Caspian Sea littoral states review ways of tackling illegal fishing

Baku, Feb 27, IRNA – The ways for combating illegal fishing were reviewed in the fourth expert meeting of the Caspian Sea littoral states in Turkmenistan's capital, Ashgabat, on Wednesday. According to Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC), the draft of memorandum of understanding (MoU) to tackle illegal fishing in the Caspian Sea also was reviewed in the meeting. Attended by several experts from Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, the two-day event was opened on Tuesday. Morteza Mehranpour, Head of the International Affairs Department of Iran's Fisheries Organization, is representing Iran in the meeting. Meanwhile, the 1st meeting of the Caspian Sea Littoral States work group held in Baku with the attendance of representatives from Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan on February 19, 2019. Earlier on August 16, 2018, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran believed that it should own 20 percent of the Caspian Sea resources and the issue of an 11-percent share originates from an illusory line related to the former regime of Iran. The idea that Iran should possess 50 percent of the Caspian Sea is wrong because in that case Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan would have no share, he added. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish