International agreements important to maintain stability between countries that share river resources

ZAMORA, 12 February 2002 - International water agreements can positively contribute to peace and co-operation by addressing the future water needs of countries that share a river basin, according to Professor Ashok Swain, Director of the Department for Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, Sweden.

But in his keynote speech to a two-day OSCE economic and environmental seminar, which opened in this Spanish city yesterday, Professor Swain stressed that such international agreements were a necessary, though not a sufficient condition for maintaining a stable situation. The water regimes that such agreements could establish also needed to be sustainable, lasting and progressive, he added.

The Zamora seminar, the second held in preparation for the OSCE's Tenth Economic Forum which is scheduled for May, was aimed at underlining the importance of regional co-operation in the sustainable use of water for promoting confidence and stability.

It drew more than 100 delegates from 32 of the OSCE's 55 participating States, who discussed the importance of legal and institutional mechanisms for improving co-operation in water management. They also analysed the implication of European Union water policies on third countries, especially the candidate and partner countries of the EU. In addition, delegates considered the role of non-governmental organizations in the context of water policies.

The Director General of the Spanish Ministry of Environment, Alvarez Maqueda, stressed that water is a key issue on the political agenda of a great number of countries, and pointed to the need to develop better co-operative mechanisms for water sharing, capable of benefiting all social levels. Prof. Goncalves Henriquez, Director General of Portugal's Ministry of Environment, stressed that where an international river basin extended beyond the boundaries of the EU, member states should try to produce a single international river basin management plan.

The event was organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities on behalf of the Portuguese Chairmanship of the Organization, in collaboration with Spain's environment and foreign affairs ministries.