Azernews.Az

Caspian littoral states - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Russia - have agreed to about 60 per cent of the draft convention on the legal status of the basin, Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Nurlan Yermekbayev has told journalists.
Representatives of the five littoral states held the 24th meeting of the joint taskforce on the Caspian status in the Kazakh capital Astana early last week. Azerbaijan was represented at the meeting with a delegation headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov.
The Kazakh official emphasized that the parties were pleased with talks held in Astana, saying discussions proceeded to create constructive dialog and mutual understanding.
Yermekbayev stressed, however, that it was too early to talk about passing the convention. "A number of issues remain unresolved and we have to work on them."
According to him, the sides agreed to continue discussions on the wording of the convention at another meeting in Moscow that has yet to be scheduled.
The coastal nations agreed to develop a convention on the Caspian status at a summit held in Tehran in October 2007. The status of the sea has been repeatedly discussed in past years, however, the agreements reached so far concern only such issues as the environment, bio-resources and navigation, while dividing the basin into sectors and security matters have yet to be resolved. These issues are currently being discussed on the level of presidents, as well as in bilateral and trilateral formats.
Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement in 2001 on the delineation of the Caspian`s northern part into national sectors, with Azerbaijan and Russia possessing 19% each, while the Central Asian state would control 29%. If the other two coastal nations - Iran and Turkmenistan - agreed to this principle, they would be granted 14% and 19% respectively. Ashgabat is not opposed to this division in principle, however, Tehran is seeking equal division to receive control of 20% of the sea-bed.

Trans-Caspian pipeline
The trans-Caspian pipeline, a project that seeks to transport energy resources from the resource-rich region to world markets, could be built prior to a final agreement on the legal status of the Caspian Sea, US Ambassador to Kazakhstan, John Ordway, has said.
Iran and Russia have stated that laying the trans-Caspian and NABUCCO pipelines under the Caspian was unacceptable until the coastal nations determine the status of the basin.
Ordway said Washington had no intention to wait long for the materialization of the plans on regional energy exports. "Before the status is determined, the littoral states could start construction of oil and gas pipelines on a bilateral or trilateral basis."