One wonders if “raising game birds” is as environmental as Iran and Qatar claim it is
Iran and Qatar are still interested in working together on environment projects. This time dealing with protecting endangered local animal species. A new agreement was signed by VP and Head of Iran’s Environment Protection Organization Mohammad-Javad Mohammadi-Zadeh , and Qatar’s Environment Protection Minister Abdullah bin-Mubarak bin-A’abud al-Mea’azadi. In this agreement, which follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed last February by the two men, also included working jointly on issues dealing with elements behind regional insecurity.”
The new agreement includes cooperation to “save from extinction” endangered wildlife such as the Iranian Oryx , which Mr. Mohammadi-Zadeh says is:
“an animal on the verge of extinction and supported, that can fortunately be further protected thanks to the close cooperation between Iran and Qatar in various animal, plant and other environmental protection fields.”
The new agreement also calls for the establishment of preserves to be used to protect and breed endangered wildlife, including species of game birds in order to provide the situation for bird race competitions. The two countries will work together to protect these endangered species and make efforts to prevent their being smuggled out of the protected areas.
The projects, which are to last for a five year period and cost $500 million USD, will breed endangered species of birds and other wildlife, that will be later released back into their natural habitats in both Qatar and Iran.
As we noted in the previous article in February, there may be more than meets the eye in this agreement; especially when the two officials were photographed wearing the military uniforms of their respective countries when they signed the original Memorandum of Understanding on February 22nd, and due to their signing another memorandum two days later dealing with mutual defense issues.
The two ministers sign Memorandum of Understanding in February
Presuming that working together on environmental issues will be the top priority, the close proximity of the two countries could make many people wonder what the long term results of these bilateral ties could be.
This is particularly so when it was later reported that Qatar entered into a nuclear energy agreement with Russia, a county which is also working with Iran to develop its nuclear program.
Putting potential military aspects aside, there are no shortage of environmental projects that the two countries can work on together; including ones like Abu Dhabi’s Green Sheikh Abdul Aziz is involved in.
Abdul Aziz recently went to Antarctica as part of a 70 member scientific team to study the effects of global warming and climate change on a continent that what was once considered to be the world’s coldest place on earth.
He has a PhD in industrial ecosystems, and is involved in a number of environmental projects in the UAE, as well as those further afield. His involvement in studying how the melting of ice shelves and glaciers in the worlds’ most southern continent could be very beneficial to the region he hails from could benefit the entire Middle East, including neighboring Qatar and Iran.
It is these types of environmental projects that Iran and Qatar should be involved in; and not only those to save wildlife for possible future use in “bird race competitions”.
::Zawya
Read more green from Iran, Qatar, and other regional countries:
Iran and Qatar Align to Help the Environment
The Green Sheikh: “Middle Eastern Men Must Lead the Green Way”
Have You Ever Met a Green Sheikh?
Photo: Shaheenxtreme.com
