Russia Ratified Agreement on Security in Caspian Sea

05.12.2011 Russian president Dmitry Medvedev signed a law ratifying the agreement on cooperation in security in the Caspian Sea; the document has been signed by all Caspian states, i.e. Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, reported the Kremlin press service on Dec 3.

According to the agreement, maintenance of security in the Caspian Sea is a prerogative of the regional countries. The document constitutes a legal platform for cooperation amid participants in such areas as countering terrorism, organized crime, smuggling, human traffic, and illegal migration.

Besides, the parties are about to cooperate in activities aimed against trafficking of arms, explosives and chemical warfare agents, illegal drug trade, and laundering of criminal money. The agreement also provides cooperation in maritime shipping and navigation security, anti-piracy and anti-poaching activities.

The agreement implies possibility to expand areas of cooperation. It contains legal norms regulating security of information and documents received in the course of cooperation. Also, the document determines sources of financing related to its implementation. Each party shoulders the costs independently.

The document sets the procedures for resolution of disputes over interpretation or the agreement application, and determines structure of the agencies participating in its realization.

However, the agreement does not define status of the Caspian Sea which is a matter of long-lasting arguments.

The document confirms the policy of Caspian states aimed at development of all-round cooperation, especially joint maintenance of security in the Caspian Sea.

The agreement was signed by leaders of the five countries at the 3-rd Caspian Summit in Baku on Nov 18, 2010.