Contacts: Michael Campana, (505) 277-3269 Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821

July 3, 2002 UNM INVOLVED IN SOUTH CAUCASUS TRANSBOUNDARY WATER PROJECT The University of New Mexico is involved in a joint transboundary water quality and quantity monitoring project in the Kura-Araks river basin of the South Caucasus with the former Soviet Republics of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. UNM and the three countries are seeking funding under the NATO Science for Peace Program, which supports scientific research that will foster cooperation among nations. Dr. Michael E. Campana, director of UNM’s Water Resources Program and professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, will serve as the Project Director. Dr. Tim J. Ward, professor and chair of the Department of Civil Engineering, and Dr. William Fleming, associate professor of Community and Regional Planning, are also participating. Campana attended a project meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia, in late-May. “Although Armenia and Azerbaijan do not have diplomatic relations, both governments have given their tacit approval to this project,” Campana said. “Azerbaijan is the downstream riparian and is concerned about the quality and quantity of water it receives from Georgia and Armenia. This is a good example of water as a potential agent for peace and cooperation instead of conflict, and NATO recognizes this fact.” NATO and others recognize that the South Caucasus is a strategically important area and that stability must be assured Campana said. Significant hydrocarbon reservoirs exist in the Caspian basin and pipeline routes to the West will traverse this region. Campana hopes that one of the end products of the project will be an agreement among the three countries as to the allocation of water and its quality. No agreement of any kind currently exists. Campana and the others eventually hope to involve Turkey, which contributes much of the water to to the Kura-Araks system. Campana says this could be difficult, given the strained relations between Turkey and Armenia. In late-June Campana and his Georgian counterpart, Professor Nodar Kekelidze of Tbilisi State University, flew to Warsaw to make an oral presentation before the Science for Peace steering committee. Their proposal was one of the highest-ranked Campana said. He is confident NATO will provide some funding. A proposal is also being submitted to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe for additional funding. # # #

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