Ashgabat hosted a series of expert-level meetings bringing together delegations from the five Caspian littoral states — Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Russia — to advance regional cooperation on marine protection and research.

The discussions focused on two draft agreements:

• a multilateral treaty on joint marine scientific research in the Caspian Sea,

• a protocol to strengthen cooperation against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, to be annexed to the 2010 Caspian Sea Security Agreement.

Turkmenistan was represented by officials from the Academy of Sciences, the Caspian Sea Institute, and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance & Economy.

Participants acknowledged progress in finalizing the documents and agreed to continue collaborative work. Particular emphasis was placed on conserving marine biodiversity and ensuring sustainable management of fish stocks.

Turkmenistan, which holds the rotating chairmanship of the Caspian Commission on Aquatic Resources for 2025–2026, reaffirmed its commitment to ecological protection and regional collaboration. These goals are part of Turkmenistan’s agenda for the 80th UN General Assembly, including its support for the Caspian Environmental Initiative.