Baku Offers to Host Secretariat of Framework Convention for Protection of Marine Environment of Caspian Sea

The issues of legal status of the Caspian Sea should be resolved in a spirit of respect for the sovereign rights of States and mutually beneficial partnership. This was stated by Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov at the meeting held in Baku by the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea at the level of Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the coastal states.

He noted that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the previously signed agreements on the delimitation of the Caspian Sea signed between Baku, Astana and Moscow.

As part of the negotiation process, much has been done to harmonize the provisions of the draft convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea, as well as various areas of cooperation of the Caspian states.

Azerbaijan has ratified all the agreements signed at the Fourth Summit of Heads of Caspian States.

Khalafov noted the importance of strengthening international cooperation to improve the investment climate for the development and transportation of energy resources to international markets, the creation of secure and reliable communications, attracting highly profitable and environmentally friendly technologies.

Baku is scheduled for the sixth Conference of the Parties of the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea. One of the main objectives of the meeting will be the opening of the permanent Secretariat of the Framework Convention. The Azerbaijani side offers to host the Secretariat in Baku and has submitted the relevant draft.

Caspian states (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Iran) signed the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea in November 2003. -06D-