STATE DEPARTMENT OF IRAN OVER RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA








MOSCOW, 12 March.  / RIA "Nowosti" Korr. /.  The Kaspisee remains "
stone of the impact in the Iranian-Russian relations, but Moscow and
Teheran have the intention of continuing the search for mutually
acceptable ways to the solution of the Kaspiproblems ".
Representatives of the State Department of Iran, who had come as
members of a Rergierungsdelegation with the president of the Islamic
Republic of Iran Sayed Mohammad Khatami at the point to Moscow,
expressed such an opinion.

After its words during the negotiations of the presidents of Russia
and Iran of the Kaspiproblematik taking place in Moscow special
attention is given, because the Kaspiregion is for the two states of
strategic importance.  " we hope that Vladimir Putin and Sayed
Mohammad Khatami in question of the development of the right status of
the Kaspisee become, underlined the priority directions of cooperating
between our two countries to determine to be able " Iranian diplomats.


Bekantlich diverge the positions of Moscow and Teherans with the
solution of the question over a new status of the Kaspisee
substantially.  The Russian page suggests dividing the sea-bottom
between the Kaspistaaten after the modified center line and leaving
the Meeresaquatorium in general use.  But Iran persists either to
leave the Kaspisee complete in general use or to divide the
wasserbecken into national sectors according to the principle of the
Kondominiums - ever 20 per cent for each coastal state -.

The position of Moscow is supported by Aserbaidshan and Kazakhstan.