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Каспинфо апрель 2002 |
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Название: Геополитические проблемы Каспия на англ. языке Главные Пункты: * По словам В.Калюжного, рабочая группа на уровне замминистров иностранных дел по статусу Каспия исчерпала свои возможности в решении этого вопроса.Основная проблема в определении статуса Каспия - позиция Ирана, которую он не собирается менять несмотря на то, что остальные прикаспийские страны согласились определять статус Каспия, исходя из предложенного Россией принципа. * Вице-премьер правительства России В.Христенко заявил, что Россия и Казахстан, вероятно, уже в середине мая этого года подпишут соглашение о разграничении дна Каспийского моря для использования полезных ископаемых, находящихся в его недрах. * Спецпредставитель Ирана по вопросам Каспия М.Сафари заявил, что иранская сторона не изменила свою позицию о делении Каспия на равные доли. Также Иран заявляет, что не примет никакого решения, принятого без его участия. * и др. сообщения. (18.04.2002) Полный Текст Геополитические проблемы Каспия на англ. языке Геополитические проблемы Каспия на англ. языке *** Caspian: On and off summit appears to be on again The presidents of Russia and Iran have agreed to meet at a Caspian Sea summit in Turkmenistan next month after more than a year of delay. Hopes seem to be rising for a general document that the five shoreline nations can sign, but there is no end in sight to specific disputes. Boston, 26 March 2002 (RFE/RL) -- A Caspian Sea summit, which has been repeatedly put off, has been put on again after Iranian President Mohammed Khatami agreed to attend a five-nation meeting in Ashgabat on 23 April. The maneuvers around a summit date have been going on since last month, when Russia's Caspian envoy Viktor Kalyuzhny declared that a working group of deputy foreign ministers "has reached the limit of its possibilities." Only the presidents of the Caspian nations can restore momentum to the talks on a legal division of resources, which have dragged on for over a decade, Kalyuzhny said. The deadlock over how to divide the Caspian among the shoreline states has left Iran increasingly alone as a consensus has spread among the CIS nations of Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan on Moscow's division formula. Iran has stalled a summit for over a year while insisting on its own approach and seeking support from Turkmenistan to avoid total isolation. It might seem appropriate, then, that Iran announced Khatami's acceptance of a summit invitation from Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov first on 16 March, days before statements that any other leaders would attend. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared his acceptance a week later on 23 March, the RIA-Novosti news agency said. The process leading up to the summit has been curious, however. Iran's Caspian representative Mehdi Safari paved the way during meetings in Turkmenistan on 12 March. But the immediate announcement after Safari's talks was that Khatami would embark on a series of visits to Central Asian countries in April. It now seems that the two-day summit will be only one of his stops on a Central Asian tour. Safari said Khatami plans to visit Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan "to seek ways of further strengthening and developing mutual relations with these countries," the Iranian official news agency IRNA reported. It is unclear whether the tour is meant to downplay Iran's concern with a Caspian solution as an issue critical to Tehran. So far, Khatami's travel plan has attracted little attention in Kazakhstan, where media coverage has been negative since Iran objected to Astana's accord with Azerbaijan on the division formula at a CIS summit in Moscow last November. Iran called the agreement illegal and repeated its protest in a recent letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Relations since then have seemed less than warm. Last week, Kazakhstan commercial television suggested that the new government of Prime Minister Imangaliy Tasmaghambetov had taken offense at what it called an "unexpected congratulation" from Iran, more than two months after his inauguration. The report transcribed by the BBC said, "The decision by Tehran to be the last to send congratulations, moreover, in two and a half months, is regarded as another sign of a considerable complication in the relations between the two countries." It then noted the friction over the Caspian pact. Iran's differences with the CIS countries have remained largely constant for the past year. Russia's formula calls for splitting the seabed into national sectors while keeping the waters in common. Kalyuzhny suggested recently that a 10-mile national coastal zone for fishing could be extended, if it did destroy the common-water principle. Iran argues instead for either common control over the entire Caspian or a 20 percent share, which is more than the 13 percent covered by its coast. As recently as 14 March , the government-sponsored paper "Iran Daily" reported no change in the position. The English-language daily quoted a member of a parliamentary energy commission as saying that Iran had already calculated its share of Caspian resources at 33 billion barrels of oil. The member, Hossein Afarideh, also