Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Arrives In Iran

Russia's deputy Foreign Minister Viktor Kalyuzhny arrived in Tehran on Friday to participate in the ninth international seminar on problems of the Caspian region, which is due on December 22-23. The seminar has gathered foreign ministry officials from five Caspian states, namely Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, and experts, scientists and diplomats from different countries. According to seminar organisers, the Caspian region is strategically important from a geopolitical point of view. The still undecided legal status of the Caspian Sea, however, poses an obstacle to cooperation between coastal states. With that in mind, participants in the seminar will try to work out a compromise and reconcile the differences between the states of the Caspian region.