BSEC meeting in Romania (Apr 26, 2006)

Apr 26, 2006 (Romania Report)

The fourteenth session of Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs (CMFA) of The Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) was held in Bucharest, Romania, on April 26.

Established in 1992, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation presently unites Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Serbia and Montenegro - an area of nearly 20 million square kilometres populated by over 340 million people, with an aggregate GDP of some $1.3 trillion.

The assembly is considering the development of trade and economic cooperation between BSEC member states, in particular in the spheres of modern techniques, electronic trade, creation of favourable conditions for the activities of economic entities and joint ventures.

Romania chaired the BSEC organization since Nov 2005 to April 2006. Thus, during his opening speech, Romania’s President Traian Basescu expressed his hopes that the future six months of Russian presidency will surpass the efforts to date. Basescu reiterated the role of Western states and Russia as “democracy providers” in the Black Sea region. President Basescu said that, starting with 2007 when Romania and Bulgaria are set to join EU, Europe will get closer to the region.

Basescu added that in the last year and a half Romania foreign policy displayed a particular interest regarding stability in the Black Sea and the Western Balkans regions.

President Basescu said that Romania supports both GUAM and a reformed BSEC—able to turn consultations into political actions.

The session was expected to discuss the level of cooperation within the BSEC, possible ways of increase of overall efficiency of the Organization and consideration of measures on the further growing interaction of the countries-participants in various spheres of cooperation.

The BSEC presidency is to pass from Romania to Russia according to the established practice that each member state presides the organization during half a year. The deputy minister of foreign affairs of Russia A. Yakovenko will represent Russia on CMFA of BSEC, in which it will preside since May up to the end of October 2006.



BSEC Ombudspersons meet in Istanbul

Commissioners for human rights from 12 member-states of the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) gather on April 26-27 in Istanbul, Turkey to participate in the international conference The Role of Ombudsperson in Strengthening Democracy organized by the BSEC’s Parliamentary Assembly.

Accomplishments of the ombudsman institutions in the field of human rights, difficulties and problems they face in related activities, the role of ombudspersons in strengthening democratic processes as well as in building legal state and civil society are issues included in the event’s agenda.



Romania Report