urged the Oil Ministry to proceed with activities "even in some of the disputed areas." The statement was a reminder of a dangerous incident last July, when an Iranian gunboat confronted two Azerbaijani research ships in disputed waters under contract to Britain's BP oil company. The continuing rifts raise the question of what a summit, even after a year of delays, can accomplish. Kalyuzhny's hope is that it will at least produce a document setting out the various positions and "key principles of the sea's new status," Interfax reported last month. This may be expected to include a symbolic but unenforceable declaration that the Caspian is to be an area of peace and friendship. Much of the work on the document is reportedly done. Kalyuzhny is also seeking a pact on protecting the Caspian's biological resources. Such non-controversial accords may be confidence-builders that will produce some positive coverage. But the diplomatic niceties could also be seen as a step back toward irrelevance if they fail to address the real-world disputes on nearly all sides. Iran's tension with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan is matched by five years of discord between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan over their overlapping oil-field claims. In addition, Iran rarely acknowledges that its biggest difference is with Russia over the entire division formula, preferring instead to lodge proxy protests against neighbors like Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Earlier this month, the Iranian paper "Entekhab" broached the subject, saying that Russia's position "is totally against the views of Iran and Turkmenistan" and "is pushing the region into further tension." Unless the presidents can deal with such conflicts, their task next month may be to prove that summits matter at all. http://www.rferl.org/nca/features/2002/03/26032002094045.asp By Michael Lelyveld RFE/RL 28 Mar 2002 http://www.eurasia.org.ru/ *** /16:45 09.04.2002/ Azerbaijan stands for law-based division of Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime Minister said Alma-Ata, April 9, 2002. (CNA). Azerbaijan shares the same position as Russia and Kazakhstan regarding the devision of the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Yaqub Ayyubov said in Alma-Ata while meeting representatives of foreign companies at the Eurasian Economic Summit. "Azerbaijan has never claimed and will not claim the energy resources of other countries Caspian littoral states, Ayyubov said, while adding that this issue can be resolved both on the basis of bilateral agreements and agreements between the five littoral states. The Azeri official expressed hope that this dispute will be resolved with Turkmenistan and Iran on the basis of international law. In fact, in 2000-01 Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed memorandum on mutual understanding on the division of the sea floor based on the principle of a modified median line, with the water and surface of the Caspian Sea remaining in common use. Turkmenistan approved this principle, while Iran insists that the resources of the Caspian Sea should be divided based on a condominium principle. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /13:39 09.04.2002/ Russia and Kazakhstan will sign agreement on delimitation of Caspian seabed Alam-Ata, April 9, 2002. (CNA). Probably, already in the middle of this May Russia and Kazakhstan will sign an agreement on the delimitation of the Caspian seabed to make use of the minerals in it. Russian Vice-Premier Viktor Khristenko stated this on the basis of the results of the talks with president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev held in Alma Ata on Tuesday, RIA Novosti reports. Speaking at a press conference, Khristenko refused to comment on the details of the negotiating process on drawing the so-called modified middle line between Russia and Kazakhstan on the Caspian seabed. He only noted that the talks were being held intensively, and at the moment "the agreement is ready by 80 per cent." The area of the Caspian Sea's bottom where the middle line must presumably pass is oil-bearing. In the long term it is intended to develop three large oil deposits situated there. The volumes of oil which Russia and Kazakhstan will possess in this region will depend on where the middle line will pass. Khristenko said that the second important agreement which Russia and Kazakhstan were preparing for signing concerns transit of Kazakhstani oil through Russia's territory "in new directions". The Vice-Premier noted that "the understanding of the paramount importance of this agreement" existed on both sides, and "it can be prepared for signing within the next two months". Khristenko specially emphasized the importance of an exact mutual appraisal of the volumes of Kazakhstani oil which can be extracted within the next 10-15 years and correspondingly transported by the Russian pipelines. The agreement itself on transit of Kazakhstani oil across Russia depends on this appraisal, he noted. The Vice-Premier said that "some nuances making for broader goods turnover between our countries, which grew by more than 500 million dollars over the year of 2001 and has now reached 4.7 billion dollars", were also discussed in the course of the talks with the president of Kazakhstan. