SOCAR vice-president ready to go to international court

SOCAR vice-president Khosbakht Yusifzadeh believes that the Turkmen government, instead of seeking compromises in the issue of Caspian division, is putting forward to its neighbors. Thus, the Kapaz field, which Turkmenistan has labeled as disputed one, is located within the Azerbaijan sector regardless of the coordinates of a median line, he said.

“During a visit by the Azerbaijan delegation to Turkmenistan in early May, we were accompanied by mapping specialists. We have managed to prove, on the basis of international law, that Turkmenistan’s claims are ungrounded”, Mr. Yusifzadeh told AssA-Irada Monday.

According to him, he thinks the problem should be resolved through the international court of justice. Pointing out to the further exacerbating ambivalence between the two countries, he said the meeting scheduled for May 15 has been postponed indefinitely.

Mr. Yusifzadeh said the issue of Caspian status has already been agreed upon with Russia and Kazakhstan, while Iran and Turkmenistan are inclined to think more of their own benefit than of a fair solution to the problem.*