Tehran notes need for further discussions on Caspian Sea status
By Sara Rajabova
Many uncoordinated issues remain on the legal status of the Caspian Sea, therefore, further discussions on this issue are needed.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia and Oceania and Special Representative for Caspian Sea Affairs, Ebrahim Rahimpour made the remark on April 21, iribnews reported.
Rahimpour is currently on a visit to Moscow to attend the 37th meeting of the Caspian Sea countries' working group.
He said that the draft memorandum on the legal status of the Caspian Sea, as well as the draft declaration of the Caspian Sea countries should be worked out before the Astrakhan summit of the heads of Caspian Sea countries.
Rahimpour went on to add that many issues have been agreed at the meeting of the Caspian Sea countries' working group in Moscow.
Decisions on some issues will be made at the foreign ministers' meeting on April 22, however, further discussions on the legal status of the Caspian Sea are necessary, according to Rahimpour.
Iran's deputy foreign minister pointed out that another meeting of the working group is likely to be held in Tehran before the Astrakhan summit of the Caspian Sea countries' heads.
In July 1998, Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the northern part of the Caspian Sea. On Nov. 29, 2001 and Feb. 27, 2003, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the Caspian Sea.
The five Caspian littoral states signed the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea in November 2003.