Islamic Republic of Iran 
The national wetland directory, recently initiated by the Department of the 
Environment, should be completed and published as soon as possible. 
The government is urged to designate more Ramsar sites, such as Choghakor and 
Gandoman Marshes. 
Studies should be undertaken on the impact of dams on the Helmand River in 
Afghanistan on the flood regime in the wetlands of the Seistan Basin in Iran, with 
a view to securing the future of the Ramsar sites in the Iranian part of this cross- 
border wetland. 
An environmental impact assessment should be conducted for the proposed free 
port on Queshm Island, especially with respect to its impact on the Ramsar site 
of of the Hara Protected Region in the Khuran Straits. 
Jordan 
The government is urged to restore and manage the wetland of the Azraq Oasis 
by providing water from another source. 
Saudi Arabia 
The National Council for Wildlife Conservation and Development's national 
wetland inventory should be completed and published as soon as possible. 
Priority should be gi\-en to implementation of the System Plan for Protected 
Areas by NCWCD, with particular emphasis on the establishment of protected 
areas in the coastal zone. 
Republic of Yemen 
The government is urged to join the Ramsar Convention and to designate the 
Lake of Marib Dam and other key wetlands in its territory for inclusion in the List 
of Wetland of International Importance. 
There were various calls for lists or inventories of wetlands in the Middle 
East or "West Asia" region to be drawn up, eg lists of potential Ramsar 
sites, of cri tically threatened sites, of internationally important sites. The 
joint OSME/ICBP Important Bird Areas in the Middle East Project is 
designed to start meeting these needs within a year's time. Iran and 
Saudi Arabia were praised for having started National Wetland 
Inventories, and all other West Asian countries were urged to carry out 
similar detailed surveys for eventual publication. Those West Asian 
countries with mangrove woodlands (especially Iran, Oman, Saudi 
Arabia and the UAE) were strongly encouraged to establish National 
Mangrove Committees in order to look after these valuable natural 
resources. The implementation, without further delay, of existing 
Protected AreasPlansin Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait was requested, 
because of the damage already suffered by these areas in various ways. 
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