Tehran, Oct 16, IRNA - Russian President Vladimir Putin here on Tuesday suggested that a water channel be established to link Caspian Sea to the Black Sea.

Putin made the remarks in his speech at the second summit of the Caspian Sea littoral states.

"Such a measure will create a potential power for transit of goods through which the Caspian Sea states would receive more facilities," he added.

President Putin urged the Caspian Sea states to ratify materialization of North-South corridor.

Underscoring the need for implementation of infrastructural projects of the Caspian Sea littoral states, he said, "Today, the Caspian Sea has turned into one of main centers for exploitation and trade of oil and gas." He further criticized the inappropriate ecological status of the Caspian Sea.

Putin and Ahmadinejad at the Caspian Summit in Tehran

Referring to importance of the Caspian Sea and its natural resources for its littoral states, President Putin called on his neighbors "to reach an agreement through dialogue and maintaining territorial integrity." "As we cannot allow other countries to use our soil for any kind of military operation against any of the Caspian Sea littoral states, our position should be the same regarding the Caspian Sea," the Russian president reiterated.

Underscoring the importance of shipping in the Caspian Sea while bearing national flags as well as the principles of the Tehran declaration, he said Tehran declaration's principles can promote confidence building through which all other issues would be settled.

... Payvand News - 10/16/07 ... --