ID :
211861
Sun, 10/09/2011 - 12:11
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/211861
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Iran: Littoral States Should Prevent Presence of Foreign States in Caspian Sea
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi underlined that the Caspian Sea belongs to its five littoral states and other countries should not run any activity in the sea.
Salehi made the remarks in a joint press conference with his visiting Kazakh counterpart Yerzhan Kazykhanov here in Tehran on Saturday night.
"We believe that the Caspian Sea belongs to its five littoral states and all the five countries should have a share in any development and event in this sea," he said.
"The Caspian Sea should not be militarized and the countries from outside this region should have no presence in this sea as protection of the environment and natural resources of this sea, like its caviar and sturgeons, are important to us," he continued.
Salehi further added that the littoral states are still working to formulate a proper legal regime for the Caspian Sea, and added that an expert meeting would soon be held in Astana in this regard.
The European Union announced last month that it intends to negotiate a deal between energy-rich former Soviet nations Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan aimed at building a Caspian Sea pipeline that would carry Turkmen gas directly to Europe.
The scheme would boost the EU-backed Nabucco pipeline project. Nabucco, slated to carry natural gas from the Caspian region to Austria via Turkey, is part of an effort to reduce the EU's almost total dependence on Russian imported natural gas.
Iran opposed the EU plan to broker a deal between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan over the direct transfer of Turkmen gas to Europe, warning that the move is against the interests and authority of the Caspian Sea littoral states.
The Iranian embassy in Moscow said it shares Moscow's concern over the European Union's offer to negotiate a deal between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
Russia has said it "regretted" the EU move, saying only the five states bordering the Caspian Sea had the right to settle issues concerning its body of water, RIA Novosti reported.
"Outside attempts to meddle in the affairs of the Caspian (Sea)... could very seriously complicate the situation in this region and hamper the ongoing five-party negotiations on the Caspian Sea's legal status," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in mid September.
Salehi made the remarks in a joint press conference with his visiting Kazakh counterpart Yerzhan Kazykhanov here in Tehran on Saturday night.
"We believe that the Caspian Sea belongs to its five littoral states and all the five countries should have a share in any development and event in this sea," he said.
"The Caspian Sea should not be militarized and the countries from outside this region should have no presence in this sea as protection of the environment and natural resources of this sea, like its caviar and sturgeons, are important to us," he continued.
Salehi further added that the littoral states are still working to formulate a proper legal regime for the Caspian Sea, and added that an expert meeting would soon be held in Astana in this regard.
The European Union announced last month that it intends to negotiate a deal between energy-rich former Soviet nations Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan aimed at building a Caspian Sea pipeline that would carry Turkmen gas directly to Europe.
The scheme would boost the EU-backed Nabucco pipeline project. Nabucco, slated to carry natural gas from the Caspian region to Austria via Turkey, is part of an effort to reduce the EU's almost total dependence on Russian imported natural gas.
Iran opposed the EU plan to broker a deal between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan over the direct transfer of Turkmen gas to Europe, warning that the move is against the interests and authority of the Caspian Sea littoral states.
The Iranian embassy in Moscow said it shares Moscow's concern over the European Union's offer to negotiate a deal between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
Russia has said it "regretted" the EU move, saying only the five states bordering the Caspian Sea had the right to settle issues concerning its body of water, RIA Novosti reported.
"Outside attempts to meddle in the affairs of the Caspian (Sea)... could very seriously complicate the situation in this region and hamper the ongoing five-party negotiations on the Caspian Sea's legal status," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in mid September.
