Iran: Caspian Convention Excludes Delimitation of Boundaries
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the long-awaited convention on legal regime of the Caspian Sea, to be signed in Kazakhstan on Sunday, does not deal with delimitation of maritime boundaries or seabed shares.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Bahram Qassemi dismissed media speculation about demarcation of boundaries in the Caspian Sea, saying the convention that the leaders of the five Caspian states are going to sign today provides only a framework for cooperation and defines the basics of a legal regime, which is different from other maritime conventions.
The convention does not include any term on delimitation of boundaries of the Caspian littoral countries, the seabed shares or delineation of sea depth, the spokesman said, adding that such issues would be resolved after further expert negotiations given the complexity of the issue.
The major achievement of the convention is a ban on the presence of foreign vessels, either civilian or military, in the Caspian Sea, he added.
Qassemi finally described the legal regime convention as a “strategic document” for cooperation, saying it would turn the region into a hub of regional cooperation for peace, stability and security of the littoral states.
On Sunday morning, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani left Tehran for Kazakhstan to attend the summit, sign the convention and a number of other treaties, and hold talks with top officials in the meeting.
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.