Iranian President Goes to Kazakhstan for Caspian Summit

Speaking to reporters before flying to Aktau, President Rouhani said the Caspian summit is of great significance, as it would make decision on a long-awaited principal convention.

According to the president, a number of critical issues like the boundaries in the Caspian Sea would be discussed and resolved later.

The Caspian summit, the first post-Soviet of which was held in Tehran, determines the fate of a unique convention, since it is exclusively singed among five countries without the presence of other states, which makes it distinct from the other maritime treaties, he added.

Pointing to the ban that the convention has placed on foreign military presence in the Caspian Sea, President Rouhani said the legal issues will be also resolved only among the five neighbors.

However, the Iranian president noted, some major outstanding issues such as demarcation of maritime boundaries, the seabed shares and clear delineation of sea depth will be discussed and agreed upon in a later time.

According to the president, a step forward in the Caspian summit, to be signed on Sunday, is demarcation of the fishing zones and shipping routes.

Apart from the Caspian convention, the parties will sign a number of other agreements on trade, transportation, joint fight against terrorism and organized crimes, and cooperation among border guards, Rouhani added.

The president also noted that the summit would include talks on energy industry, oil extraction from the Caspian Sea, as well as oil and gas swap.

He finally highlighted the significance of a major railroad corridor connecting eastern parts of the Caspian Sea to Iran, the Caucasus and Europe.

The president is going to hold meetings with his Kazakh counterpart and a number of other dignitaries during his trip.

The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed water body on earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea.