The Avaza National Tourist Zone hosted a scientific and practical conference entitled “Protection of the Caspian Sea Ecosystem: Regional Cooperation and Sustainable Development,” dedicated to Caspian Sea Day. Petr Shchukin, Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Turkmenistan, took part in the forum.

In his speech, the Russian diplomat emphasized the need to combine the scientific and technical potential of the five Caspian littoral states. In order to minimize the damage caused by climate change, Petr Shchukin called for the effective use of the five-party working groups and existing regional structures, including the Coordinating Committee on Hydrometeorology of the Caspian Sea. In this context, the diplomat noted the great importance of the thematic and in-depth environmental summit initiated by the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

“Active joint efforts by the ‘five’ and close cooperation among our experts are necessary, including within the framework of the relevant five-party groups. We expect that an important impetus to this work will be provided by the decisions to be adopted at the Caspian Environmental Summit initiated by the Turkmen side in October this year here in Avaza,” stated the Russian diplomat.

The representative of the diplomatic mission emphasized that Russia has consistently advocated preserving the Caspian region as a space of peace, stability, and good-neighborliness and is ready to support new constructive initiatives by the littoral states.