Moscow hosts conference of FMs of Caspian Littoral Countries 

Moscow, April 22 (AzerTAc). A conference of Foreign Ministers of the Caspian Littoral Countries has been held in Moscow, Russia. The event brought together FMs of Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. The ministers discussed the preparations for the 4th Summit of the Heads of States of the Caspian Sea Littoral Countries to be held in Astrakhan. They also exchanged views over the program and agenda of the summit. The conference analyzed the work done at the level of experts towards implementing decisions taken at the summit in Baku in 2010. It included the development of a new legal status that meets modern standards, security sphere, fight against common threats, environmental conservation, maintenance and rational utilization of aquatic biological resources, prevention of emergency situations and elimination of their consequences. Addressing the conference, Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov noted that agreements on the elimination of emergency situations in the Caspian Sea and cooperation in the field of hydrometeorology have already been developed. The work on an agreement regarding preservation and rational utilization of biological resources of the Caspian is about to end. “The Caspian Sea is a link in many international and regional projects. The success of the projects of Baku-Supsa and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipelines, as well as Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway serve economic development of the Caspian littoral states and the world’s energy security.” Mammadyarov said the presence of military forces and military activity in the Caspian Sea should be based on the principle of providing equal security conditions for all littoral states. “This will serve strengthening mutual trust between the regional countries and turning the Caspian Sea into the area of friendship and cooperation,” the FM noted. Mammadyarov expressed confidence that the issues related to the regime for merchant shipping, the right of innocent passage of ships through the territories of other countries and laying of pipelines under the Caspian Sea would be resolved within the framework of negotiations in accordance with international maritime law.    “We attach great importance to the contracts signed between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia on the delimitation of the Caspian Sea. These contracts are an integral part of the Caspian Sea’s legal status and ground for reaching common agreements. Azerbaijan is committed to addressing issues on the Caspian legal status through negotiations,” the minister noted.