RUSSIA, October 6 - Mikhail Mishustin chaired a meeting of heads of participating countries’ delegations and spoke at a plenary meeting of the 2nd Caspian Economic Forum.

Mikhail Mishustin speaks at a restricted attendance meeting of the heads of delegations at the 2^nd Caspian Economic Forum

Mikhail Mishustin’s remarks at a plenary meeting of the 2^nd Caspian Economic Forum

Mikhail Mishustin’s concluding remarks at a plenary meeting of the 2^nd Caspian Economic Forum

On 5-6 October, 2022, Moscow is hosting the 2^nd Caspian Economic Forum, the largest post-pandemic event for discussing topical issues of cooperation between Caspian countries, as well as friendly neighbouring states. Representatives of Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are discussing topical cooperation issues. 

On 6 October, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Hidayat oghlu Asadov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov, First Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Mokhber and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Khodjamyrat Geldimyradov will attend a plenary meeting of the 2^nd Caspian Economic Forum.  

Over 1,000 participants, including those from the Russian Federation, four other Caspian countries, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, registered for the 2^nd Caspian Economic Forum. They are discussing key issues of cooperation in trade, economy, science and technology in the Caspian region, prioritising joint projects in such areas as transport infrastructure, energy, environmental protection, as well as expanded inter-regional collaboration and cultural and humanitarian ties.  

Mikhail Mishustin speaks at a restricted attendance meeting of the heads of delegations at the 2^nd Caspian Economic Forum

Good morning, colleagues.

I want to welcome the government delegations from Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan at the 2^nd Caspian Economic Forum.

The Russian Federation has taken over the presiding role in this format from Turkmenistan, which organised the first forum on 12 August 2019 in Turkmenbashi.

This meeting continues the agenda of the 6^th Caspian Summit that took place on 29 June in Ashgabat. The heads of state discussed the most topical issues of cooperation in the Caspian region, proposed a range of new initiatives in the economy, trade, energy, transport and culture, as well as a great number of environmental initiatives.

I suggest that, in this restricted attendance format, we agree on the parameters of this joint work to perform the tasks set by the leaders of the Caspian states, and discuss the most promising economic projects that we can launch in this five-party format.

Our agenda is extensive and constructive. I am confident that, as an outcome of today’s meeting, we will develop specific solutions to give a new impetus to our multi-dimensional cooperation in the Caspian region, solutions that will eventually improve the prosperity and wellbeing of our citizens.

Mikhail Mishustin’s remarks at the plenary meeting:

Good afternoon, friends,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to welcome you to Russia, to the 2^nd Caspian Economic Forum, which was instituted at the initiative of Turkmenistan. The 1^st Caspian Economic Forum was held three years ago in Turkmenbashi, and its participants focused on trade and economic interaction between the Caspian Five.

I would like to thank our colleagues for supporting the proposal to hold the forum in Moscow.

Before I begin my remarks, I would like to say a few words about today’s date, which has special significance for Turkmenistan and its people. This is a day of memory for the victims of the Ashgabat earthquake.

Seventy-four years ago, one of the most devastating disasters of the 20^th century claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people, damaged buildings, enterprises and virtually destroyed the entire city. This became a real tragedy, and no one remained indifferent. Our entire vast country responded to the pain of the Turkmen people. Russia and all other Soviet republics helped rebuild the city.

I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the people of Turkmenistan and those who lost their loved ones during that earthquake.

And now, let us move on to the main subject of this forum. This is a follow-up to the 6^th Caspian Summit, held this past June in Ashgabat. The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to expanding partnership in the most diverse spheres, adopted decisions on advancing cooperation between the five states and proposed new initiatives.

Today, we held a restricted attendance meeting and discussed the pace of work to achieve these goals, and I am grateful to all participants for their fruitful and constructive proposals.

The forum serves as a platform for discussing the most topical issues concerning our region. Proposals on strengthening cooperation in many areas, from energy and transport to investment and tourism, are developed with the involvement of government officials, representatives of regions, and the business and expert communities.

The Caspian region is of great importance to Russia – mainly because of its strategic position in Central Eurasia, at a crossroads of transport and energy arteries, as well as the great amount of minerals and unique biological resources in its waters.

And of course, it is also a place where cultures, civilisations and religions meet; a place where people of different ethnicities and faiths treat each other with kindness and respect.  

These traditions live on. Our interests may differ, but we are capable of finding mutually beneficial solutions through dialogue.

During the summit in Ashgabat, President Vladimir Putin stressed that further expanding trade and investment links and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in industrial production and high technologies are among the key objectives for our five countries.

The Caspian region is among the fastest developing areas. Over the past 20 years, its aggregate GDP grew almost three times and mutual trade five times.

In the past five years, our countries’ share in the global GDP increased to 3.6 percent and mutual trade by 50 percent.

Russia and other Caspian littoral states enjoy good results in terms of trade volume. As of 2021, our trade grew almost one-third. Of course, it is important to maintain this trend in the future.

We will have to operate in challenging conditions, considering the turbulent global economy and geostrategic tensions. In its attempts to maintain the existing and convenient world order, the collective West is exerting more pressure on other countries, especially those that are defending their national interests and refuse to play by the Western rules. Russia is one of them.

Last week, we signed treaties on the accession of the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics and the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions to the Russian Federation.

The State Duma and the Federation Council approved the federal constitutional laws on the incorporation of these territories into Russia. The laws have already been signed by President Putin.

Russia has incorporated the regions whose residents have always been with our country spiritually and culturally. They joined Russia through their residents’ free expression of will in referendums. The absolute majority voted for joining the Russian Federation.

This historic and life-changing decision triggered another wave of pressure from the collective West. However, the language of ultimatums is unacceptable to us. No state has the right to impose its will on others, even more so use methods of pressure that affect the interests of ordinary citizens and private businesses.

More to be posted soon.