Caspian Sea Littoral States End Summit Signing 3 Accords

Tehran, Sept 30, IRNA – The fourth Summit of the Caspian Sea littoral states ended in the Russian port city of Astrakhan on Sunday after signing three agreements and releasing a joint statement. The day-long summit was attended by heads of state from Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan who discussed legal status of the world's largest lake. Leaders of the five littoral states of the Caspian Sea reviewed issues surrounding their common ownership on the coastline and resources of the Sea. Following the meeting in Astrakhan, Russia’s largest city in the Caspian region, its participants announced in a joint statement that Iran, Russia, Armenia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan will retain sovereignty over waters up to 15 nautical miles from their coastlines. They will also have exclusive fishing rights over 10 more nautical miles. The rest of the inland sea will be developed jointly by the five littoral states, the statement added. Other issues remained un-settled in the summit are expected to be resolved by the next Caspian Five summit which is to be held in Kazakhstan in 2015. Participants of the summit discussed key issues in a friendly atmosphere. Agreements for bilateral cooperation were signed by ministers of the five states and included issues related to their cooperation on optimal use of the seabed and subterranean resources, as well as joint measures to be taken in the field of weather and climate and joint rescue operations. They stressed the need to make further efforts to encounter challenges threatening regional security. The statement also gave priority to make joint cooperation on fight against illegal drugs and fishing. The statement also stressed carrying out joint military operations to strengthen regional peace and stability and help further establish good-neighboring relations and mutual confidence among littoral states of the world largest lake./end