Kazakhstan backs Azerbaijan's initiative to form expert group on Caspian Sea amid reports of pollution

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Tuesday that his country supports Azerbaijan's initiative to form an expert group on the Caspian Sea amid reports of marine pollution and drops in its water level.

“The Caspian Sea is in danger. Saving the biggest lake in the world is a matter of common concern that requires long-term international cooperation. We support the initiative of (Azerbaijani) President Ilham Aliyev to establish a group of experts from the Caspian states,” Tokayev said in an address to the World Leaders Climate Action Summit in Baku.

Noting that climate change is affecting global water cycles, Tokayev said water-related disasters account for more than 80% of natural disasters.

He further said that his country is also intensifying efforts to preserve the Aral Sea, previously the world’s fourth-largest lake, though it has significantly dried up over the past few decades.

Various international organizations, including the UN, have reported dropping water levels and pollution at the Caspian Sea, which is surrounded by Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan.

Commenting on Kazakhstan’s planned construction of its first nuclear power plant, Tokayev said that they are committed to the project’s safety and efficiency by partnering with global technology leaders.

Indicating that Kazakhstan exports 43% of the world’s uranium supply, Tokayev also said that Astana is ready to be a key supplier of energy transition minerals.

“We see many opportunities for cooperation. Our principal position (is) that the demand in these minerals should be responsible and socially just,” Tokayev said, adding that Kazakhstan plays a critical role in low-carbon nuclear power generation.