Iran calls for stronger coop among neighbors to define Caspian status
Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has called on the
neighboring states for stronger cooperation to define the Caspian
Sea's legal status, IRIB News reported.
High ranking officials from Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan
and Azerbaijan are taking part at the 32nd special session of the
working group, which will last two days.
Salehi said that the fragile and vulnerable environment of the sea
must be protected by joint efforts.
Noting that all issues must be resolved through dialogue, Iran's FM
said that the Caspian Sea is an arena for constructive cooperation,
that is based on mutual respect and good neighborliness.
Salehi further said that Iran believes in the long-term regional
efforts that will help to maintain stability and security in the
Caspian Sea, as well as help to preserve environment and the
resources of the sea.
He said that as far as the seabed and sub-sea bed energy resources
are concerned, Iran proposes that each littoral state would have
its own territory where it operates, would abide to international
laws, and make it fair.
Salehi said that the Caspian Sea problems can be solved between the
neighbor states, without any foreign intervention, which can cause
additional problems.
"The meetings that are being held between the Caspian littoral
states show that the countries want to increase regional
cooperation, and to have common ground for friendly relations in
the region," Salehi said.
The Caspian five littoral states signed the Framework Convention
for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea in
November 2003.
In July 1998, Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the
delimitation of the northern part of the Caspian Sea in order to
exercise sovereign rights for subsoil use and in May 2002, a
Protocol to the Agreement.
On Nov. 29, 2001 and Feb. 27, 2003, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan
signed an agreement on the delimitation of the Caspian Sea.
Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on the
delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea on May 14,
2003.
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