Caspian states to keep searching for mutually acceptable solutions on sea’s legal status

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    The Caspian littoral states at a regular meeting of experts will continue searching for mutually acceptable solutions on adopting an agreed document defining the legal status of the Caspian Sea, a diplomatic source told Trend July 11.

    The 50th meeting of the special working group on the development of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea at the level of deputy foreign ministers of the Caspian littoral states is scheduled to be held in September in Iran.

    So far, the issues regarding the draft Convention have been mainly agreed upon, and the negotiations are underway on the remaining issues.

    The parties intend to submit the agreed proposals for the 5th summit of the heads of Caspian littoral states to be held this year in Kazakhstan.

    The Caspian littoral states – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Iran – signed a Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea in November 2003. Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the northern part of the Caspian Sea in order to exercise sovereign rights for subsoil use in July 1998. The two countries signed a protocol to the agreement in May 2002.

    Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the Caspian Sea and a protocol to it on Nov. 29, 2001 and Feb. 27, 2003, respectively. Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on the delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea on May 14, 2003.