Black Sea countries to strengthen ties with EU

Member countries of the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) agreed on Friday to strengthen the group's ties with the European Union (EU).

At the organization's 13th foreign ministerial meeting held Friday in Chisinau, Moldova, member countries approved a statement on strengthening cooperation with the EU.

They also agreed on boost cooperation in the fields of energy, highways, transportation, travel and education within the BSEC.

The meeting also discussed issues regarding the improvement of passenger transportation in the Black Sea region and the construction of transnational oil and natural gas pipelines.

In his speech at the meeting, Andrei Stratan, Moldova's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and European integration, said strengthening regional cooperation is an important choice of the countries in the Black Sea region and the operation of the BSEC's various organs could contribute to the realization of such an objective.

Set up in June 1992, the BSEC now groups 12 countries in the Black Sea region: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia-Montenegro, Turkey and Ukraine.

Moldova currently holds the organization's rotating presidency, which lasts for half a year for each member country. After the current meeting, the rotating presidency goes to Romania.

Source: Xinhua