The World Heritage Committee,

1. Defers consideration of the nomination of Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan, until a detailed action plan and implementation programme demonstrating the commitment of the State Party to: (a) maintaining the existing natural flows in the Nura River and containing deposits of mercury pollution; (b) upgrading the Sarykopa Wildlife Reserve to Nature Reserve protected status; and (c) linking the Tersek and Sypsyn outliers to an extended main Naurzum Nature Reserve by protecting the intervening corridors of unmodified steppe;

2. Requests IUCN to undertake a thematic study for Central Asia in time for the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee in 2004.