Bucharest, April 20, 2005

International conference devoted to Black Sea area

    International conference ''Black Sea Area and Euro-Atlantic Security: Strategic Opportunities'', organized under the high patronage of the Romanian President is due to take place on Wednesday in Bucharest.
       The conference enjoys the support of the United States, the U.K. and Germany in Romania, as well as the George C.Marshall European Center of Security Studies and is conceived as a first event of a series of activities devoted to the materialization of the major ideas of foreign policy which focus on the promotion of democracy and consolidation of security and stability in this area, the Romanian Presidency's Department for Public Communication informs.
       Attending the event will be representatives of the countries of the Black Sea extended region, NATO member countries and partners, EU countries and associate countries, participating countries in the Mediterranean dialogue, as well as other countries with an important contribution to the international security. Also present will be prestigious experts of institutes for research of security issues and representatives of NGOs, leaders and specialists with the George C.Marshall European Center of Security Studies of Romania.
       The emergence of new opportunities, challenges, or threats to the region security require a global solidarity with significant consequences on regional cooperation. The Black Sea area is important when it comes to the security in the context of the EU and NATO expansion, but it is also a land of confrontations and hopes in the field of democracy and human rights, respectively of the energy geopolitics. From this outlook, the conference agenda includes the assessment of the importance of the Black Sea space in the new international security environment, the promotion of a joint approach regarding opportunities, challenges, risks and threats in the region, examination of the perspective regarding the establishment of a functional security framework in the Black Sea area as strategic link for the cooperation with Eastern Europe, South Caucasus, Central Asia and with the Middle East region.
       The conference's works will open Romania's President Traian Basescu.
       Attending the conference will be director of the George C.Marshall European Center of Security Studies John Rose, charge d'affaires at the US Embassy in Bucharest Thomas Delare, British ambassador to Romania Quinton Quayle, dr. Norbert Baas special envoy for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia, presidential adviser Andrei Plesu, Jeffrey Simon from the Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University, Washington DC, Romania Foreign Affairs Minister Mihai Razvan-Ungureanu, Turkey's Ambassador to Romania Ahmet Rifat Ökçun, Ambassador Guido Lenzi, Italy's Foreign Affairs Ministry, professor at George C.Marshall European Center Roger Kangas, chairman of the defence committee with the Chamber of Deputies Mihai Stanisoara, presidential advicer Georgi Dimitrov (Bulgaria), Ukraine's Ambassador in Bucharest Teofil I.Bauer, Alla Yazkova from Europe's Institute in Moscow, Detlef Puhl professor at the European Center George C. Marshall , gen. Alexandru Ionas - interim director of SECI Center, presidential adviser Theodor Stolojan, deputy head of the European Commission Delegation to Romania, Russia's Ambassador to Romania Aleksandr Tolkach , CEO Stefana Greavu - BSEC(O, Geporgia's Ambassador to Romania Zurab Beridze, political analyst Emil Hurezeanu, state adviser with National Security Department Constantin Degeratu.