Recommendations of the 15-th Session of Coordinating Committee on
Hydrometeorology and Pollution Monitoring of the Caspian Sea

The 15-th Session of Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology and Pollution Monitoring of the Caspian Sea (CASPCOM) was held in Astrakhan, the Russian Federation, on 20-21 October 2010. Representatives of NHMSs from the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, as well as CASPECO project of the Caspian Environment Programme participated in the Session. The participants of the International Scientific conference “Climate and Water Balance Changes in the Caspian region” took part in the open plenary session of the Committee.
The main results of activities of Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology and Pollution Monitoring of the Caspian Sea in 2009-2010 are as follows:

• Recommendations of the CASPCOM working group, second meeting of which was held on 19 October 2010 in Astrakhan in accordance with the resolution of the previous CASPCOM session (see Annex 1);
• The International Scientific conference “Climate and Water Balance Changes in the Caspian region” that was organized following the recommendations of the previous CASPCOM session and held on 19-20 October 2010 in Astrakhan;
• First chapter of the General Catalogue of the Caspian Sea level including monthly data, which has been prepared by the NHMSs and CAPCOM working group;
• National achievements in the field of hydrometeorology and monitoring of the Caspian Sea providing the basis for enhancing NHMSs’ cooperation and increasing its efficiency.

1. CASPCOM activities and national activities addressing high priority problems in hydrometeorology and pollution monitoring of the Caspian Sea (Agenda Items ## 2, 3)

Having assessed positively CASPCOM activities, as well as the national activities addressing high priority problems in hydrometeorology and pollution monitoring of the Caspian Sea in 2009-2010, the Session recommended the following:

To approve the Resolution of the International Scientific conference “Climate and Water Balance Changes in the Caspian region” including its recommendations on modernization of the hydrometeorological observatory networks, enhancement of data quality, further development of the information systems on hydrometeorology of the Caspian region (see Annex 2). To display the program, abstracts and the resolution of the conference on the CASPCOM website.
1.2 IRIMO and Roshydromet in accordance with the conference resolution are to elaborate proposals for providing climatic services in the Caspian region jointly with the regional climatic centers in Meshched (Iran) and Moscow (Russia) and to submit the proposals to CASPAS Coordinator within 6 months.
1.3 CASPAS Coordinator is to prepare on the grounds of the information received from IRIMO and Roshydromet recommendations on strengthening cooperation between the regional climatic centers in Meshched (Iran) and Moscow (Russia) for providing climatic services in the Caspian region.
1.4 Starting with 2011, to issue yearly soft copies of CASPCOM research reports and to display them on the CASPCOM website. First issue of the report is to be devoted to climate and water balance change in the Caspian region.

In order to achieve this objective:

• CASPAS Coordinator is to elaborate the rules for preparing papers to be published in the CASPCOM research reports, and to send them around to NHMSs;
• NHMSs are to support publishing the scientific results of the national studies in the CASPCOM research reports;
• CASPAS Coordinator is to edit first issue of the report, to display it on the CASPCOM website and to present suggestions on the members of the Editing committee at the 16-th CASPCOM Session;

1.5 To display on the CASPCOM website NHMS’ reports on the national activities addressing high priority problems in hydrometeorology and pollution monitoring of the Caspian Sea that have been presented at the 15-th Session.
1.6 Roshydromet is to send around to NHMSs-CASPCOM members the report on the national education and professional training system in the field of meteorology, hydrology and oceanography.

2. Status of process of agreeing upon and preparation for signing the “Agreement on cooperation between the Caspian states in the field of the Caspian Sea hydrometeorology” in the Caspian states (Agenda Item # 5).

