Iranian President Cautions Against Foreign Presence in Caspian Sea

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, June 28, 2002

Iranian President Cautions Against Foreign Presence in Caspian Sea

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Thursday cautioned against the presence of foreign forces in the Caspian Sea, the official Iranian news agency IRNA said.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami on Thursday cautioned against the presence of foreign forces in the Caspian Sea, the official Iranian news agency IRNA said.

"Aliens definitely are not attending the region because of our interests but after their own interests," Khatami said at the end of a three-day visit to Ardebil, a northwestern Iranian province bordering Azerbaijan.

"The region belongs to all of us and its security should be guaranteed by the regional countries through cooperation," Khatami added.

Commenting on ties between Tehran and Baku, Khatami said that Iran is seeking to reduce tensions with its neighbors and strengthen relations with them according to mutual understanding and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

"We have deep-rooted cultural and historical bonds with Azerbaijan and believe that our interests are common, so are threats against us," Khatami said.

He said Iran and Azerbaijan have enormous capacities for mutual cooperation. The two countries have held constructive negotiations over the Caspian Sea during the past two weeks and they are intending to hold more negotiations in Tehran.

Iran's special envoy on the Caspian affairs, Mehdi Safari, traveled to Baku recently to discuss the legal status of the Caspian Sea as well as the implementation of accords signed during Azerbaijani President Geidar Aliyev's visit to Tehran in May.

The two countries concluded 10 documents for cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, science and sports during Aliyev's visit.

The five coastal states of the Caspian Sea -- Iran, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia -- have still to come up with a formula over the legal regime of the sea to exploit its resources.

Iran calls for a common sovereignty over the sea and said that it considers any unilateral deals for energy exploration in the Caspian Sea as null and void before the issue of legal regime of the Caspian is settled.

Iran believes the agreements reached in 1921 and 1940 between Moscow and Tehran are still valid until a new regime is drawn up.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Iran Urges Littoral States to Determine Caspian Legal Status

Iran's Navy Vows to Defend National Interests in Caspian Sea

Iran Opposes Unilateral Action in Caspian Sea: President

Englishman Hired as Chief Advisor of Yunnan Provincial Government ( 74 Messages)

Mysterious Pipes Left by "ET" Reported from Qinghai ( 8 Messages)

Premier Zhu Discusses Economic Issues with Experts ( 2 Messages)

Uncle Sam's Policy to Cross-Straits Ties against Its Own Interests ( 46 Messages)

China Strikes Hard on Drug Crimes ( 4 Messages)

China to Boost the Service Sector to Create More Jobs ( 7 Messages)