Abstract

LABARDINI, Rodrigo. The Legal Definition of the Caspian Sea. Anu. Mex. Der. Inter [online]. 2020, vol.20, pp.235-272.  Epub Mar 19, 2021. ISSN 1870-4654.  https://doi.org/10.22201/iij.24487872e.2020.20.14476.

Eurasia (Caucasus, Caspian Sea and Central Asia) is a natural link connecting Europe and China, in commercial, logistics, transport and energetic issues, while avoiding Russia, Iran and sanctions. For over twenty-five years, the legal definition of the Caspian Sea remained unresolved. In 2018, the five riparian Caspian Sea states adopted the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea. The Convention draws heavily from maritime law, yet avoids defining the Caspian Sea as a sea or a lake and stipulates it as an endorheic basin in specific charts. The Convention is pragmatic, to jointly exploit subsoil [hydrocarbon] resources and lay pipelines without demarcation mechanisms, yet enabling possible restrictions on account of environmental issues.

Keywords : Convention on the Legal Statute of the Caspian Sea; Law of the sea, international energy law; international treaties.

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