The 3^rd Meeting of the ECO Working Group on Environment

Islamabad, 23-24 February 2005

Press Release

            The 3^rd Meeting of the ECO Working Group on Environment (WGE) for the Implementation of the Plan of Action for Cooperation among the Member States on Environment (2003-2007) was held on 23-24 February 2005 in Islamabad, Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The meeting was attended by the representatives of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Republic of Turkey and Republic of Uzbekistan.

The meeting was inaugurated by the Federal Minister of Environment of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan H.E. Maj.(Rtd) Mr. Tahir Iqbal, who welcomed the participants and made the inaugural statement. The welcoming speech was also made by Mr. Abdul Waheed, Director General (Environment) of the Ministry of Environment of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as well as Dr. Shamil Aleskerov, Director (Energy, Minerals and Environment) of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). The Meeting was chaired by Mr. Asif Shuja Khan, Director General (Pak-EPA) of the Ministry of Environment of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

During the meeting the matters related to the follow up to the 2^nd ECO Ministerial Meeting on Environment and the Implementation of the Plan of Action for Cooperation among the ECO Member States on Environment (2003-2007) were discussed and   the participants presented their views/comments on the follow up to the said Ministerial conference. The delegations stressed the need to outline proper ways and means of implementing the decisions of the aforesaid Ministerial meeting to further elevate the level of cooperation among the Member States in the field of environment. The publication of the first issue of the new ECO Bulletin on environment was welcomed as well as the progress in submission of the national progress reports on environment.

            The meeting considered the possibility of establishing the ECO College of Environment, as well as ECO Environmental and Green Industries Awards, proposals on establishment of Trans-boundary Protecting Areas (TBPA), ecotourism, monitoring/combating marine alien species, and establishing marine pollution emergency response centers.

Regarding the cooperation with the international organizations, ECO Secretariat welcomed the proposals of the Member States to outline joint projects to be conducted with UNEP particularly on new and renewable sources of energy, and WMO.

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