MOSCOW, May 22. /TASS/. The protection of the ecosystem of the Caspian basin requires joint efforts of solely Caspian states, among them Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, Russian Federation Council First Deputy Speaker Andrey Yatskin said.
"Obviously, the issues related to the protection of the ecosystem of the Caspian basin require unified efforts of all five Caspian states: the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. Russia assumes that any area of regional interaction, including issues of ecology and subsoil use, should be regulated solely by the Caspian states themselves without third countries joining or intervening," he said at the Nevsky ecological forum.
Yatskin also considers it necessary to work out and introduce measures to adjust to climate change, protect ecosystem diversity, and support the development of a sustainable economy of the region.
A comprehensive approach that includes both immediate policies on mitigating the negative influence and long-term strategies is required, he noted.
The 11th Nevsky International Ecological Congress is taking place in St. Petersburg on May 22-23. The theme of this year's Congress is ‘Planet Earth: Living in Harmony with Nature’. TASS is the information partner of the event.