Drilling in the Caspian Sea by Iran does not contradict the issues being discussed between Baku and Tehran on the questions of demilitarization of the sea, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Halaf Halafov said on Wednesday.
“There is a process of demilitarization of the Caspian Sea going on between Iran and Azerbaijan and the present activity [of well drilling] by Iran does not contradict the issues of demilitarization” the deputy minister said. According to him, the Azerbaijani side has familiarized itself with the situation surrounding Iranian drilling in the Caspian “and it has become clear that the Iranian work does not contradict the sovereign rights of Azerbaijan,” reports Trend news agency.
In the middle of February, Iran started drilling its first exploratory well in the Caspian from the platform “Amir Kabir.” It is expected to drill three exploratory wells from this drilling platform during the first quarter. Iran is carrying out drilling in the Caspian to establish its hydrocarbon reserves.
03.03.2010
