Lavrov: Convention on the Caspian Sea may be signed in early 2017

The Convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea may be signed in the first half of 2017, said the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a press conference in Astana after a meeting of foreign ministers of the Caspian littoral states (Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan.) "We have worked very useful and advanced on a number of fronts. There were a few questions, and  on some of them should be found right design principles agreed by the Presidents."

"We believe that it is absolutely realistic to aim to signing the Convention in the first half of 2017," he said.

* The main barrier to the signing the convention on the status of the Caspian Sea is the difference between the parties' positions on the delimitation of the bottom of the reservoir, as well as disputes about territorial belonging of large oil and gas deposits on the sea.

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan offer delimit the Caspian Sea along the median line (the line every point of which is equidistant from the nearest points on the respective coasts of these countries.)

Iran insists on the creation of five equal sectors (20%). Russia stands for the delineation of mineral resources and the Caspian Sea shelf, but against a section of its waters.

Work related to its signing, being a special working group for nearly 20 years. Question the status of the Caspian Sea remains a key topic of discussion at the summit of Caspian states. Four summits have been held.

Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed in 1998 and 2001 documents on the delimitation of the seabed and subsoil of the Caspian Sea (the water surface remains in common use.) Differentiation takes place on the basis of a median line modified in 2003.

In 2014, an intergovernmental agreement on the delimitation of the Caspian seabed was also signed between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Similar arrangements could be reached between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan and Iran.

Turkmenistan is trying to challenge in international arbitration the belonging the field "Chirag" and "Guneshli" to Azerbaijan. In addition, there was a conflict  on the deposit "Alov-Sharg-Araz" between Iran and Azerbaijan after Baku has started exploration  works. --02D-