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /14:14 11.04.2002/ Iran and Azerbaijan to discuss regional problems and Caspian Sea legal status Baku, April 11, 2002. (CNA). Four urgent issues should be discussed with the Azeri authorities during the official visit of the Iranian delegation to Baku led by Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi. Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said that the talks are to be focused on recent events in the region, issues of the energy sector and the Caspian Sea, events in Afghanistan, Iraq and in the Middle East. The recent events in Middle East have a direct impact on the development of bilateral relations and the situation in the countries, the Iranian minister said upon arrival to Baku airport. According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev this visit of the Iranian delegation would have a positive impact on the development of relations between the two countries. It is expected that tomorrow, the head of Iranian delegation Kharrazi will have a meeting with the Azeri president Heydar Aliyev. After his visit in Azerbaijan the Iranian minister will leave for Lebanon. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /14:51 16.04.2002/ Russia and Azerbaijan to agree on Caspian Sea status Baku, April 16, 2002. (CNA). A package of documents that will include the protocols about the basic economic principles for the Russian-Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea and the division of the Caspian Sea between Russia and Azerbaijan will be signed on June 7, 2002 in St. Petersburg. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the documents will be signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani leader Geydar Aliyev. As it was reported earlier, the question about the division of the Caspian Sea sectors between Russia and Azerbaijan was first considered at the CIS summit in 2001. In 2000-2001 Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan signed bilateral statements reflecting the countries' closer positions on the issues of the Caspian Sea sectors. Among other things, the parties reached agreement on the issues of the division of the bottom of the sea according to the principle of modified median line with common use of water and surface of the Caspian Sea, RBC reports. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /14:23 16.04.2002/ Iranian Envoy says reports on Caspian sharing "unfounded" Tehran, April 16, 2002. (CNA). Iran's Envoy for the Caspian Sea Affairs Mehdi Safari dismissed as "unsubstantiated" rumours and reports on the sharing of the energy-rich Caspian Sea. Talking to IRNA, Safari added that no new agreement has been achieved among the Caspian Sea countries on the legal status of the Caspian Sea. He said: The agreements signed in 1921 and 1940 between Iran and the then Soviet Union are currently considered the valid documents on the Caspian Sea. Safari who is also the director-general of the Commonwealth States Affairs of the Foreign Ministry point out that Iran continue to hold its policy on the Caspian Sea which consists of giving a 20 per cent share to all states surrounding it. A summit of chiefs of state of the Caspian Sea countries is to be shortly held in Asgabat, Turkmenistan, in which the authorities of these countries would discuss on how to come to an agreement to distribute the sea-bed resources of the land-locked sea. Safari expressed hope that the ground-breaking event would bring closer the viewpoints and attitudes of the Caspian Sea states authorities to formulate the new legal regime of the Caspian Sea. According to officials of the hosting country, no document has been prepared on the Caspian Sea yet, he said. Safari went on to say that any unilateral or bilateral agreement on the Caspian Sea is not valid and Iran would oppose any such step. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi earlier Monday described the talks on determining the legal regime of the Caspian Sea as a 'territorial issue' which cannot achieve results in a few sessions. Asefi pointed out that such negotiations follow a long process and one should not expect that everything will be sorted out in one or a few sessions. Iran believes that a lasting legal regime which will secure the long-term interests of all the countries can only be achieved through consensus and the overall agreement among the countries involved, he stated. Iran, he said, believes that the joint ownership of the sea is the best choice. However, if the countries unanimously agree on dividing sea, he said. Asefi said the Caspian issue is top on the Foreign Ministry's agenda and assured that the ministry officials will try their best to secure national interest. He warned against expecting quick results from the talks. The next summit of the Caspian Sea littoral states will be held in the Turkmenistan capital of Ashkhabad on 23 April. Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan are the Caspian Sea littoral states. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /14:47 19.04.2002/ Iranian president will start a tour to Caspian States Baku, April 19, 2002. (CNA). The Iranian President Mohammad Khatami plans to visit Azerbaijan during his tour of the Caspian states, the Iranian embassy in Baku has told Sarq, while adding that the visit of the Iranian President will take place only after Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev's visit to Tehran. The visit of the Azeri president to Tehran is planned for late April. However, the Iranian Embassy informed Sarq that constantly expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan and the USA in the field of security, the difficult situation around Iran, the Afghan operation, possible Western military action against Iraq and a number of other factors are preventing Heydar Aliyev's visit to Tehran at present, and consequently Khatami's return visit to Baku. In turn, this means that we should not expect a speedy resolution of the status of the Caspian. The main objective of the Iranian president's tour of the Caspian states is the settlement of the Caspian status. According to statements, the visit will not take place in the near future. This means that the summit of the five Caspian states in the Turkmen capital in five days will not yield any positive results. Moreover, the presidents of Iran and Turkmenistan (countries which are the main obstacle to the resolution of the Caspian status) have recently made it clear that we should not expect any changes at the summit in Ashgabat on the division of the sea. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /18:40 22.04.2002/ Azeri leader ready to meet Iranian counterpart at Caspian summit Baku, April 22, 2002. (CNA). The Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev is planning to pay his official visit to Iran in May this year, the President said during his meeting with the Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan, Ahad Qazai. Turan news agency reports that the Azeri president said that the drafts of documents submitted earlier by the Iranian side, including a political statement, are ready for signing during the forthcoming visit. Besides, Aliyev confirmed that he is ready to hold a tete-a tete meeting with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami within the framework of the forthcoming summit of Caspian states due to be held in Asgabat on 23-24 April. Aliyev expressed hope that the Asgabat meeting will open a new stage of cooperation on the Caspian Sea. As the head of the Azerbaijani state said, "The Caspian Sea must become a sea of friendship, neighbourliness and effective cooperation." On the Caspian Sea, he emphasized, "nobody must threaten anybody or use force". All the issues, the president said, have to be solved on the basis of international law and practice established on the Caspian Sea. Aliyev admitted that he does not expect "great results" from the summit", but in his opinion, the Asgabat meeting should help to achieve more serious movement in the future. For his part, the Iranian diplomat also noted that he does not expect a "miracle" from the Ashghabat meeting. But there should be "some movement", Qaza'i added. During the meeting Aliyev also expressed his attitude to some publications in the local media, which prompted the concern of the Iranian side. This concern was expressed by the Iranian ambassador a few days ago in a telephone talk with the Azerbaijani president. Aliyev stated that "publications in the newspapers" have no relation to the policy of the Azerbaijani state. The president criticized the publication in the press of a map showing the Azerbaijani flag over the city of Tabriz. Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan recognizes the territorial integrity of the Iranian state. He asked the ambassador not to attach serious importance to the publications and statements that are damaging bilateral relations, as they are not the position of official Baku. Qaza'i expressed gratitude to Aliyev for clarifying the matter, at the same time, he pointed out that his concern was prompted as the publication in question appeared in the organ of the New Azerbaijan Party, the party that is headed by Aliyev. He also advised that similar information be broadcast on TV channels that are close to the government. The Azerbaijani leader said in response that the press in Azerbaijan and also Yeni Azarbaycan newspaper, regardless of the party to which they belong, are independent. He also noted that nobody is insured against mistakes. Aliyev also called on the representatives of the state and private TV channels, who participated in the meeting, to take into consideration the state's position on similar issues. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /18:07 22.04.2002/ Russian envoy on Caspian Sea arrived in Turkmen capital Ashghabad, April 22, 2002. (CNA). The Russian president's special representative on the status of the Caspian, Deputy Foreign Minister Viktor Kaluzhniy, has already arrive for the Ashghabad to take part in the Caspian summit scheduled for 23-24 April, Turkmenistan.ru reports. Kaluzhniy is holding intensive consultations with the Turkmen side since the morning. It is supposed that before the summit the Russian official also met with meet his Iranian counterparts. A delegation from the Iranian Republic of Iran led by President Mohammad Khatami will arrive a day before the summit, as part of a one-day visit at the invitation of the Turkmen president Saparmyrat Niyazov. