Ashgabat, October 17, 2025 – The Europe Today: From October 13 to 17, 2025, a series of expert-level meetings of the Caspian littoral states was held in Ashgabat to discuss key draft agreements aimed at strengthening regional cooperation in marine research and environmental protection.
The discussions focused on the draft Agreement between the Governments of the Caspian Littoral States on Cooperation in Marine Scientific Research in the Caspian Sea, and the draft Protocol on Cooperation in Combating Illegal Fishing of Aquatic Biological Resources (poaching) in the Caspian Sea — a supplementary document to the Agreement on Security Cooperation in the Caspian Sea signed on November 18, 2010.
Representatives from the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan, the Institute of the Caspian Sea, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, alongside officials from relevant ministries and agencies of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Russian Federation, took part in the deliberations.
Participants noted significant progress in finalizing the draft documents and agreed to continue their joint work in the coming period.
Turkmenistan’s delegation underscored the country’s commitment to enhancing regional cooperation in the Caspian basin, emphasizing efforts to protect and preserve the sea’s unique biodiversity. Notably, Turkmenistan is chairing the Commission on the Conservation, Rational Use of Aquatic Biological Resources of the Caspian Sea and Management of their Joint Stock for the 2025–2026 term.
In line with the Priority Positions of Turkmenistan at the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly, the country reaffirmed its intention to advance the Caspian Environmental Initiative, promoting sustainable and balanced development in the region.
Foreign participants expressed their appreciation to the Turkmen side for its hospitality and the well-organized discussions that contributed to advancing regional dialogue and cooperation.
