No Caspian matters to be discussed at Aktau summit - presidents

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11/9 Tass 441

AKTAU, September 11 (Itar-Tass) -- The presidents of Russia,
Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan said they would not discuss
Caspian matters without Iran and voiced hope for the soonest Caspian
summit in Baku.
"I believe that all Caspian states must discuss Caspian matters,
fulfill the proposals made at the Tehran summit and hold the next summit
in Baku," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at the Aktau forum on
Friday.
He described the proposed Baku summit as 'a productive idea' and said
it was necessary to agree on fundamental parameters.
"The four presidents will not discuss Caspian matters today," Kazakh
President Nursultan Nazarbayev said. "We discussed them at the Tehran
summit and decided to meet again in Baku. I hope we will gather together
with Iran and ponder pressing problems soon," he said.
The Turkmen and Azerbaijani leaders supported that position. "It would
be good to discuss Caspian issues between five states, including Iran. We
have many other regional problems to discuss today," Turkmen President
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow said.
"The implementation of the Tehran summit decisions will lead to the
successful resolution of problems in the Caspian Sea delimitation in the
spirit of friendship and neighborliness," Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev said.
The Aktau meeting caused a negative reaction of Iran, which believed
that the sides would focus on Caspian issues. "The meeting disagrees with
the earlier decision to discuss and resolve any Caspian matters with the
participation of five Caspian states. The Islamic Republic of Iran
believes that the quadripartite meeting contradicts its interests,"
Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Motaki said.
Nazarbayev welcomed three presidents to Aktau and said that Kazakhstan
was trading with Baku, Makhachkala and Turkmenbashi through that seaport.
The informal summit has no agenda, he said, adding that the presidents
could discuss any bilateral and multilateral issues and take rest on the
Caspian coast.
Medvedev said he was glad to visit the Caspian city he had never been
before and agreed that they had plenty of matters to discuss.
Aliyev said it was possible to discuss joint economic projects.
Kazakhstan is a sincere friend of Russia and a good neighbor of
Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, Nazarbayev said. "In fact, we have no big
problems. Everything can be resolved by consensus," he said.
-0-yer