.
As known, the decision on annual celebration of Day of the Caspian Sea was adopted by all Caspian states - Russia, the Azerbaijan Republic, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan - at the first conference of the Teheran Convention in May 2007 in Baku. Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea came into force on August 12, 2006.
The Teheran Convention is aimed at preservation, restoration and protection of the marine environment of the Caspian Sea. Goals set forward are based on a number of recognised international nature protection principles, in particular, sustainable and rational use of biological resources of the Caspian Sea and evaluation of impact on the environment and its monitoring.
As an active participant of the Caspian dialogue, Turkmenistan under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov supports the deepening and expansion of positive cooperation with all interested partners, first of all in the format of the United Nations Organization, sustainable development aimed at maintenance and protection of the marine environment of the Caspian sea.
The Caspian Sea - the world's largest inland basin of oceanic origin, which has preserved up to now its bewitching beauty and variety of natural corners, rich plant and animal life. It is a zone of habitation of many kinds of flora and fauna, including rare and endemic ones, included in the Red Data Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which makes up an invaluable gene pool of biological variety of the region.
In the basis of state ecological programs and projects initiated by National Leader of the Turkmen people Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and consistently realised under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, there lie the goals for prosperity of both the people inhabiting the Caspian region and all who live on the planet, namely - to keep and enrich riches of the unique reservoir, carefully supporting well-being of the environment.
Present festive events testify to another bright illustration of success of the ecological policy of Turkmenistan.
Within the festive action the conference, exhibition, competitions in various sports were held.
The scientific-practical conference «The Caspian Sea: Cooperation for Sustainable Development» was held the «Berkarar» hotel in Avaza national tourist zone. The forum was organised on the instructions of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov by the Ministry of Nature Protection and Institute of the Caspian Sea with assistance the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
The Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, heads of corresponding ministries and departments, experts of profile structures and scientific community of our country took part in the conference. Among visitors were representatives of diplomatic missions of Caspian states accredited in Turkmenistan as well as Turkey, Georgia, Romania, Great Britain and Tajikistan, authoritative international and regional organisations - Office of the New UN Resident Coordinator, United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations environment Programs (UNEP), Ashgabat Centre of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Central Asian and Caucasus Regional Fisheries and Aquaculture Commission, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Bank, International Maritime Law Institute, International Ocean Institute and others.
In the foyer of the hotel complex, the thematic exhibition devoted to nature of the Caspian Sea and achievements of our country in the nature protection sphere was organized.
The gathered heard with great attention a welcoming message of President Serdar Berdimuhamedova to participants of the scientific-practical conference «The Caspian Sea: Cooperation for Sustainable Development» in which it is underlined that guided by the policy of positive neutrality, Turkmenistan consistently makes efforts for transformation of the Caspian sea into the sea of peace, trust and friendship.
In the message of the head of the state, it is marked: «Our country is attached to promotion of close contacts between the Caspian states in energy, transport and logistics, industry and trade spheres. A topical area of interaction in which, Caspian states are focused, - protection of the marine environment and maintenance of ecological well-being, which as a group form a unique biocoenosis, sensitive to influence of negative phenomena, including climate change».
As an initiator of constructive solutions of global ecological problems for well-being present and the future generations of the planet, including the Caspian problematics, Turkmenistan realises the policy based on principles of peaceful disposition and good neighbourhood, taking into account national and general interests, mutually beneficial equal partnership in the region, strengthening of friendship between the people of Caspian states united by centuries-old historical and cultural links.
The agenda of the forum included a wide range of topical issues of cooperation of coastal countries in maintenance of sustainable development, which is based on a number of key factors that include solution of some economic, social and environmental problems. In the presented reports many-sided work in the given sphere, carried out in regional states, including within realisation of the regional Caspian Environment Programme (CEP) was widely highlighted.
As underlined speakers, the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (the Teheran Convention), ratified by governments of five Caspian states became the major achievement of CEP. Now, the international legal basis laid out in this document serves development and adoption of new legal acts aimed at regulation of various aspects of the Caspian problematics.
