TEHRAN, Apr. 07 (MNA) – Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed hope that talks with Kazakh officials over the Caspian Sea baseline would be constructive, helping resolve the related issues as soon as possible.
Zarif, who met with his Kazakh counterpart, Mukhtar Tileuberdi, in the capital city of Nur-Sultan earlier today, told reporters that the peaceful use of the Caspian Sea was reiterated in the meeting.
The Iranian diplomat expressed hope that the negotiations for drawing the baseline of the Caspian Sea will be concluded as soon as possible.
He also termed the political and economic relations between Iran and Kazakhstan as “very important” and said, “I am glad to meet with the officials of the Republic of Kazakhstan again in Nur-Sultan.”
“We have had very good talks on important regional and international issues, and we thank Kazakhstan for its support of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the international arena.”
The Iranian foreign minister expressed gratitude to Kazakhstan for its support to Iran over the nuclear issue and its positive role in the Astana talks regarding the Syrian peace process.
“We appreciate and support Nazarbayev’s pioneering role on a variety of issues, including the world free of nuclear weapons, and we fully support Kazakhstan’s position,” Zarif said.
He noted, “In the field of bilateral relations, the expansion of cooperation and Iran’s presence in the Eurasian Economic Union was approved by both sides and the peaceful use of the Caspian Sea, which is carried out jointly by Iran and Kazakhstan was emphasized during the meeting.”
The Iranian foreign minister added that railways and transit routes are of great importance between Iran, Kazakhstan and other neighbors. It is necessary to increase cargo transportation by transit routes, he said.
He also expressed Iran’s readiness to provide the grounds for Kazakhstan’s access to free international waters.
During the meeting, the foreign ministers of Iran and Kazakhstan signed a 15-item document on a cooperation program between the two countries.
The document stressed the importance of strengthening friendly, neighborly and fraternal relations between the two countries.
According to the document, it is necessary to increase cooperation in bilateral, regional and international relations, develop existing cooperation with a long-term, purposeful and comprehensive strategy, find new areas of cooperation and eliminate possible obstacles on the basis of mutual respect.
The document also emphasizes sustainable consultations in the political, economic, social, humanitarian, environmental, military, security and cultural spheres.