Factors Preventing Determination of Sea Borders among Caspian Sea Littoral States

Abstract

Caspian Sea is the world’s largest lake; located between Asia and;
Europe and has no natural connection to oceans and free seas. Before the;
collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Caspian Sea was divided between Iran;
and the Soviet Union and was known as a joint sea according to bilateral;
treaties signed by Tehran and Moscow in 1921 and 1940. Following the;
collapse of the Soviet Union and emergence of three new states;;
Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan, Caspian Sea was practically;
surrounded by five states. This was the beginning of differences over legal;
regime of the Caspian Sea and how to the exploit the seabed and;
underground resources of the sea. According to negotiations which were;
carried out after collapse of the Soviet Union, various methods were;
proposed to divide the Caspian Sea none of which has been accepted by all;
littoral countries yet. Geographical characteristics of the Caspian Sea,;
existence of huge oil and gas resources, in addition to presence of regional;
and transregional powers have given rise to various viewpoints on the;
territorial waters in Caspian Sea and determination of sea borders. This;
paper discusses the legal regime of the Caspian Sea after collapse of the;
Soviet Union through a descriptive – analytical approach and in view of the;
aforesaid facts, explains factors which have been effective in preventing;
determination of sea borders among littoral countries of the Caspian Sea.

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