The adopted nature protection documents regulating actions for protection of the nature of the coastal zone of the Caspian sea, including the United Nations Convention on Wetlands of international significance, mainly, as habitats of waterfowls, adopted in the city of Ramsar (Iran) (the Ramsar Convention) were marked. This Convention represents the first global international contract entirely devoted to one type of ecosystems or habitations - environments of dwelling of any certain biological kind or kinds (wood, underground caves, lakes and rivers and others).
Constructive initiatives of our country made from the podium of the UN General Assembly and other large forums, which are aimed at consolidated decision-making on preservation of the environment, rational use of water and energy resources and maintenance of food security, creation of reliable system of protection of ecology of the Caspian sea and others find an essential support of the international community.
A special emphasis was made on topicality of priority positions of Turkmenistan made at the plenary meeting of the 78th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (2023) in New York. In particular, proposal on creation of the "Caspian ecological initiative», called to become an international platform for subject and professional interaction on a wide range of the issues connected with preservation of the environment of the Caspian sea, preservation of its biological resources, solution of the pressing environmental problems.
Representatives of diplomatic missions of the Caspian states in their speeches underlined that a solid contract-legal basis of cooperation in the region, covering a spectrum of issues in spheres of security, economy, and ecology and wildlife management was by this time developed. As was marked, there is a number of projects of the five-sided sectoral documents, which touch upon actual aspects of interaction on the sea.
The Caspian Sea promotes still more deepens cooperation between coastal countries. In this connection, participants of the forum stated that sustainable development of the Caspian Sea and gradual restoration of natural ecosystems to the due level could be reached only by common efforts of all Caspian states.
With a view of increase of efficiency of joint activity in the given area, the United Nations supports the position of Turkmenistan in observance of ecological safety of the reservoir, rational use of its bio resources and minerals as well as the initiative of the Turkmen party on development of the Agreement on scientific researches on the Caspian sea, delegates of the conference marked.
The general aspiration and determination to make the Caspian Sea a zone of peace and consent, a model for solution of all issues exclusively by political-diplomatic tools on the basis of respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the states is a defining factor of interaction.
Besides it, work on ecological monitoring of the condition of biological resources and marine environment of the Caspian Sea and conduction of a wide complex scientific researches in the field are topical.
Speakers in detail highlighted points of interaction with the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, supporting initiatives of Turkmenistan to strengthen ecological, economic safety and expansion of regional partnership. The large scale project « Promoting the development of green ports in the Caspian Sea region», realised by OSCE at the regional level and aimed at solution of some differentiated problems, including advancement of non-polluting, "green" energy was especially pointed out.
Speakers underlined that the Caspian Sea is an important component of many international projects aimed at improvement of well-being of people of the region. Among priorities of the policy of coastal states - creation of favourable conditions for development of mutually beneficial economic cooperation, improvement of investment climate, maintenance of reliable and safe communications, attraction of highly remunerative and non-polluting technologies.
Participants of the conference highly appreciated Avaza national tourist zone, which serves as a model for a complex and rational approach to use of mineral-raw, biological, sanatorium and tourist potential of the region.
One of the main criteria of modern health resorts under construction at the Caspian coast and hotels as well as industrial enterprises is their conformity to the international standards of ecological safety. The ecological aspect is also supported by the large-scale tree planting conducted at the coastal areas where man-made evergreen forests grow, all new park zones are created, the optimum microclimate with good health impact is developed.
participants of the conference, summing up its work, were unanimous in their opinion that the holiday marked in Caspian states - Day of the Caspian sea is possibility once again to show unity of positions of all interested parties about importance of maintenance of cooperation, peace and trust in the Caspian region, as well as exchange of opinions concerning the further strengthening of the international partnership in maintenance of reliable ecological protection of the Caspian sea and development of its potential.
Delegates of the forum adopted the letter of thanks to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in which they expressed gratitude for hospitality and high level of organisation of the present action, fine conditions for the forum and for the attention given to nature protection measures, realisation of ecologically significant projects with a view of maintenance of rational wildlife management, effective preservation of the environment of the Caspian sea.
The holiday celebrated in the Era of Revival of the New Epoch of the Powerful State in honour of the Caspian Sea presented its participants and visitors with unforgettable impressions, becoming one more step towards popularisation of this unique natural «pearl», preservation of its biodiversity.
The cultural program, including study tours of Avaza national tourist zone were organised for visitors.
