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28th BSEC meeting held in Odesa
15:00 / 25.06.2013

BSEC Chairman-in-Office and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine H.E. Mr. Leonid Kozhara chaired the meeting. In the working session of the meeting, the Ministers exchanged views on issues regarding the region and the Organization.

“28th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the BSEC was ended in Odesa. Ukraine completed its chairmanship in this very important regional organization. It was very important for Ukraine, because we are big, might even say, one of the biggest Black Sea countries. The Black Sea region is not only the scope of our cooperation, but particularly political. It is a region where Ukraine has economic and cultural interests,” Mr Kozhara stated. “The main result of this meeting is that the organization receives a new impetus to its work. Country-members of the organization receive a new impetus for cooperation. BSEC, as a young and ambitious organization wants to develop, and today the priorities are clear ― they are, above all, economic cooperation and the development of tourism.”

“We believe that this meeting was very successful. Ukraine has made a significant contribution to the activities of the organization. We are active members of the organization, as we were before,” the Minister added.

Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Vasily Nebenzia said that Ukraine got through with its task during the presidency of the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

“Today's meeting is the result of a six-month Ukrainian presidency. It concludes what was made during this period. Ukraine has successfully got through with its task... During Ukrainian presidency several important initiatives has been implemented. In particular, there were meetings of Ministers of Economy and Transport, a number of major infrastructure projects will continue to be developed within the organization ― the same circumferential road around the Black Sea, there are projects of multimodal passenger ferry service, and so on. The Russian side is satisfied with the meeting held today,” Mr Nebenzia mentioned.

Leonid Kozhara handed over to his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian the presidency of the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation.

BSEC permanent members are the three EU MS (Bulgaria, Greece and Romania), Black Sea Synergy’s countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine) plus Albania and Serbia. BSEC observers are the European Union, Austria, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia, the USA and the Black Sea.