| Summary/Abstract |
DEALING WITH THE GAMUT OF ISSUES that have caused disputes over the legal regime governing the use of the Caspian Sea is one of the priorities of Russian foreign policy. From time immemorial, the Caspian Sea has been a natural protector of our southern borders. It plays a strategic role as the crossing point of transportation routes between Europe and Asia, contains extremely rich offshore hydrocarbon reserves, and its waters are populated by a unique diversity of fish. The Caspian is a zone of our vital interests. Three regions of Russia are situated along its shores with 1.2 million people living in their coastal areas. The life of these people is directly or indirectly linked to the Caspian Sea, and their future largely depends on what path that region follows in its development and on whether there is domestic stability and peaceful coexistence among the five littoral states for which the vast landlocked sea is a shared legacy and a potential source of wealth for the future. Our neighbors share our criteria in assessing the significance of the Caspian Sea for themselves.
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