1. 3. Pilot projects on transboundary rivers under the UN/ECE Water Convention

2. MoravaCzech Republic/Slovakia IpolySlovakia/Hungary MuresRomania/Hungary Latorica/UzhUkraine/Slovakia BugUkraine/Belarus/Poland TobolKazkstan/Russian Federation KuraGeorgia/Azerbaijan (Armenia) Severski DonetsRussia/Ukraine PILOT PROJECTS

3. OBJECTIVES of pilot projects - to demonstrate application of guidelines - to assist countries with implementation - to review guidelines transboundary co-operation - to initiate transboundary co-operation - to support countries in transition in EU environmental legislation approximation to EU environmental legislation effective and sustainable - to realise effective and sustainable monitoring and assessment

4. PILOT PROJECT PROGRAMME CORE GROUP - start: early 1997 - participants: pilot project leaders + advisors - meeting 2 x per year ACTIVITIES of Core Group - preparation of projects - preparation of activities - discussion on progress of pilots - evaluation of projects STEERING COMMITTEE STEERING COMMITTEE per pilot project

5. PROJECT HISTORY Kura pilot project F project first proposed under UN/ECE Water Convention in March 1997 F MOU pilot project KURA signed in September 1997 F project proposal submitted to EU/TACIS programme: March 1998 F proposal accepted by TACIS in 1999 F drafting of TOR in 2000 F project proposals submitted by consultants before 1 March 2001 F expected start of project in 2nd half of 2001

6. Memorandum of Understanding among the Ministry of Environment of Georgia and the State Committee for Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Republic On Collaboration in the Development and Implementation of the Joint Pilot Project on Monitoring and Assessment in the Mtkvari/Kura river basin The Ministry of Environment of Georgia and the State Committee for Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Republic recognising the importance of Collaboration in the field of environmental protection, considering already the agreement on Collaboration in Environmental Protection between the Government of Georgia and the Government of Azerbaijan which is signed in 18.02.97, recalling the article 6, the Parties recognise the significance of the Mtkvari/Kura river and will join their efforts with the aim to protect its basin from the pollution, and also rational use of water resources, recalling the pertinent provisions of Article 13, the Parties will organise regular meetings on high level of the competent bodies which are responsible for this Agreement agreed upon the following: 1. To harmonise the approaches to the water quality monitoring and assessment of the river Mtkvari/Kura. 2. To develop and implement the joint pilot project on implementation of the Guidelines on Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment of Transboundary Rivers developed by the UN/ECE Task Force on Monitoring and Assessment in the river Mtkvari/Kura on behalf of the Ministryon behalf of the State Committee of Environment of Georgiafor Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan M.SharabidzeT. Ismailov Deputy Minister First Deputy Chairman MOU pilot project river Kura

7. pilot project ACTIVITIES INCEPTION PHASE agreement countries (MOU) agreement countries (MOU) financing financing project organisation project organisation PREPARATORY PHASE water management analysis water management analysis inventories inventories evaluation of legislation evaluation of legislation surveys surveys information needs information needs recommendations for improvement recommendations for improvement IMPLEMENTATION PHASE

8. INVENTORY of available information SURVEYS if information is lacking identification of USES / FUNCTIONS CRITERIA / TARGETS for functions/uses and issues LEGISLATION evaluation of classification systems ANALYSIS OF WATER MANAGEMENT ISSUES INFORMATIONNEEDS

10. Functions and uses of Kura river F drinking water supply F irrigation (80% of all water uses) F industrial water supply F hydropower

11. Problems of Kura river F pollution by municipal and industrial waste water F serious loads of suspended solids, organic compounds, nutrients, oil products, heavy metals, high contents of pesticides, bacteriological pollution F accidental pollution in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan F conditions too bad for survival of flora and fauna F overexpenditure of water for irrigation by not effective irrigation system F water use for drinking water in rural areas from open surface water or from shallow ground water because of weak water supply system

12. What information is needed for Kura river?

14. Pilot projects transboundary rivers Ipoly Mures Latorica/Uzh Morava Bug Tobol Kura Severski Donets