Maritime and inland waterways co-operation and the challenges of landlocked countries focus of OSCE Conference in Ashgabad

ASHGABAD, 6 March 2008 - Environmental, economic and security concerns and opportunities related to maritime co-operation are the focus of an international OSCE conference that started today in Ashgabad.

Challenges of landlocked countries, transit transportation, river basin co-operation, as well as port, ships and container security are also on the agenda of the meeting, organized in preparation for the 16th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum.

The two-day meeting, attended by more than 150 participants, was opened by Turkmenistan's Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, who stressed the importance of co-operation to address local as well as trans-boundary environmental challenges and outlined some recent positive developments in the Caspian Sea region. He also called for measures that would give landlocked developing countries better access to sea and ports.

Ambassador Aleksi Harkonen, representing the Finnish OSCE Chairmanship, said the meeting was useful because it highlighted the special perspectives provided by the regions of Central Asia, the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. He also noted that climate change and its impact on human activities was a growing environmental concern that could soon alter priorities in international co-operation.

"A widespread shortage of water, rising sea levels, increased flooding and prolonged droughts need to be addressed urgently by all states, not only by those affected first," he said.

OSCE Secretary General Ambassador Marc Perrin de Brichambaut added that good governance and effective institutions were crucial to co-operation in this field.

"Equally important is listening to the voice of civil society and promoting a genuine multi-stakeholders' dialogue, including the private sector," he said.

Ambassador Pierre Morel, the European Union Special Representative for Central Asia, said co-operation in water management, regional environmental issues, as well as customs and cross-border trade facilitation were important parts of the EU Strategy for Central Asia.

"What could become a potential source of conflict can and should be turned into an opportunity for co-operation; co-operation is essential to realize the economic development potential of the region," he said.

The Ashgabad Conference is the second preparatory event for the 16th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum - "Maritime and inland waterway co-operation in the OSCE area: Increasing security and protecting the environment". The first part of the Forum was held on 28 and 29 January 2008 in Vienna; it was preceded by a preparatory Conference in Helsinki, on 10 to11 September 2007. The second part of the Forum will take place from 19 to 21 May 2008 in Prague.