Consensus sole key to Caspian legal issues: Iran's Presiden

Tehran, Aug 12, IRNA – Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said settling the legal issues of the Caspian Sea is only possible through consensus of its five littoral states. President Rouhani made the remarks Sunday before departing Tehran for the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan where he is to take part in the 5th summit of the Caspian Sea countries. Referring to the previous meetings on the Caspian Sea, he noted that the coming summit will be of great importance as the major principle related to the legal regime of Caspian Sea will be discussed. The Iranian President, who is visiting Kazakhstan upon an invitation from his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev, said the convention, if agreed, will stipulate that all the legal issues of the Caspian Sea are settled only through consensus among the five states bordering the world’s largest enclosed inland body of water. Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are the five Caspian Sea countries. The principle of consensus distinguishes the convention from the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea, Rouhani said adding that a two important point of the convention will be the agreement that no foreign military traffic in the Sea will be permitted. 'The point is of great importance to the national security of the littoral countries,' President Rouhani said. Baselines with regard to the coastal morphology and in accordance to the UN Convention, as well as the issues related to seabed will be discussed and settled in the following sessions, he said. The convention would be a step toward a thorough agreement, he said adding that some main issues will be settled by it. Some instruments will be signed with the neighboring countries on fighting terrorism and organized crimes, transportation, trade and protecting the borders. Referring to two major corridors in the east and west of the Caspian Sea, he said the projects will connect the Asian, European and Caucasian countries to each other. He also noted that the summit will be used as an opportunity for developing bilateral relations with the Caspian Sea countries. The ministerial meeting of the Caspian Sea countries was held on Saturday with participation of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish