Press Release (96)67 (Revised) 7 May 1996

NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Scientific, Environmental and Political Issues in the Circum-Caspian Region A NATO Advanced Research Workshop focused on the Caspian Sea will take place from 13-16 May 1996 in Moscow, Russia. Russia has over the past two decades been coping with environmental problems related to the relatively rapid rise of the Caspian Sea level, as have other riparian countries. The workshop discussions will focus on problems related to the causes as well as the environmental and societal impacts of changes in sea level. About 30 experts (from countries such as Turkey, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Estonia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Russia) will provide background papers on their perspectives of scientific priorities in the circum-Caspian region. Workshop sessions will address such topics as : the regionalisation of climate-related environmental problems the Caspian regions environmental concerns : national perspectives sea level rise : impacts and implications desertification : impacts and implications global examples and lessons Co-directors of the workshop are Dr. Michael Glantz of the USA and Dr. Igor Wonn of Russia. For further information, please contact Dr. Glantz (fax : (1-303) 497 8125) or Dr. L. Veiga da Cunha, Director of the Priority Area on Environmental Security, NATO (fax : (32-2)707 4232).