Iran Insists on a Unitary Security System in the North Caucasus-Caspian Region

Tehran insists on the creation of a uniform security system in the North Caucasus-Caspian Sea Region, Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said in Yerevan Wednesday. According to him, this security system should be developed on the "3 plus 3" basis, meaning Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan plus Iran, Russia and Turkey.

"It would be a most effective system, if the three South Caucasus republics are involved along with the three adjacent states," the minister noted, adding that the nations of the region are developed enough to create such a security system. Kharrazi also emphasized that security of the Caucasus is an integral part of Iran's interests. He expressed the hope that the disagreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan would be settled soon.

Armenia's Foreign Minister Vardan Oskaryan said he fully "agrees with his counterpart on the regional security system issue." According to him, this system is necessary in order to deal with all security issues together. "The conflicts underway in the region could then be solved within that system, and it will also help avoid drawing any delineation lines in this region," Oskaryan added.