BISHKEK, Dec. 22, 2003 -- An international conference aimed at strengthening bilateral co-operation on environmental security issues between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan was held here on December 18-19. It was organized by the OSCE Center in Bishkek in co-operation with the Governments of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan.
The two-day conference called "The Emergency Preparedness for and Response to Environmental Security Risks in the Central Asian Region" provided an opportunity to discuss environmental security risks in the region, as well as legal, institutional, financial and political frameworks for reducing natural and environmental hazards.
"This conference was aimed at fostering and enhancing bilateral co-operation between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to further develop common policy and concrete programs and projects to cope with environmental security problems that both countries are facing", said Markus Muller, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan reached an agreement to enhance co-operation and develop a common approach and coordinated policies on eliminating and/or reducing environmental security risks, which represent real threats to environmental security in the whole of Central Asia.
Participants in the conference included representatives of government bodies, academics and NGOs from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Representatives of some international organizations, bilateral and multilateral donors participated as observers.
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