Kazakhstan to celebrate International Caspian Sea Day

    ASTANA, August 12 (Itar-Tass) -- Kazakhstan will celebrate on Friday
the International Caspian Sea Day together with other Caspian countries,
which official delegations have been staying in Aktau /former Shevchenko/,
where they participate in the third session of the framework /Tehran/
convention on protection of sea environment of the Caspian Sea.
    The meeting participants from Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and
Turkmenistan are expected to sign two protocols. The first document refers
to regulation of overcoming incidents like oil leaks. The second one -
environmental effects from any activities.
    Kazakhstan's Ministry of Environment expects "the cooperation of the
Caspian countries in the sea's ecology security will advance a new level
with signing of the two documents."
    Kazakhstan's another Caspian city, Atyrau /former Guryev/ will
celebrate the Caspian Sea Day by opening of a civil committee on
protection and sustainable development of the sea.
    "The idea to organise the committee appeared last year, and later on
the Soros-Kazakhstan Foundation supported it," the ministry said.
    The new structure will be organised during the conference Protection
and Sustainable Development of the Caspian Sea in Atyrau, which will
feature the ministry, local authorities, mining companies, scientists and
civil leaders.
    "The committee will monitor oil production to favour security and
environmental protection of Kazakhstan's sector of the Caspian Sea, as
well as analyse risks of oil production in the sea."
    Caspian countries celebrate the annual Caspian Sea Day to attract
attention to environmental problems and to invite the society to
implementation of the Tehran convention.