EDUCATION MINISTERS OF BLACK SEA COUNTRIES DISCUSS COOPERATION ISSUES

BAKU, April 16 (RIA Novosti) – The Education Ministers of the Black
Sea Economic Cooperation Organization member states have gathered for
a conference in the Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku.

According to the Azeri Education Ministry’s press service, the
conference’s agenda will include such issues as the possibility of
free travel for students of the member countries, mutual recognition
of college and university diplomas, the development of education
programs for specific study areas, and the introduction of EU-approved
educational systems. The delegates are also expected to review the
results of the previous such conference, held in the Slovak capital of
Bratislava.

The participants in the current conference include the Education
Ministers of Azerbaijan (the country holding the rotating presidency
in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization), Georgia, Greece,
Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. The Armenian minister is
not in attendance.

Members of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization’s Permanent
Secretariat, OSCE and EU officials, and foreign ambassadors are also
among the attendees.

The Azeri Education Minister, Misir Mardanov, has stressed the special
importance of the event for Azerbaijan, as this is the first time the
country has hosted an education forum of such a scale.