ARMENIAN MINISTER URGES BSEC MEMBERS TO ALLEVIATE CRISIS IMPACT ON ENERGY SECTOR

ARKA
March 20, 2009

YEREVAN, March 20. /ARKA/. Members of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC) should do their utmost to alleviate the impact
of the global financial crisis on the energy sector and boost
recession-hit economies, said RA Minister of Energy and Natural
Resources Armen Movsisyan.

"Taking into account the advantages of the energy sector, BSEC
member-states should combine their efforts to ensure global energy
security," the minister was quoted saying.

Movsisyan stressed the importance of boosting energy market and
increasing oil and gas exports in the Black Sea region, as well as
diversifying gas supply routes in EU.

"The global financial crisis makes us focus on the economic
appropriateness of measures taken and solve political and technical
problems despite all the hardships," Movsisyan said.

Armenia assumed the BSEC chairmanship in November 2008 and will chair
the organization until April 30, 2009.

On March 20, MSEC energy ministers met in Yerevan to discuss the
BSEC-EU program of actions in the energy sector.

All BSEC energy ministers, with the exception of the Azeri and
Albanian ministers, are participating in the meeting. Poland, the Czech
Republic, Belarus and the U.S., as well as EU and EC representatives
are observing the meeting.