RESOLUTION 1.5

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SUB REGIONAL CO-ORDINATION UNIT FOR THE BLACK SEA

The Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area,

Referring to Article III, paragraph 7.c) of the Agreement providing for the first Meeting of the Parties to designate in each sub-region, as defined in Article I.3.j), within an existing institution, a co-ordination Unit to facilitate implementation of the measures prescribed in annex 2 to this Agreement;

Recalling the Final Act of the negotiation meeting to adopt the ACCOBAMS, held in Monaco, in November 1996, which recommends the Interim Secretariat to approach relevant intergovernmental Organisation in Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea with a view to facilitating identification of the Sub-Regional Co-ordination Units;

Adopts with appreciation the positive response by the Black Sea Commission to perform this task;

Urges Parties to support co-ordination between their Agreement national focal points and their relevant subsidiary bodies of Black Sea Commission national focal point in order to ensure co-ordination;

Decides

1. to create the Sub-regional Co-ordination Unit for the Black Sea in the frame of the Black Sea Commission;

2. to provide a financial support through the ACCOBAMS budget to implement this task by the Sub-Regional Co-ordination Unit according to the functions defined in Article V of the Agreement;

3. that this arrangement shall be reviewed at each ordinary Meeting of the Parties at the request of the Sub-Regional Co-ordination Unit or any ACCOBAMS Party, which must reach the Secretariat and the national focal points of the Agreement Parties not later than 60 days before the beginning of the Meeting of the Parties.

Urges the Secretariat to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Black Sea Commission.