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Vladimir Putin: This is a long overdue summit. What was needed was someone to launch the initiative. By coming up with that initiative the President of Turkmenistan has demonstrated his political wisdom and foresight.

This is the first Caspian Summit. We are to enter a new phase of multilateral interaction. I think that we have all that is necessary for successful work in this format. The main thing is our commitment to untangling the tight knot which we often describe as the “Caspian knot” of problems.

The Caspian Sea, described as “Old Man Sea” by our great poet Lermontov, occupies a special place in the life of our countries. There are five of us here today. We represent five countries, but the Caspian has always been and will always be one. I think it would be a mistake to divide it into five seas. This is our common heritage. The future of the Caspian – whether it is a sea of cooperation or a clash of interests – depends on us. It is our duty to make skillful and effective use of its riches, taking into account the legitimate interests of each other. Besides, we are responsible for the preservation of that unique ecological system, as our distinguished host has already mentioned.

I think I can speak for all of us when I say that our cooperation does not mean that we are trying to isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. We are not renouncing prior obligations and are open to a mutually beneficial partnership with other countries and with transnational business.

The resolute fight against international terrorism is a key element of Caspian cooperation that has taken on particular relevance today. We won’t solve any economic problems without solving that problem. For obvious geopolitical reasons the problem is particularly relevant to the Caspian region. The efforts of the anti-terrorist coalition have overthrown the Taliban regime in long-suffering Afghanistan, which is situated so close to our borders. But the defeat of the “terrorist international” is still a long way off. The Caspian states are called upon to make their contribution to its destruction. In the course of antiterrorist struggle Russia is ready to cooperate closely with its Caspian neighbours, above all through foreign and defense ministries and within the existing regional organizations and structures.

Russia is committed to establishing regional economic cooperation in the Caspian region, above all in the spheres of energy and transport.

A North-South International Transport Corridor now being formed will become a key link between South Asia and Europe. Russia recently ratified an agreement on the corridor which, among the Caspian countries, only Russia and Iran have so far signed. I think that my Iranian counterpart will confirm that the doors to the agreement are open for the other Caspian states.

In the energy sphere, Russia looks to further development of partnership in every field: from joint development of Caspian hydrocarbons to their delivery to the world markets. The Russian pipeline infrastructure is highly effective and competitive, and it is constantly being developed and upgraded. A major international project – the Caspian Pipeline Consortium – that was recently launched carries oil from Tenghiz in Kazakhstan to the Russian port of Novorossiisk. Let me stress that Russia is by no means opposed to alternative energy export routes. What is important is that the choice of routes for new pipelines is not prompted by politics, but by economic and environmental considerations.

I would like to stress the importance of the joint statement made by the presidents of the four states on the need to develop long-term strategic cooperation in extracting and transporting natural gas which was signed in Almaty in early March of this year. The creation of the “gas alliance”, as it has come to be called, will ensure the interests of the producing countries, add to the resource potential and effectiveness of the gas industry in the Caspian. Consumer countries too, stand to gain as the gas market will become more orderly, reliable and stable.

Dear colleagues,

One of the central tasks of this meeting is to discuss the legal status of the Caspian while taking account of the interests of the five littoral states. It is an exceedingly important question and it can only be solved by an agreement of all the littoral states.

In preparation for this meeting we have tried to take into account the views of the partners and have made major adjustments to our initial position on the status of the Caspian.

An intensive search for a compromise solution eventually produced the “divide the bottom but not the surface” formula. We believe that it will best harmonize our interests. We note with satisfaction that this approach has a growing following.

Obviously, it is not yet possible to agree on the whole range of problems at once. That is why we suggest moving towards an agreed solution in stages, step by step. Life itself prompts the priorities. There is a consensus that the areas that are most in need of international legal regulation are the use of the subsoil resources, fishing and conservation of the Caspian environment.

While advocating the delimitation of the Caspian seabed, Russia is a staunch supporter of the common use of its water and surface. We agree that the national jurisdictions of Caspian states in the coastal waters need to be somewhat expanded, but beyond these waters the Caspian should be open for vessels of all the five countries.

The issues of fishing and ecology cannot tolerate any delays. The state of the Caspian environment causes serious concerns. And the situation with its unique sturgeon population is approaching a critical point. That environmental disaster can only be prevented by joint efforts, through urgent collective measures.

We believe that an intergovernmental centre that would permanently monitor the Caspian environment and provide recommendations to the littoral states could be an effective instrument for protecting the Caspian environment. The work of that centre will undoubtedly help to increase the practical returns of the assets that each Caspian state spends on environmental protection anyway.

We would like to see our Iranian and Turkmen partners support the Russian initiative on creating such a centre, following the example of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

Dear colleagues,

In conclusion of our meeting we are to sign a joint declaration which will reflect the common positions of the Caspian states on relevant international issues and the situation in the region. For the first time “the Caspian five” will be speaking “with one voice”. That is significant. Mutual understanding and trust among the five states is the key to peace and tranquility in the Caspian, the rational use of its riches and conservation of the environment.

As regards Russia we are fully aware of our share of the responsibility for the situation in the Caspian. We will do all we can to strengthen cooperation in the region and bring about an early solution of its problems.