CTBTO international cooperation workshop in Baku concludes

A workshop organized by the CTBTO Preparatory Commission, and hosted by the Government of Azerbaijan in Baku, has concluded on 27 March 2003. The workshop, on CTBTO international cooperation for States from Central Asia and the Caucasus, brought together 29 representatives from eight States in the region. H.E. Mr Vilayat Quliyev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, opened the workshop. Like several other international cooperation workshops organized by the Commission around the globe, the workshop aimed to provide an overview of the work of the Preparatory Commission and the technologies of the Treaty's global verification regime, and to encourage cooperation among States in the region. Presentations were made on the verification regime and the technologies and data processing capacities which support it. The workshop also focused on enhancing information sharing for the effective implementation of the CTBT and the establishment of the verification regime in Central Asia and the Caucasus. The workshop highlighted the training opportunities and cooperation programmes offered by the Commission to States to upgrade their scientific capabilities for the implementation of the Treaty. Participants considered possible benefits of CTBT signature, including civil application of verification technologies, data and products. Ways and means to promote cooperation in the verification technologies among States Signatories in the region were also explored. Participants reaffirmed the important role of National Data Centres (NDCs) in receiving, analyzing and benefiting from data and products. A number of proposals for enhancing interaction and cooperation between States were presented. The Commission will continue working with States from Central Asia and the Caucasus on the follow-up to workshop recommendations. The Executive Secretary of the CTBTO Preparatory Commission, Mr Wolfgang Hoffmann, attended the opening of the workshop. While in Azerbaijan, the Executive Secretary was received by the President, H.E. Mr Haydar Aliyev, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Vilayat Quliyev, and the President of the National Academy of Sciences, Mr Mahmud Kerimov. Political, technical and scientific aspects of the Treaty were discussed, and full support for the Treaty was expressed.