Convention on Caspian Sea’s legal status to be discussed in Ashgabat

The meeting is planned to be held on April 1-2.

The issue of preparation of this regional event was discussed at a recent government meeting in Turkmenistan, according to the message.

"The issues regarding the Caspian Sea, occupy an important place in Turkmenistan's foreign policy ... The country is implementing a policy in this area based on the principles of good neighbourliness, mutual respect and equal partnership," the Turkmen government said.

The message included remarks by the Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who said Turkmenistan, as a constant supporter of peace, harmony and stability in the Caspian Basin, stands for a constructive dialogue, taking into account the national interests of all parties and supports the common efforts in addressing the challenges facing the neighbouring countries on all issues regarding the Caspian issues, including the establishment of an appropriate legal framework.

Caspian Sea washes the shores of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan. Earlier it was reported that the Caspian summit with participation of the heads of littoral states was planned to be held in the second half of 2014 in Astrakhan, Russia.

Caspian littoral countries signed a framework convention in November 2003 for the protection of the marine environment of the Caspian Sea.

In July 1998, Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the northern part of the Caspian seabed to exercise sovereign rights for subsoil usage. In May 2002, the two countries signed the protocol of this agreement.

On November 29, 2001 an agreement was signed between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan for the delimitation of the Caspian seabed and on February 27, 2003 the two countries signed the agreement's protocol.

Additionally, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on May 14, 2003 on the junction point of the delimitation lines of the Caspian seabed's adjacent sections.