Consensus Necessary on Caspian Issues: Amirabdollahian
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Any decision about the Caspian Sea must be made in light of consensus among all five littoral countries, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said.
In an address to a meeting of the foreign ministers of the five Caspian countries, held in Moscow on Tuesday, the top Iranian diplomat said Iran, Russia, the Azerbaijan Republic, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan need to achieve a consensus about every decision on the Caspian Sea.
Stressing the need for closer cooperation among the five littoral states, Amirabdollahian said the Caspian Sea is the focal point of friendship and the origin of blessing for 250 million people residing around it.
“Security in the Caspian region is inseparable and all of us are responsible for it,” he added.
Describing collective cooperation as the sole way to turn the Caspian Sea into the symbol of friendship, Amirabdollahian proposed the idea of forming a secretariat to administer the relevant mechanisms.
“It is necessary to strengthen economic, trade and transportation cooperation as the driving force behind the development and progress of the Caspian littoral countries,” he stated.
Pointing to the situation in the Gaza Strip, Amirabdollahian denounced the Israeli regime’s genocidal crimes and destruction of thousands of houses and hospitals and the displacement of Palestinians.
Calling for the prosecution of the Israeli war criminals, the Iranian foreign minister stressed the need for the international community to take action to stop the Zionist atrocities.
“It is necessary to adopt a unified stance on activating all pressure leverages to stop the Zionist regime’s crimes and lift the humanitarian blockade (of Gaza),” he stated.
Calling for a clear and united message to the US to end the crimes against Gaza, Amirabdollahian said, “The export of commodities and energy to Israel must stop. A boycott on Israeli-made goods is the least we can do.”
