MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
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PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Government House # 2, Republic Square
Yerevan 0010, Republic of Armenia
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
01-11-2006
Minister Oskanian Participates in the 15th Meeting
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Council of Ministers
Minister Oskanian was in Moscow, participating at the 15th meeting
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Council of Ministers. Russia
has held the presidency of that organization since April 2006.
In his statement at the meeting, Minister Oskanian stressed that
there are more commonalities among BSEC members than differences,
and despite the bilateral problems that exist, the positive elements
must and can override these differences in order to allow for a
harmonious environment in which to work and to settle political
issues. He pointed out that in the realm of creating a transport ring,
the efforts by some members to resort to a policy of exclusion and
not include certain members by circumventing or ignoring existing
transport means is unacceptable for members of the same organization.
Finally, the Minister noted that in light of Bulgaria and Romania
joining the EU next year, this makes, with Greece, three BSEC members
who are simultaneously members of the EU, and thus provides new
opportunities for BSEC ~V EU cooperation taking into consideration
both overlapping interests and overlapping memberships.
Further, Minister suggested that in preparation for the organization’s
15th anniversary and the Summit to be held in Istanbul, the time is
right to study the accumulated experiences and the new challenges,
and to make the necessary modification and institutional changes to
become more effective.
As a result of the meeting, a Joint declaration was passed and the
presidency of BSEC was passed on to Serbia.
Within the framework of the BSEC meeting, Minister Oskanian met with
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov. They discussed bilateral issues, as
well as regional matters, and the Nagorno Karabakh settlement process.
Earlier in the day, Minister Oskanian had also met with Georgian
Foreign Minister Gela Bezuashvili. The two ministers discussed
Armenian-Georgian relations, as well as the effect of Russian-Georgian
relations on the region, and prospects for reduction of tensions.
The Ministers discussed the upcoming meeting in Brussels with the
EU leadership at which time, the European Neighborhood Action Plan
will go into effect, and the two countries will be better able to
cooperate within Euro-integration processes.
Minister Oskanian and Minister Bezuashvili exchanged views on the
peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region, and in that context,
the prospects for alleviating the consequences of a GUAM initiative
within the UN.