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Heads of Caspian States hold press conference on the results of Tehran summit

16 October 2007 17:36 (UTC +04:00)

President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying that they ended the summit successfully appreciated the event as a step directed to general understanding. He stated that Foreign Ministers of littoral states agreed to meet once in 6 months in the summit.
Iranian President stated that the next meeting of the Heads of Caspian States will be held in Baku in October 2008.
â€œStatus of the Caspian Sea, economic issues, peace and security in the region, ecological issues and cooperation of all littoral states were discussed in Tehran summit,â€ Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated.
He said that Tehran summit was held in the condition of friendship and mutual understanding.
â€œTherefore outcomes of the summit should be regarded hopeful. It shows that legal status of Caspian will be solved successfully. Declaration of the summit is the best achievement of this event. The declaration covers positions of littoral states in several issues,â€ he said.
President saying that â€œNorth-Southâ€ corridor was also discussed in the summit stated that Azerbaijan is interested in the realization of this transport corridor.
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev said that debates were carried out successfully.
â€œOur meeting held in Moscow in 1994, in Ashgabat in 2001 gave no result. But we signed declaration this time, and it shows that we are close to agreement. I announce that no issue remained unsolved. Document on status will be prepared in the next summit to be held in Azerbaijan,â€ he said.
He stated that they are satisfied with the outcomes of the summit.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about the significance of the summit.
â€œWe agreed to continue debates until achieving results. We regard that authority in Caspian only belongs to littoral states. It is also connected with underground resources. According to the agreement with Economic Cooperation Organization we have planned to hold conference in Moscow next year. I want to underline especially that all the sides positively assessed issues raised for debate. This process directs us to the agreement,â€ he said.
President of Turkmenistan Gurbangulu Berdimukhammedov called Caspian peace and friendship basin.
â€œThis summit showed that our positions become closer. Of course, several issues should be debated and signing of declaration is a step taken for the solution of the problems. The second main issue is the resolution on Turkmenistan-Iran railway, it will bring to integration among the three countries. We will achieve exit to Persian Gulf through this way,â€ he said. /APA/