The Issue of the Caspian Sea Status in Azerbaijan's Relations with the Littoral States
Aygun Babayeva
Abstract. The Caspian Sea, being the world's largest enclosed water body, holds significant geopolitical and economic importance for the five littoral states – Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran. The issue of its legal status has been a longstanding source of legal, political, and economic disputes among these countries. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the determination of the Caspian's legal status became even more complex. This article investigates the historical development of the Caspian Sea’s status issue and explores the reasons for disputes between the littoral states, particularly concerning the distribution of energy resources and the related legal challenges. Furthermore, the economic potential of the Caspian Sea and its role in international trade are examined. Lastly, the significance of the 2018 Caspian Sea legal status agreement is discussed, with a focus on how this agreement might evolve in the future.
This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the Caspian Sea status issue in Azerbaijan’s relations with its littoral neighbors, examining its legal, political, and economic dimensions and assessing its impact on Azerbaijan’s foreign policy and future prospects.
Keywords: Caspian Sea, Caspian Littoral States, Azerbaijan's foreign policy, international law, water bodies, legal disputes, border regions