Iran Insists on Its Share of Caspian Sea

 "According to international regulations on the legal regimes of seas and lakes, we believe that Iran must at least receive 20 percent from the Caspian resources," Jalali said.

The Caspian Sea is the largets closed sea of the world. Before the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the sea was shared between Iran and the Soviet Union, but with collapse of the Soviet Union new independent republics were established giving way to new discussions about the legal regime of he sea.

"Of course this doesn't mean that the Caspian Sea should be divided into five different parts. We are only talking about our own share."

He said the definition of the legal regime of the Caspian Sea can not take place overnight, and expressed hope that the debates to the effect would soon bear fruits.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Jalali said Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have some disputes over the determination of the legal regime for the Caspian Sea although they seem to be partially in agreement over the issue.

"It is obvious that after several meetings over the past ten years, the five coastal countries still have disputes over their shares of the Caspian Sea," he said.

SN/SM

END

MNA