5TH MEETING OF ENERGY MINISTERS OF BSEC MEMBER STATES HELD IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
March 20, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN. A regular – 5th meeting of energy
ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC)
member states was held in Yerevan on March 20. The meeting was attended
by representatives of Russia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova,
Romania, Serbia, Turkey, Egypt and Iran. Representatives of the U.S,
the EU, the UN, the World Bank and the USAID were also invited.

The BSEC Secretary General Altay Efendiyev said that among issues
discussed were such subjects as "The Increasing Role of the Extended
Black Sea Region in the Issue of Raising Regional, EU and General
Energy Security", "Promotion of International Cooperation, including
with the EU, in Regional Energy Sector; Development of Long-Term
Action Strategy in Energy Sector", "Regional Energy Studies", etc. The
EU-BSEC joint action plan was also discussed at the meeting.

According to A. Efendiyev, studies of energy resources are currently
being conducted in the region, and a meeting will be organized in
September with the aim of summarizing the results of the studies. He
underlined that the BSEC Action PLan will form a serious basis for
further promotion of energy cooperation.

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Arman Kirakosian said that the
Armenian side has taken a number of important steps for integration
into the regional energy system. Armenia has also developed an action
plan aimed at strengthening cooperation with the EU and the BSEC. By
the action plan, Armenia as a possible transit country can contribute
to energy stability and security in the region.

The RA Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisian pointed
out that the purpose of the regular meeting of BSEC energy ministers
is to work out a joint plan of EU-BSEC cooperation. "Turkey is also a
member of the BSEC, and naturally, being members of this organization,
both of us are guided by the rules and decisions taken by the BSEC,"
the minister stated.

In the words of A. Movsisian, cooperation within the framework of the
BSEC gives the opportunity to raise energy security in the region,
also to develop electricity links among BSEC member states, other
regional and EU countries and to integrate their energy markets.