Russian ambassador in Iran: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is geopolitical reality

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is perceived in the world as a geopolitical reality and a factor of ensuring stability and security in Central Asia, Russian ambassador to Iran Alexander Maryasov told RIA Novosti shortly before the opening of the SCO summit in St. Petersburg.

He is convinced that "this organisation may greatly contribute to the formation in Asia of a multipolar, cooperative system of regional security based on equal cooperation between all Central Asian countries." According to Maryasov, it is expected that the main SCO document -- the Charter -- as well as agreements on regional anti-terror structure with the centre in Bishkek will be adopted at the St. Petersburg summit.

Touching upon the problems of the Caspian Sea, the Russian ambassador pointed out that the Russian foreign ministry exerts all possible efforts for reaching concord between Caspian states. In particular, difficult work is going on within the format of a special pentalateral working group on the Caspian region at the level of deputy foreign ministers.

The work is going on not only in bringing closer together the positions and searching for compromise solutions concerning the legal status of the Caspian Sea, Maryasov said, but also in solving other urgent problems -- the preservation of the sea's biological system, conducting the monitoring, protecting environment and developing transport communications.