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /16:03 22.04.2002/ Kazakh foreign minister upbeat on Caspian summit in Turkmen capital Astana, April 22, 2002. (CNA). "Forthcoming Caspian summit in Ashghabad is of major importance for the states of the Caspian Sea region, in terms of the future definition of the Caspian Sea status, the Kazakh State Secretary, Foreign Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev said today, while delivering a speech in the parliament. The Minister also said the Caspian problem did not just mean defining the sea's "status". The summit participants will have to define not only the sea's status but quotas for industrial fishing, navigation and the environment, he said, expressing hope that the summit participants would adopt a relevant joint declaration. According to Tokayev, the positions of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on this issue are "pretty close" to that of Kazakhstan's, which is being "increasingly recognized by Caspian-littoral states." Despite of disagreements between some of littoral states, the states in the region did not agree with the position of Iran, which is suggesting that the sea be divided into 20-per-cent sectors. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /12:02 23.04.2002/ Russian President Putin to participate in Caspian summit Moscow, April 23, 2002. (CNA). Russian President Vladimir Putin will arrive in Ashghabad, the capital of Turkmenistan, today to participate in the summit on the status of the Caspian Sea, RTR television reported. Other participants of the summit are Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev, Kazakhstan leader Nursultan Nazarbayev and Presidnet of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov. Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan favor dividing the bottom of the Caspian Sea while the surface will remain under mutual control. However, Turkmenistan insists on dividing the Caspian Sea proportional to the current state borders. The fifth country that borders the Caspian Sea - Iran - thinks that each of the five countries should control 20 percent of the Caspian Sea. Meanwhile, Russia suggests settling the main problems before the status of the Caspian Sea is defined. These problems are connected with the Caspian biosphere, the use of marine resources, fishing and navigation. For these purposes, Russian officials propose the creation of an independent international joint Center for strategic settlement of problems of the Caspian Sea, RBC says. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /17:24 23.04.2002/ Nazarbayev left for Caspian summit Astana, April 23. 2002. (CNA). Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev left for the Turkmen capital Ashghabad today to take part in the summit of the Caspian littoral states, the presidential press office informs. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /16:51 23.04.2002/ Iranian president calls for regional cooperation and harmonious coexistence Ashghabad, April 23, 2002. (CNA). President Mohammad Khatami, currently attending a summit of Caspian Sea littoral states to discuss the issue of how its rich resources are to be shared, Monday night [22 April] called on the states to "coexist" and "cooperate". "Tehran does not look with favour on the pursuit of national interests at the expense of the national interests of other countries," Khatami stressed at a dinner banquet tendered by his Turkmen counterpart Saparmyrat Niyazov, IRNA says. "The foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is anchored on ideals, mutual respect, detente, dialogue and cooperation among states in the interest of peace," he said. He stressed that Iran desires expansion of ties with all neighbouring countries. "By living in harmony and cooperation as well as meeting national interests, regional states can help build a secure, free and peaceful world," Khatami said. He said: Wherever justice, trust and understanding prevails, the possible [possibility] of cooperation is enhanced and the prospects for progress and peace at the regional and international levels are bright. The Iranian president hailed Tehran-Asgabat relations, saying the bilateral ties of the two governments are based on coexistence, trust, mutual understanding and respect for each other's interests which had also been stressed in the meetings and dialogues of the two countries' officials. He said their governments' long-term cooperation in various energy projects, including gas and power, and construction of railroads promises a bright future for their countries. The president expressed Iran's readiness to take part in economic projects to develop Turkmenistan and to boost economic cooperation with Asgabat by up to 1bn dollars. He pointed to the close geographical, historical, cultural, economic and political bonds that draw the countries together, and described his visit to Asgabat as a "homecoming" during which he "relished talking to old friends". President Khatami, after concluding his visit of Turkmenistan, will proceed to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /16:21 23.04.2002/ Putin to visit Astrakhan Region Moscow. April 23. 