On the occasion of Caspian Sea Day, the Avaza National Tourist Zone hosted a scientific and practical conference entitled “Protection of the Caspian Sea Ecosystem: Regional Cooperation and Sustainable Development.” Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Turkmenistan, took part in the forum.

In his speech, the Iranian diplomat emphasized Tehran’s readiness to support initiatives of the littoral states aimed at addressing the problem of declining water levels and minimizing the consequences of this process for the infrastructure and population of the region. In this context, Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani highly rated Ashgabat’s current initiative.

“It would be very effective to take practical steps, draw the attention of national institutions, establish a direct communication platform and, ultimately, create a rapid alert system for assessing and exchanging data among countries in this area. In this regard, the Islamic Republic of Iran highly appreciates the initiative of the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, to hold a Special Summit on the Environment of the Caspian Sea,” stated the Ambassador.

Particular attention in the speech was devoted to issues concerning the indivisibility of security in the region. The head of the diplomatic mission noted that five-party cooperation is based on the principles enshrined in the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, and reaffirmed the commitment to preserving the body of water as a sea of peace and friendship.

Caspian Sea Day is observed at a high level in Turkmenistan annually on August 12 to commemorate the entry into force of the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea.