Turkmenbashi hosted expanded meeting of Caspian Environmental Summit
Turkmenbashi, October 9, AZERTAC
An expanded meeting of the Caspian Environmental Summit was held in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, on October 9.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the event.
President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov said:
“I would like to give the floor to the respected President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, His Excellency Mr. Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev. Please.”
President Ilham Aliyev addressed the meeting.
Speech by President Ilham Aliyev
- Distinguished Serdar Gurbangulyevich,
Distinguished heads of state,
Distinguished summit participants,
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the President of Turkmenistan for his initiative to convene the Caspian Environmental Summit. I am confident that this summit will contribute to strengthening our cooperation in addressing the environmental challenges facing the Caspian Sea.
For centuries, the Caspian Sea has brought our countries and peoples together. Today, its economic and strategic importance continues to grow. Major transport and energy routes traverse the Caspian Sea, and significant international projects are being implemented in the region. Under these conditions, it is of fundamental importance to preserve the Caspian Sea as a zone of peace, stability, and constructive partnership. This is in the interests of all littoral states and creates the necessary conditions for the further development of our cooperation.
At the same time, special attention must be paid to the ecological condition of the Caspian Sea. Preserving its unique ecosystem is a shared responsibility of all littoral states. Over the past years, our countries have established an extensive legal framework. Azerbaijan is a party to virtually all international legal instruments adopted by the five littoral states. The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, signed in 2018, is of historic significance. It was the culmination of many years of joint efforts by the five littoral states.
One of the most serious problems facing the Caspian is undoubtedly the decline in its water level. The Caspian Sea’s water level has been falling for many years. Regrettably, this process has accelerated significantly in recent years, and the situation continues to deteriorate. The sea’s surface area is shrinking substantially. Its total surface area has already decreased by more than 20,000 square kilometers. If the current trend continues, the consequences could be catastrophic.
The problem of the Caspian Sea’s declining water level extends far beyond environmental concerns. The falling sea level directly affects the interests of our states, with consequences for the lives of coastal communities, economic activity, and transportation. We are witnessing the retreat of the shoreline, changes in the ecosystem, and growing operational challenges for ports and other coastal infrastructure. As a result of the declining water level of the Caspian Sea, nearly 30,000 hectares of dry land have emerged in Azerbaijan’s sector of the Caspian Sea alone.
As early as 2022, at the Sixth Caspian Summit in Ashgabat, I proposed the establishment of special expert groups to identify the causes of the Caspian Sea’s declining water level and develop measures to prevent its further decline. The years since then have confirmed the importance of this initiative. We need to move beyond general discussions of the problem and establish a permanent mechanism for cooperation and monitoring the implementation of decisions taken. First and foremost, we must identify the full range of factors contributing to the decline in the Caspian Sea’s water level and obtain an objective scientific assessment of how the situation may develop in the future.
It is evident that the decline in the Caspian Sea’s water level is not solely attributable to climate change. One of the main contributing factors is reduced river inflow, alongside anthropogenic factors related to economic activity. At the same time, we must assess the potential long-term consequences of the changes underway and take them into account in the decisions we make today. Such an approach will enable us to take timely measures to minimize the impact of any further decline in the sea’s water level.
We believe that the existing legal framework, scientific expertise, and experience of cooperation provide a solid foundation for achieving tangible results. The Caspian is our common heritage. Preserving its unique ecosystem and passing it on to future generations is our shared responsibility. I am hopeful that today’s summit will mark an important step toward this goal.
Thank you for your attention.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov: Thank you very much, esteemed Ilham Heydarovich. I am grateful to you for your thoughtful address. As in brotherly Azerbaijan, improving the ecological condition of the Caspian Sea is one of the highest priorities of Turkmenistan’s domestic and foreign policy. We are ready to continue working with our partners on the full range of environmental issues concerning the Caspian Sea.
Once again, thank you for your constructive remarks.
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