Subject: HIGH-RANKING OFFICIALS OF SIX CENTRAL ASIAN
REPUBLICS MEET IN TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN TO
DISCUSS THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL
Nairobi, 6 June 1997 - The United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP), the State Committee for Nature
Protection of Uzbekistan, and the United Nations Development
Programme recently concluded a two-day high level seminar to
discuss implementation of the Montreal Protocol in the
countries with economies in transition (CEITs). The meeting
was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 15-16 May 1997, and
was funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and a
bilateral contribution from the Government of Germany.
The consultative meeting was held to explore ways for CEITs
to accelerate ratification of the Montreal Protocol and its
Amendments, and discuss opportunities and requirements to
access funding for the phaseout of ozone-depleting substances
(ODS) from the GEF.
Participants included high-ranking officials and ozone focal
points of the countries from the Ministries of Environment,
Finance and Foreign Affairs from Azerbaijan Republic,
Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Representatives of the GEF, UNEP IE, UNEP Ozone
Secretariat, UNEP Technology and Economic Assessment
Panel (TEAP), UNDP, UNIDO and the Governments of
Denmark and Germany also participated.
"Given our country's experience with the Aral Sea tragedy,
one
can well understand the urgency of ratifying the Montreal
Protocol and taking preventive measures to end ozone
depletion
for the future generations," said Mr. Ashad Khabibullaev,
Chairman of the State Committee for Nature Protection of the
Republic of Uzbekistan, during his opening statement.
The eligibility criteria for funding ozone projects in CEITs
under the GEF was also discussed. The GEF has already
approved more than US$100 million for phase-out activities in
CEITs. "GEF assistance is a window of opportunity for
Central Asian countries to bring them into the mainstream of
the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol," said Mr. Frank
Rittner of the GEF Secretariat.
Country positions on ratification and implementation of the
Montreal Protocol and its amendments were presented by each
CEIT country representative. The financial and legal
implications and benefits of being a Party to the Montreal
Protocol; barriers to ratification and implementation of the
Protocol; and strategies to overcome these barriers, were
also
discussed.
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As a result, the countries agreed to draft and issue a common
statement to the Implementation Committee and Meeting of the
Parties to the Montreal Protocol reiterating their commitment
to the protection of the stratospheric ozone layer, but
requesting special consideration on compliance due to their
unique political and historical situations.
In conclusion, Mr Rajendra Shende, Coordinator, OzonAction
Programme, UNEP IE, said that "the Implementation of the
Montreal Protocol will doubly benefit CEITs; it will result
in
ozone protection and will bring CEITs into the leading edge
of
competitive technologies."
For further information:
Rajendra M. Shende, Coordinator, OzonAction Programme,
UNEP IE, Tour Mirabeau, 39-43 Quai Andr‚ Citro‰n, 75739
Paris, Cedex 15, France, Tel: 33-1-4437-1450,
Fax: 33-1-4437-1474, E-mail: ozonaction@unep.fr, Web
Page: http://www.unepie.org/ozonaction/html.
NOTES FOR THE PRESS
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone
Layer is the international environmental agreement that has
galvanized global cooperation to protect the stratospheric
ozone
layer. The Protocol was signed by 24 countries in 1987 and
as
of March 1997, has been ratified by 162 countries, or Parties
to the Protocol.
A number of ozone-depleting substances (chlorofluorocarbons,
carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform and halons) have
already been phased out in developed countries, except for
about 10,000 tonnes used as essential uses.
However, implementation of the Montreal Protocol in most
CEITs has proven to be extremely difficult, since they are
undergoing tremendous political and economic transition.
When the Montreal Protocol was signed in 1987, only 8 of the
27 CEITs were independent states. As of March 1997, 22 of
the 27 CEIT countries had ratified the Montreal Protocol.
Four of the five CEIT countries who have not ratified the
Protocol are Central-Asian Republics (Armenia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). Only 12 of the 27 CEITs have
ratified the London Amendment to the Protocol.
UNEP IE, as one of the implementing agencies under the
Global Environment Facility, works with CEITs to provide
information and develop National Strategies to phaseout ODSs
under the Montreal Protocol. Through information exchange,
training, networking, country programmes and institutional
strengthening projects, the OzonAction programme enables
CEITs to implement appropriate policies and technological
decisions to protect the stratospheric ozone layer.
UNEP Information Note 1997/19
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