The CASPCOM members present at the 15-th Session having expressed the commitment to CASPCOM Statute have confirmed that the Agreement could be taken into force only if it would be signed by all five Parties. The members have also agreed that the discussing the Agreement by all the five Parties should speed up the process of its reconciling and signing.
The Session has agreed with the amendments to the draft Agreement given by IRIMO excluding the amendments related to Article 7. The Session has recommended:

• IRIMO is to clarify its amendment to Article 7 taking into account comments given by CASPCOM members at the Session, and to forward the clarifications to the CASPCOM Chair;
• CASPCOM Chair is to forward Draft Agreement to CASPCOM participants requesting the parties’ readiness to launch the formal procedure of endorsement of the Draft Agreement at national level;
• - CASPCOM Chair is to clear up by all possible means the position of Turkmenistan related to the draft Agreement, as well as the intention of Turkmenistan to participate in its deliberation and signing.

3. On the activities of CASPCOM working bodies (Agenda Item # 6).

Having approved the activities of CASPCOM working bodies, the 15-th Session recommended the following:

3.1 To assess positively the preparation of the General Catalogue of the Caspian Sea level taking into account that by now monthly data are available for Azerbaijani, Kazakh and Russian coasts. For the Turkmen coast, monthly data for the period from the start of observations to 1988 are completed, and for the Iranian coast, the work is almost completed.
З.2 IRIMO is to prepare the tables with monthly data for the period from the start of observations to 2008, on Iranian coast of the sea, and CASPAS Coordinator is:

• to request Turkmenhydromet to submit the monthly data on the sea level in the Turkmen coast for the period from 1989 to 2008;
• to compile data submitted by Turkmenhydromet and IRIMO into the General Catalogue of the Caspian Sea level.

3.3 NHMSs carrying out oceanographic observations on the marine cross-sections are to coordinate these works in time. NHMSs are to complement the shipping observations with the modern means such as stationary, drifting and diving buoys, meta-ocean stations on oil drilling installations, remote sensing etc.
3.4 By 2011-2013, to complete the compilation of the General Catalogue of the Caspian Sea level and to start working on the catalogues of data of water temperature and ice conditions. CASPAS Coordinator is to design and to present their layouts at the 16th CASPCOM Session for approval.
3.5 CASPAS Coordinator is to prepare and forward to the Workgroup members offers on preparation of reviews of hydrometeorological hazards, joint research on the urgent scientific problems of the Caspian Sea and the organization of joint field work in its water area.

Taking into consideration the issues of developing international cooperation included in the Agenda, the Session recommended, as follows:

4.1 CASPCOM Chairman is:

• to forward to CASPECO draft Memorandum of Understanding between CASPCOM and the Framework Convention for the protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea for reconciliation;
• to reconcile and to sign as soon as possible the mentioned-above Memorandum of Understanding.

4.2 CASPAS Coordinator is to monitor international projects implemented in the Caspian region in the field of hydrometeorology and pollution monitoring and funded by EU and/or other international organizations/donors, and to inform the CASPCOM members about them.
4.3 CASPCOM members are to assisst the Iranian partners in organization of the workshop on Integrated Coastal Zone Management taking into consideration that it is a potential consumer of the hydrometeorological services.

5. Adoption of CASPCOM-15 Recommendations (Agenda Item # 8)

The Session has recommended CASPAS Coordinator to prepare and reconcile with the members of the editing group the draft of CASPCOM-15 Recommendations, and after getting their approval to forward the draft to the Heads of the national delegations having attended the 15-th Session of CASPCOM for their adoption.

6. Election of CASPCOM Chair and Deputy Chair (Agenda Item # 9)

The Session has elected Head of Roshydromet Dr Frolov as CASPCOM Chair and Head of Azhydromet Dr Shiraliev as CASPCOM Deputy Chair.

7. Defining date and venue for holding CASPCOM-16 (Agenda Item # 10)

The Session has recommended the CASPCOM Chair to conduct negotiations with Turkmenhydromet on holding the next 16-th Session of CASPCOM in Turkmenistan, in 2011. If these negotiations don’t succeed, it has recommended to request Azhydromet that has preliminarily agreed upon this matter.