A meeting of Subgroup 4 on Strengthening the Organizational Framework for Management, Protection and Development of Interstate Water Resources in the Aral Sea Basin within the framework of ADB RETA 6163 “Improved Management of Shared Water Resources in Central Asia” was held in Tashkent on 21-22 September 2007.

The meeting was attended by:

• for Kazakhstan – K.P. Pulatov
• for Tajikistan – Kh. Islomov
• for Turkmenistan – A. Tachnazarov
• for Uzbekistan – R.Z. Srajitdinov
• for BWO Amudarya – O.G. Lysenko
• for SIC ICWC – P.D. Umarov, F.F. Beglov, V.V. Khegay.

Executor for the Kyrgyz National Working Group (NWG) Zh. Sarybayeva and representative of BWO Syrdarya A.G. Loktionov did not participate in the subgroup’s meeting.

The members of subgroup 4 considered the draft Statute on ICWC requiring additional agreeing, and agreed the draft Statute as a whole.

Representative of the Tajik NWG Kh. Islomov reserved the right to additional consultation with the direction of the Ministry of Reclamation and Water Resources of Tajikistan on editing item 2.19

According to the decision made by ICWC members at the work meeting in Bishkek, the question on rotation of heads of ICWC executive bodies and deployment site is put into a separate Statute.

The second version of the Agreement on Strengthening the Organizational Framework was considered. Following the insertion of amendments and supplements, the draft Agreement was agreed as a whole.

The subgroup members made an offer to change the name into “Agreement on Enhancing the Status of ICWC and Its Executive Bodies” and ask ICWC to approve this offer.