Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, April 12
By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend:
Turkmenistan will actively participate in working out the balanced solutions to all the issues related to the Caspian Sea, according to the country's President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, a message from Turkmen government said on April 12.
The president made the remarks during the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, according to the message of Turkmen government.
"President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov pointed out that the neutral Turkmenistan will continue to actively participate in working out mutually acceptable, balanced solutions to all the issues related to the Caspian Sea," the government's message said.
The neutral Turkmenistan consistently implements the strategy based on the principles of good neighborhood, mutual respect and equal partnership, according to the president.
As other Caspian Sea countries - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Iran - Turkmenistan prepares for participation in the consultations at the level of foreign ministers of Caspian Sea countries to be held in Moscow (Russia) on April 22.
The documents on the legal status of the Caspian Sea are expected to be discussed at this event. A relevant convention is being prepared for the next high-level Caspian Sea Summit to be held in Astrakhan in September 2014.
Turkmen president said in his speech that the next high-level summit on the Caspian Sea is designed to give a new impetus to the negotiation process aimed at achieving the consensus of all the participating parties on the topical issues related to the Caspian Sea and to be the next effective step towards reaching an optimal cooperation format, according to the government message.
Previously, Ashgabat put forward the proposals for the preparation of the draft agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources of the Caspian Sea, as well as an agreement on cooperation in the field of prevention of emergency situations in the Caspian Sea and liquidation of its consequences.
It was earlier reported that there important five-sided documents such as the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea and the agreement on cooperation in the security sphere have already been signed.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the northern part of the Caspian Sea in July 1998 in order to exercise sovereign rights for subsoil use. They signed a protocol to this agreement in May 2002. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed agreements on the delimitation of the Caspian Sea on Nov. 29, 2001 and a protocol to it on Feb. 27, 2003.
Additionally, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on the delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea on May 14, 2003.
Turkmenistan ranks fourth among the largest natural gas reserves in the world. It is one of the key players in the energy market in the Caspian region and Central Asia.
The Turkmen leadership adheres to a policy of diversification of gas supplies to the world markets. It considers the pipeline route to Europe via the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan as one of the most attractive ones. The Turkmen side expressed its readiness to conduct the appropriate environmental impact assessment with the participation of international experts to implement this project.
Translated by L.Z., N.H.