Moscow and Tehran supporting Kasfor

During a recent meeting in Baku between Ministers of Caspian countries different issues were discussed but the most important was the project of creating a common Caspian peacekeeping military force, Kasfor, and how it will operate. This suggestion, first made by Russia some years ago, is supported by Iran as such a force could prevent the US or NATO entering the region. The opinions of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are not yet known.

The US has already invested more than USD 100 million in reforming the Azeri and Kazakh Navies. It has also invested in installing radar systems in Azerbaijan, which participates in NATO programmes, and if Azerbaijan joins Kasfor this will contradict this participation in NATO programmes. Moscow and Tehran will seek to convince Baku to turn away from NATO and join Kasfor.