Azerbaijan backs initiative to establish Caspian Sea Economic Cooperation Organization: Foreign Ministry

Russia is prepared to design proposals to establish Caspian Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, Vesti television channel quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as saying.

The organization may compose Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. The organization may focus on cooperation regarding energy, transport, water bioresources, finance, investments and trade, Lavrov said.

"Caspian Sea Economic Cooperation Organization has been on agenda for a long time. We can design concrete proposals to establish such organization," Russian foreign minister said.

"We think establishing such economic organization can help determine status of the Caspian Sea. It will encourage this process," he said. "We back open, predictable and consistent policy. Establishing and activities of this organization will be beneficial," Polukhov said.

The status of the Caspian Sea is regulated by 1921 and 1940 agreements signed between the Soviet Union and Iran. Talks to define a new legal status are continuing. Some countries have signed bilateral agreements. In July 1998, Kazakhstan and Russia signed an agreement to divide seabed of the northern Caspian Sea to exercise sovereign rights to the use of mineral resources and a protocol to this agreement in May 2002. On Nov. 9, 2001 and Feb. 27, 2003, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed a contract to divide seabed of the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on point of division of contiguous section of the Caspian Sea seabed on May 4, 2003 .

Iran proposed to divide the sea into equal parts 20 percent each. Azerbaijan was against this principle as third section of the Azerbaijani water of the Caspian Sea will move to Iran's jurisdiction under this principle.

The Caspian littoral states signed a framework convention on protection of the environment of the Caspian Sea in Tehran in Nov. 2003.

New legal status of the Caspian Sea is planned to be solved under the Convention, the text of which is being coordinated by a special working group.

Kazakhstan's position is to apply UN resolutions on law of the sea adopted in 1982.

/Trend News/