Ukraine calls on Caspian littoral states to stop Russia from launching attacks from the region

EUROPEAN PRAVDA – THURSDAY, 30 JUNE 2022, 20:34

Ukraine is calling on countries that have a Caspian Sea coastline [in addition to the Russian Federation, these are Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan - ed.] to make every effort to ensure that Russia adheres to its international legal obligations in relation to the Caspian Sea, in particular the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea.

European Pravda reports that this call was issued in a statement by the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The statement reads: "Article 3 paragraph 2 of the Convention provides for ‘Using the Caspian Sea for peaceful purposes, making it a zone of peace, good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation, and solving all issues related to the Caspian Sea through peaceful means’."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the missile strikes that Russia is launching on civilian infrastructure in Ukrainian cities from the Caspian region constitute a gross violation of the convention.

"We are calling on the states that have signed the convention to urge Russia to stop using the waters of the Caspian Sea for continuing its armed aggression against Ukraine, and to prevent further militarisation of the region and its involvement in the armed conflict," the ministry said.

The sixth Caspian Summit took place in Turkmenistan on 29 June. The heads of state of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation all attended.