Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The 1st session of the Caspian states’ experts on preparation of initialing of the Caspian Sea Security Agreement has opened in Baku.

Deputy foreign minister Khalaf Khalafov of Azerbaijan stated that Azerbaijan hoped for success of the experts’ session.

“I hope that we’ll be able to coordinate this matter as well as issues in other fields, in the spirit of friendship and co-operation that will allow us to develop security partnership,” he said.

The security agreement was drafted by the Azerbaijani side and includes generalized approaches of all the five Caspian states.

“Caspian states’ experts are also working over co-ordination of the remaining questions concerning Caspian Sea status, including unsolved matter of division of Caspian waters,” Khalafov said.

In his opinion, the agreements signed earlier between Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan are a good basis in the process of Caspian bottom division.

“We believe that soon Azerbaijan will sign a similar agreement with Turkmenistan that will become our contribution to the common business,” he added.

Originally the five Caspian states (4 ex-Soviet republics and Iran) agreed to solve the Caspian Sea status issue by consensus. As a result, today Iran declines to accept positions coordinated by the former USSR republics on the bilateral basis.

22.10.2009 12:43