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Khalaf Khalafov: The coastal states are close to agreeing draft Convention on the Caspian status

02 May 2007 17:45 (UTC +04:00)

The close positions are observed mainly in shipbuilding and Caspianâ€™s ecology,â€ Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov told journalists, APA reports. He also underlined that there are uncoordinated points in the final document on the Caspianâ€™s status.
â€œThere are some open issues, they are distribution of the Caspianâ€™s bottom, use of water surface, discussion of security in unique context, disarmament of the sea. The working groups will meet in Tehran. This meeting will be a kind of preparation for the summit of the Presidents of the coastal states. We have coordinated the declaration regarding the summit to a certain extent. Iran wants the Foreign Ministers to meet. If an agreement is reached, the foreign ministers will meet in Tehran,â€ he said.
Khalaf Khalafov also noted that they intend to extend cooperation with Turkmenistan to define the Caspianâ€™s status.
â€œThe ministers of the two countries will possibly meet. Actually, there are no great problems between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan,â€ he said.
Khalafov underlined that the debates on delimitation of Georgian-Azerbaijani border continue. The deputy minister said the working groups on delimitation of Russian-Azerbaijani borders started meetings today.
â€œThe next meeting will be held with Georgia. I believe that some uncoordinated points will be agreed during these debates,â€ he said.
Commenting on the debatable problem concerning David Garechi monastery the deputy minister said: â€œBorder line is delimitated in accordance with normative legal documents,â€ he said. /APA/