Caspian Sea nations sign landmark deal

Yahoo – AFP, Christopher RICKLETON, August 12, 2018

The Caspian Sea borders Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Russia and
Turkmenistan (AFP Photo/BEHROUZ MEHRI)

Aktau (Kazakhstan) (AFP) - The leaders of the five states bordering the resource-rich Caspian Sea signed a landmark deal Sunday on the legal status of the inland sea which boasts a wealth of oil and gas reserves and sturgeon.

The leaders of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan signed the agreement on the status of the inland sea, which has been disputed since the collapse of the Soviet Union rendered obsolete agreements between Tehran and Moscow.

The host, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, said before the signing that the leaders were "participants in a historic event."

"We can admit that consensus on the status of the sea was hard to reach and not immediate, the talks lasted more than 20 years and called for a lot of joint efforts from the parties," Nazarbayev said.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin, whose country was seen as driving the deal, said the convention had "epoch-making significance" and called for more military cooperation between the countries on the Caspian.

Nazarbayev said the convention allows for the construction of underwater oil and gas pipelines as well as setting national quotas for fishing and forbids any foreign military presence.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was quick to hail the clause that prevents non-Caspian countries from deploying military forces.

"The Caspian Sea only belongs to the Caspian states," he said.

Putin also praised this clause, saying it would help "ensure the peaceful status of the Caspian Sea."

National boundaries

The deal provides a means of delimiting national boundaries in the sea whose underground energy resources are estimated at 50 billion barrels of oil and just under 300 trillion cubic feet (8.4 trillion cubic metres) of natural gas.

But Rouhani stressed several times during the summit that these boundaries still need to be worked out between the countries.

Iran, which ended up with the smallest share of the sea under the terms of the convention, is viewed as a potential loser in the deal.

Sunday's summit was the fifth of its kind since 2002 but there have been more than 50 lower-level meetings since the Soviet breakup spawned four new countries on the shores of the Caspian.

The deal goes some way to settling a long-lasting dispute on whether the Caspian is a sea or a lake -- which means it falls under different international laws.

A map of the Caspian Sea locating Aktau, in Kazakhstan, where a deal was 

signed Sunday by surrounding countries which ends decades of dispute over the 

inland sea rich in oil, gas and caviar. (AFP Photo/Valentina BRESCHI)

While the convention refers to the Caspian as a sea, provisions in the agreement give it "a special legal status", Russian deputy foreign minister Grigory Karasin told Kommersant daily earlier this week.

The agreement also offers hope for the Caspian's ecological diversity and its depleted stocks of the beluga sturgeon, whose eggs are prized globally as caviar.

While it remains to be seen how the deal will be implemented, the summit in Aktau was another opportunity for Moscow to present itself as a diplomatic deal-maker.

After years of unsuccessful negotiations on the Caspian the Kremlin "gains political kudos for breaking a log-jam," said John Roberts, a non-resident senior fellow at Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center.

Trans-Caspian plan

Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov greeted the deal enthusiastically as his country wants to send gas to markets in Europe via a long-planned Trans-Caspian underwater pipeline.

The project is billed as allowing European countries to ease their dependence on gas from Russia at a time of heightened geopolitical confrontation.

Nevertheless, Iran and Russia could still challenge the pipeline on ecological grounds. They have previously blocked the project, which could cost up to $5 billion to build and would have a projected capacity of 30 billion cubic metres per year.

Kate Mallinson, Associate Fellow for the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, urged caution over the prospects for the pipeline, saying the Aktau deal "is not a legal prerequisite for the construction."

"Neither will a major transport corridor to export Turkmen gas to Europe emerge overnight."

Iranian People Smuggler Arrested at Request of Australian Government

Jakarta Globe, Farouk Arnaz, Nov 23, 2014

In this handout photo released by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue
 Agency (Basarnas) on July 4, 2012, shows a boat believed to be carrying up to
 180 asylum-seekers spotted south of Java and sailing towards Australian waters.
(AFP Photo)

Jakarta. Indonesia’s National Police have arrested an Iranian people smuggler who was allegedly involved in the death of more than 200 people in a disaster off the coast of East Java in 2011.

Mohammed Naghi Karimi Azar, 54, was arrested in an apartment in Central Jakarta on Oct. 29 at the request of Australian authorities, police said on Sunday.

Azar is alleged to have coordinated a notorious people smuggling attempt that ended in disaster off the coast off Trenggalek in December 2011. A boat en-route to Australia that was carrying some 250 asylum seekers from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan sank in rough seas. Only 47 survivors were rescued.

Sr. Comr. Budi Santoso, chief of the National Police’s people smuggling sub-division, said on Sunday that the arrest was carried out following a request from the Australian government.

“We’re still waiting for the decision on when the extradition can be conducted,” Agus said. “The suspect is charged under the 1979 Law No. 1 on Extradition and 2010 Law No. 8 on the Indonesia-Australia Extradition Agreement.”

Azar, who has Iranian citizenship, has been held at a prison administered by the National Police’s general crime division since he was arrested.

The 2011 incident is believed to be the largest loss of life from a sinking of one of the many boats packed with Asian and Middle Eastern migrants who undertake the perilous voyage from Indonesia to Australia.

Two other alleged people smugglers, Abu Anwar and Matim, are still being sought for their role in the tragedy.

China and Iran prepare for historic joint military exercise

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2014-09-21

The People's Liberation Army Navy's Changchun Type 052C destroyer arrives
 at the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, Sept. 20. (Photo/Xinhua)

China and Iran are preparing to launch a joint military exercise, reports the Global Times, a tabloid under the auspices of the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily.

Warships from the People's Liberation Army have docked at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas ahead of the historic drills, the first time Chinese vessels have ventured into the Persian Gulf.

Admiral Amir Hossein Azad, commander of Iran's First Naval Zone, said on Sept. 20 that the five-day military exercise would entail joint rescue operations and testing the technical readiness of the respective fleets of both sides. The exercises are aimed at "establishing peace, stability, tranquility, and multilateral and mutual cooperation" between the two countries, he added.

The admiral's sentiments were reciprocated by Huang Xijiang, deputy chief of staff of the PLA's East Sea Fleet, who led the Changchun Type 052C destroyer and the Changzhou Type 054A frigate in Bandar Abbas on Saturday morning, when they were greeted by Iranian military officials and representatives from the Chinese embassy in Iran.

Huang said in his arrival speech that the PLA Navy was visiting for "peace and friendship," adding that he hopes the experience can help both sides improve their mutual learning and understanding.

Both the Chinese and Iranian navy will open up their vessels for inspections by the other side during the cultural exchange, which will also reportedly include friendly soccer, table tennis and tug-of-war matches.

The exact timeline of the imminent drills currently remain unclear, though they will take place just days after the Iranian navy announced that they had foiled a pirate attack on Chinese container ship in the Gulf of Aden.

Iranian oil tanker anchors off Indonesia in rare move

Reuters, by Francis Kan and Yaw Yan Chong, Singapore, Thu Feb 23, 2012

(Reuters) - An Iranian supertanker loaded with crude has made a rare journey to an anchorage point off the coast of an Indonesian island used for offshore sales and storage of oil.

The Delvar, part of the National Iranian Tanker Co.'s (NITC) fleet, arrived at Karimun Island in the Singapore Strait on Thursday, according to Reuters Freight Fundamentals Database. The vessel remains anchored with its draft indicating an almost full load, the data showed. A super tanker, or Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), can carry up to two million barrels of oil.

Tehran has been struggling to sell its crude in the face of tightening U.S. sanctions and an EU embargo that kicks in on July 1. Major Asian buyers are planning to cut back imports in order to win a waiver from U.S. sanctions, sapping a key revenue lifeline for Iran.

Karimun is a key offshore storage point near Asia's biggest oil trading hub Singapore and is often used for ship-to-ship transfers (STS), but NITC vessels have not been known to call there.

"It's very interesting. I've never seen NITC vessels coming to Karimun," said a Singapore-based shipbroker.

Karimun has been frequently used as a STS location for more than seven years, and some tankers, particularly VLCCs, have anchored there for stints of up to three months.

"If they have sold the oil, it's most likely to a refiner. Traders won't go near Iranian crude. They also could be storing it there," said a Singapore-based crude oil trader.

Western financial sanctions have crimped Iran's purchases of grain, cooking oil and tea. Tehran is turning to barter - offering gold bullion in overseas vaults or tankerloads of oil - as new financial sanctions have hurt its ability to import basic staples for its 74 million people.

Indonesian Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said there was currently no agreement on barter trade with Iran.

"So far we haven't got any proposal on barter trade from the Iranian government," Wirjawan told Reuters on Thursday.

Separately, Indonesian state oil firm Pertamina said the Iranian tanker was not for them, according to the spokesman.

Refiners in the region who are known to buy Iranian crude include Malaysian state-owned Petronas and Royal Dutch Shell's 500,000 barrels-per-day refinery in Singapore, traders said.

(Additional reporting by Lee Yen Nee, Yayat Supriatna and Reza Thaher; Editing by Sugita Katyal, Manash Goswami)

US ships 'in second rescue of Iranians in Gulf'

BBC News, 10 January 2012

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The US Coast Guard cutter Monomoy
was involved in Tuesday's rescue

A US ship has picked up Iranians in trouble at sea, in the second such rescue in less than a week, the Pentagon has said.

US Coast Guard cutter Monomoy rescued six Iranian mariners after their vessel broke down in the Gulf.

One of the six had suffered burns and is receiving treatment, Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters.

The US Navy rescued 13 Iranian fishermen last Thursday after they were captured by Somali pirates.

Both incidents come at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.

'Humanitarian gesture'

In the latest incident, the six Iranians were some 50 miles (90km) south-east of the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr when they got into trouble early on Tuesday, Mr Little said.

The crew used flares and flashlights to hail the passing Monomoy. The vessel's master indicated "that the engine room was flooding and [the ship was] not seaworthy", Mr Little added.

The Pentagon said the Iranian mariners would be repatriated, although it has not yet been determined how.

