Baku, Tehran drawing closer on Caspian status, envoy says

The Iranian ambassador in Baku Afshar Suleymani has cited rapprochement in the positions of Iran and Azerbaijan on the determination of the Caspian legal status.

He reminded that the littoral states – Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan – will hold another meeting of the joint taskforce in Tehran, Iran February 27-28 ahead of a summit.

“Both sides are studying the legal and technical aspects of the issue on the taskforce level,” the envoy told reporters on Friday.

“Although insignificant, the talks have yielded good results. I believe that agreement will be reached on the Caspian status in conclusion of negotiations,” said Suleymani.

Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov, who will represent Azerbaijan at the talks, said Thursday a draft declaration on the issue, to be signed during the summit of the Caspian heads of state, will be agreed at the taskforce meeting. He added that “there is general understanding” among the parties although all documents have not been agreed yet.

Azerbaijan has already signed agreements with Russia and Kazakhstan on the delimitation of the sea-bed. But Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have divergent views on the division of the sea. Iran insists that each of the five coastal countries get equal portion of the sea-bed instead of the division based on shoreline.*