ID :
195742
Tue, 07/19/2011 - 09:21
Auther :

Caspian working group to discuss preparations for Caspian summit


MOSCOW, July 19 (Itar-Tass) - Participants in the 29th session of the
Caspian working group at the level of deputy foreign ministers of the
Caspian states will discuss in Moscow on Tuesday preparations for the
fourth Caspian summit.
"Delegations from Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and
Turkmenistan will take part in the meeting," sources from the Russian
Foreign Ministry said. "Further talks on a draft convention on the legal
status of the Caspian as well as preparations for the fourth Caspian
summit which will be convened in Moscow are on the agenda," they said.
Uncertainty of Caspian Sea status remains one of the main problems in
relations of the Caspian states (Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and
Turkmenistan). The sides agree that it is necessary to sign the convention
on the legal state of the Caspian Sea, as the lack of understanding in
that issue impedes the implementation of energy projects as well as
creates conditions for reorientation of energy exports.
Experts note that the results of the third summit of the Caspian
states in November 2010 became a kind of a breakthrough in that issue. In
particular, the five states came to the conclusion that it is necessary to
speed up the process of negotiations on the legal status of the sea and
prepare the convention for the signing at the next summit that will be
held in Russia.

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