Проблема статусу Каспійського моря у геополітичних стратегіях зацікавлених держав на рубежі ХХ-ХХІ ст.

Abstract

The work aims to analyze the international legal status of the Caspian Sea in the context of geopolitical strategies of regional (Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan) and non-regional (USA, Turkey) states. The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity, systematization and use of general scientific research methods (analysis, synthesis, systematization, generalization) and special-historical methods (comparative-historical, problem-chronological, and historical-genetic). The scientific novelty is that for the first time in Ukrainian historiography, the changes of the Caspian vector of geopolitical strategies of Iran, the USA and Russia in the context of determining the legal status of the Caspian Sea in the 90s of the XX – beginning of the XXI century are systematically studied. Conclusions. The Caspian region has multifaceted problems: ecology, militarization, use of mineral resources and bioresources. The countries (USA, Russia, Turkey, and Pre-Caspian states) have their own positions on each of these aspects. Determination of the legal status of the Caspian Sea should become the starting point for solving most of the region’s problems. The adoption of the relevant convention, as well as various sectoral agreements, would lead to a comprehensive regulation of the legal status of the Caspian Sea, the definition of all rights and obligations of the Pre-Caspian states. At the given stage, the sovereign rights of the countries of the Caspian coast remain uncertain, which is not only an obstacle to using the Caspian’s natural resources but can also lead to acute economic, political and military conflicts in the region.