2002. (CNA). The Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Astrakhan Region 24-26 April where he will chair a conference on the problems of the Caspian region, the Presidential Press Secretary Aleksey Gromov informed RIA Novosti. Gromov said Putin would visit a "number of facilities in industry and the social sphere, and also will see the ships of the Caspian flotilla." CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /16:12 23.04.2002/ Aliyev does not expect major results from Caspian summit Baku, April 23, 2002. (CNA). "The Caspian summit in Ashghabad could help the parties narrow their differences in the future, the Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev told during his meeting with the Iranian ambassador Ahad Gaza'I, while adding that he didn't expect any "major results" from the meeting. Aliyev also outlined the official position of Baku on the Caspian issue. The president said that the Caspian must become the sea of friendship, good neighbourliness and effective cooperation. Any threats or use of force here are unacceptable. All problems must be addressed in accordance with international law and practice established on the Caspian Sea. Besides, Aliyev reaffirmed his readiness to meet Iranian President Muhammad Khatami during the Ashgabat summit, adding that he intended to pay an official visit to Iran next month. The president stated that the documents forwarded by the Iranian party to Baku, including the political statement, were ready for signing during the forthcoming visit. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /15:46 23.04.2002/ Deputy foreign minister of Caspian littoral states accorded summit declaration Baku, April 23, 2002. (CNA). The deputy foreign ministers of the Caspian littoral states (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Russia) met on April 22 in Ashghabad to agree on the wording of the summit declaration. Meanwhile, most of experts think that this document can hardly be called final even the parties involved do not have any illusions as to any major breakthrough during the summit. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /12:35 23.04.2002/ Iranian President says Caspian summit positive step Tehran, April 23. 2002. (CNA). Before leaving Tehran this afternoon to attend the upcoming summit of head of Caspian sea littoral states, the Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said that the problems of the Caspian Sea must be resolved through cooperation among its five littoral states. "We hope that the issue of the legal status of the Caspian Sea will be resolved fairly so as to meet the interests of all the littoral nations. We consider this [summit] as a prelude to more extensive analysis to be conducted by the experts from the member countries in order to achieve greater understanding, God willing. We hope that the solution would safeguard the region's security and stability while meeting the interests of all the countries around the Caspian Sea. This sea is a valuable asset that we all should appreciate. The fate of the sea is in the hands of the five littoral countries. These states must take the decision. Understanding among us exists, God willing. In our opinion, the convention of this conference is a positive step in itself. God willing, we shall pave the way for better and greater specialist work and for reaching a conclusion that shall please all of us," BBC reports. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /12:28 24.04.2002/ Iranian president met Aliyev in Ashkhabad Ashkhabad, April 24, 2002. (CNA). The Azeri President Heydar Aliyev met Tuesday his Iranian counterpart President Mohammad Khatami at the latter's residence in this Turkmen capital on the sidelines of a Caspian summit. The Iranian president stressed "enormous historical, religious and cultural commonalties" of the two countries and called for the expansion of bilateral relations between Tehran and Baku in different fields, IRNA reports. "The interests of all coastal states must be met in the negotiations relating to the Caspian Sea," President Khatami said, adding the issue of the inland sea interested both Tehran and Baku. The Azeri president pointed to the historical background of the two countries and hailed the Islamic Republic's recognition of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity as a sign of Tehran's "special attention" to Baku. "Baku has made it a priority in its foreign policy to expand ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran," Aliyev said. He called for the resolution of the Caspian issue through "negotiations and cooperation". Aliyev has pledged to pay an official visit to Tehran, but the trip has been repeatedly postponed. According to a recent Azeri press report, the Azeri head of state has said to visit Iran in May without giving an exact date. CNA/www.caspian.ru *** /11:36 24.04.2002/ President Putin suggested to share seabed, for the water is common Moscow, April 24, 2002. (CNA). "Let's share seabed, the water is common," said Russian President Vladimir Putin at the first summit of the Caspian states, which is held in Ashghabad and devoted to the legal status of the Caspian Sea. According to him, the number of supporters of this delimitation solution is growing but the Caspian states still fail to reach an agreement on the whole spectrum of questions. In the opinion of the Russian leader, one of the key aims of this summit was to discuss the legal status of the sea in consideration of interests of all the Caspian states. He underscored that decisions should be made only with the approval of all five countries. However he said that it would be a major mistake to split the Caspian into five seas, ORT television reports. CNA/www.caspian.ru |