Caspian Sea Pollution and International Obligations and Responsibilities of States

The collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s and the appearance of the newly established Republic States of Azerbaijan, Kazakhastan, Turkmenistan in the border of the Caspian Sea has turned the subject of this sea and the ongoing disputes of coastal states, regarding its precious sources, to one of the controversial problems of the day.Irrespective of having rich economic reserves due to water quality reduction, destruction of eco-system, industrial and oil pollution, spread digging of oil and gas in the sea-bed and under sea-bed, passing of oil tankers and ships, irregular fishing of caviar fishes, dischargingpoisonous materials to the sea, non-presence of non-governmental organizations and the absence of bilateral or multinational co-operations, the Caspian Sea is encountered with serious environmental disaster. Considering the absence of a comprehensive legal regime regarding the Caspian Sea’s environmental problem and its increasing pollution,if coastal states infringe the international rules of environment, they shall be responsible for inflicted losses. International law recognizes the equality of states. If the states refrain to perform their obligations against the international rules, they shall be responsible for their acts. One of the basic principles of international law of environment is the principle of protection of environment including all measures which have the common interests of world community. One of the obligations of the coastal states of the Caspian Sea is the protection of this sea and using it for the peaceful purposes. Undoubtedly the CaspianSea’s environmental losses could provide the framework of a regional co-operation between coastal states as the subjects of international law.