MARINE PROTECTED AREAS FOR ARABIAN SEAS 
A review is currently underway to identify priority areas for conser- 
vation in the Arabian Sea region. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park 
Authority is carrying out the review using data from all the IBAs in 
these biologically rich waters. (Source: Network News 2(3).) 
MEDMARAVIS 
The Convention on Coastal and Marine Biodiversity in the Mediterranean 
was held at Alghero in Sardinia, Italy from 19 - 22 January 1995. The 
main objective was to agree a list of biological criteria to be imple- 
mented for the creation of new coastal and marine parks or reserves in 
the Mediterranean. It is hoped that this incentive will lead to the legal 
protection of priority habitats to guarantee sustainable populations of 
rare and endangered species including seabirds, seaturtles and 
Meditteranean Monk Seal Monachus monachus. There were workshops 
on both the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean. We hope to 
report further in our next bulletin. Further information may be 
obtained from: Medmaravis, BP2 - 83470 Samt-Maximin, France. Fax: 
(33) 94-59-47-38. 
MIDDLE EAST COMMITTEE 
BirdLife International established a Middle East Committee during the 
International World Conference in August 1994. It is hoped that the 
committee, chaired by Mr Assad Serhal of Lebanon, will facilitate co- 
operation between countries, help promote the IBA book to key deci- 
sion-makers in the region and establish an on-going BirdLife conser- 
vation programme. A newsletter will be produced regularly from the 
region. 
The Highlands, Islands and Flyways Project is the first project initiated by 
the Middle East Committee. It will address the conservation of three 
broad geographic zones in the Middle East, rich in IBAs: 
Flylways: the migration systems centred on the Rift Valley in the 
west of the region. 
Highlands: the endemic-rich mountains of south-west Arabia, 
Socotra and Oman. 
Islands: the huge, globally important seabird colonies in the Gulf 
and Red Sea. 
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