(MENAFN- AzerNews)
By Ayya Lmahamad
On June 29, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, with the participation of
Presidents Ilham Aliyev, Vladimir Putin, Ebrahim Raisi,
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the 6th Summit of
the heads of the Caspian states was held. The summit discussed such
important issues as prospects of regional projects, stability, and
security of the region, as well as strengthening the legal
framework of cooperation.
Nowadays, the importance of the Caspian region is only
increasing. The countries of this region consider the Caspian
direction as one of their dominant foreign policy interests.
Contacts have intensified over the past period in all directions,
both bilaterally and multilaterally. Cooperation between the
region's countries has intensified, as well as Central Asia and
South Caucasus countries become more actively involved in the
Caspian region.
Director of the Baku Network expert platform Gulnara Mammadzada
told Vesti Kavkaza that numerous cooperation forms that are shaping
today create a common system of connections, including those based
on the transport strategy and trade and economic cooperation.
“All of this revolves around the Caspian region, which, as the
foreign ministers said, does not have a conflict component. Indeed,
we do not see any conflicts in the Caspian region, and the tensions
that existed between some countries over disputed deposits and so
on are being resolved. Moreover, today these countries are involved
in new projects, including the Trans-Caspian project. In general,
this system of connections seriously increases the importance of
the Caspian region,” she said.
Noting that the Caspian summit is taking place in a new
geopolitical environment, Mammadzada stressed the need for parties
to go for more serious decisions.
“If before 2018 there was a cumulative stage when the countries
in time came to sign the Caspian Convention, now also there is no
time to lose. This is the time to make specific decisions directly
related to integration. It seems to me that the Caspian model can
now set a new tone for integration, not only at the regional level
but also at the level of inter-regional cooperation,” she said.
She mentioned that the issue of institutionalization of the
Caspian process is very important, adding that the creation of a
Caspian economic cooperation organization has long been on the
agenda.
“Under new realities, it is becoming more and more important. It
has been repeatedly stressed, including at the level of foreign
ministers of the Caspian nations that the current process is the
confirmation of positions of countries in accordance with the
principles reflected in the Caspian Convention, which meets the
strategic interests of each of our countries. The strategic
interests are to be found mainly in the sphere of security,
including military and political security, and those connected with
the development of economic cooperation and further integration of
the Caspian region. The parties confirmed their adherence to these
principles in accordance with their strategic interests,” she
said.
Moreover, President Ilham Aliyev speaking at the summit also
stated that the Caspian Sea is an important component of many
international and regional projects aimed at improving the
well-being of the peoples of this region.
He also underlined that the bilateral and multilateral
agreements concluded among Caspian littoral states in the field of
transport create a good basis for turning the Caspian Sea region
into a major international transport hub with developed
infrastructure.
To recall, in 2018, the Caspian Sea's legal status was finally
confirmed. At the Aktau conference in August 2018, the Caspian Sea
littoral states ratified an agreement on Caspian Sea status.
Because of its abundant natural resources, coastal states had
difficulty striking an agreement. Despite signing the treaty in
2018, it is not yet in force due to Iran's lengthy ratification
procedure.
The geographical location of the Caspian Sea creates favorable
conditions for the establishment and development of beneficial and
constructive relations between the littoral states.
--
Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews' staff journalist, follow her on
Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad
Follow us on Twitter
@AzerNewsAz
- Tags:
- Azerbaijan
- Iran
- Caspian Sea
- Russia
- Kazakhstan
- Turkmenistan
- status of Caspian Sea
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