Putin: Russia and Azerbaijan Collaborating to Combat Caspian Sea Shrinkage

On June 18, during the traditional St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the heads of international news agencies.

In response to a question from the AZERTAC Chairman regarding the issue of the Caspian Sea’s shrinkage, the Russian President noted that the governments of Russia and Azerbaijan are working together to address the problem, The Caspian Post reports.

"This issue was raised by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Heydarovich [Aliyev], and I responded immediately. [...] The problem is undoubtedly very serious - if not global in scale. We are aware of the tragic examples, such as the Aral Sea. Timely and coordinated action must be taken. The necessary instructions have been given to the government. I know that the Government of the Russian Federation is working together with the Government of Azerbaijan and looking for solutions. The main thing here is to act consistently, without abrupt moves, but with persistence and on a regular basis," he said.

President Putin emphasized the need to identify the causes of the Caspian Sea’s shrinkage and to do everything possible to prevent irreversible processes.

Touching on economic cooperation between the two countries, the Russian President stated that trade turnover between Russia and Azerbaijan increased by 7 percent last year - a solid result.

"We have good projects - the North-South corridor and several other promising areas - in logistics, manufacturing, and shipbuilding. We are ready to load the Baku plant with our orders. There is work to be done there; these projects are well-developed. I hope we will implement all of them ," the Russian leader stressed.