Last Thursday, forces assigned to the John C Stennis aircraft carrier group - on its way from the Gulf to Afghanistan - received a distress call from the Al Molai fishing vessel.

The ship had been boarded by pirates in the Arabian Sea more than a month ago, and its crew had been kept in "harsh conditions", the Pentagon said at the time.

A US Navy spokesman said the force went out of its way to "treat the fishing crew with kindness and respect" and provided them with fuel and food for their return journey home.

Washington says its forces routinely rescue sailors in distress - regardless of nationality - but wanted to highlight the two recent incidents in light of the current tensions between the two countries.

Tehran has not commented on Tuesday's incident, but described last Thursday's rescue as a "humanitarian gesture".

However, days earlier Tehran had warned the carrier not to return to the region once it left for Afghanistan.

Faced with the prospect of fresh sanctions over its nuclear programme, Iran has threatened to block the transport of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington has rejected Iran's warning to keep its forces out of Gulf waters, and has warned it will resist any attempt by Tehran to close the Strait.

Related Article:

US navy destroyer rescues Iranian boat from Somali pirates

US navy destroyer rescues Iranian boat from Somali pirates

Rescue in which 15 suspects were detained comes just days after Tehran warned the US to keep its warships out of the Gulf

guardian.co.uk, Associated Press, Friday 6 January 2012

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said: 'This
is an incredible story'. Photograph: AP

A US navy destroyer has rescued an Iranian fishing boat that had been commandeered by suspected pirates just days after Tehran warned America to keep its warships out of the Gulf.

US forces flying off the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd responded to a distress call from the Iranian vessel, the Al Molai, which had been held captive for more than 40 days, the US navy said Friday. The Kidd was sailing in the Arabian sea, after leaving the Gulf, when it came to the sailors' aid.

A US navy team boarded the ship Thursday and detained 15 suspected Somali pirates. They had been holding the 13-member Iranian crew hostage and were using the boat as a "mother ship" for pirating operations in the Gulf.

Amid escalating tensions with Tehran, the Obama administration reveled in delivering the news.

"This is an incredible story. This is a great story," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, explaining that the very same American ships Iran protested against for recently travelling through the Strait of Hormuz were responsible for the Iranian vessel's recovery.

"They were obviously very grateful to be rescued from these pirates," Nuland said.

The episode occurred after a week of hostile rhetoric from Iranian leaders, including a statement by Iran's army chief that American vessels are no longer welcome in the Gulf. Iran also warned it could block the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway that carries to market much of the oil pumped in the Middle East.

The Iranian threats, which were brushed aside by the Obama administration, were in response to strong economic sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear enrichment program. Last week, president Barack Obama signed into law new sanctions targeting Iran's central bank and its ability to sell petroleum abroad.

According to the navy, the Kidd was part of the USS John C Stennis Carrier Strike Group, which had recently left the Gulf through the strait and into the northern Arabian sea.

A navy search-and-seizure team was taken by helicopter from the Kidd to the Al Molai and met no resistance from the pirates, who surrendered quickly.

"The Al Molai had been taken over by pirates for roughly the last 40-45 days," said Josh Schminsky, a Navy Criminal Investigative Service agent aboard the Kidd. "They were held hostage, with limited rations, and we believe were forced against their will to assist the pirates with other piracy operations."

Schminsky said the Iranian boat's captain thanked the US for assistance. "He was afraid that without our help, they could have been there for months," Schminsky said in a prepared release.

The US team gave the crew food, water and medical care. Nuland said the crew then returned the Iranians to their fishing vessels "and they went on their way."

The captured pirates remain on the Stennis while the US considers options for prosecution and consults with other nations that have joined forces against piracy.

"Sadly, this is not a new thing," she told reporters, citing more than 1,000 pirates picked up at sea who are under prosecution in some 20 countries. "So this is always a question of where to send them and who will do the prosecution."

Asked if the rescue mission could provide a chance for a thaw in relations with Iran, Nuland declined to comment. She said the navy had made a "humanitarian gesture" to take the Iranians onboard, feed them and ensure they were in good health before setting them off. She said the US and Iranian governments have had no direct contact over the incident.

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Iranian Immigrants Arrested in East Java

Tempo Interactive, Monday, 29 March, 2010 | 22:06 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: East Java Police arrested 47 Iranian immigrants in a regency about 210 kilometers southwest of Surabaya early on Monday (29/3), which were trying travel to Christmas island by boat.

Thirty eight male, seven female and four children were being detained by maritime police in Pacitan Regency in the southern coast of Java since their capture earlier today.

Head of the regency Marine Police Unit Adjutant Second Inspector Yahudi said the immigrants were in good condition. He said local fishermen spotted the immigrants on a life boat-like vessel about three miles of the coast of Pacitan and reported them to the police.

A translator helping police to communicate with the immigrants said the Iranians were trying to head to Christmas Island.

Police suspected the immigrants entered Indonesia legally and spent several times in a temporary shelter in Bogor, West Java before continue with their trip. No report on the persons who guided the immigrants with their movements in Indonesia.

ISHOMUDDIN