Black Sea Summit Sees Some Signs Of Reconciliation

Black Sea Summit Sees Some Signs Of Reconciliation

June 25, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Representatives from 12 Black Sea states assembled in Istanbul, Turkey, today for the annual summit of the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), with increasing economic cooperation and trade at the top of the day's agenda.

But the summit opened with a warning from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that political conflicts and territorial disputes were hindering economic progress in the region.

The message was in keeping with efforts by Turkey, which currently chairs the BSEC, to restore new life to the organization.

By the end of the day, some states were showing signs that they were open to reconciliation.

An RFE/RL correspondent in Istanbul said that in a rare bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian made an unexpected proposal to his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul.

Oskanian reportedly said that Turkey must open its border with Armenia because few borders in the world are closed now, and if they open up the border, Armenia would establish diplomatic ties with Turkey.

Turkey and Armenia currently have no diplomatic relations and Armenia was the only country at the summit to be represented by a foreign minister. All others sent presidents or prime ministers.

No Breakthrough On Ossetia

A highly anticipated meeting between the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili didn't develop.

Coming into today's talks, there were reports that Georgia would use the opportunity to discuss its breakaway region of South Ossetia.

The Russian daily "Kommersant," citing an unidentified "source in the Georgian government," reported that Georgia would seek to convince Russia to give up its support for South Ossetian secessionist leader Eduard Kokoity.

In exchange, according to the source, Georgia would be willing to support Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization.

But it was not to be. RFE/RL's correspondent said that in the end the two ministers did not meet at all because they did not want to disrupt the summit's agenda.

The two ministers did take the time to deny reports of the potential breakthrough reported by "Kommersant." Interfax quoted Lavrov as saying he was "amazed" by the article, while Bezhuashvili said that "neither Georgia nor Russia base their policy on a newspaper article and journalists' opinion."

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, also in attendance, did promise a breakthrough in resolving the conflict with the breakaway region.

Economic Cooperation Tops Agenda

High on the group's agenda were plans to reduce trade barriers, and to develop transportation infrastructure -- including a proposal to build a 7,500-kilometer ring road along the Black Sea coast.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing the summit just a day after proposing an energy grid that would link the Black Sea states, called on BSEC members to coordinate their energy strategies.

"Energy-resources supply is becoming an ever more significant factor of progress," Putin said. "In this regard we are proposing to strengthen the stability of Black Sea energy markets, including by broadening the practice of long-term contracts."

The Russian president also stressed new opportunities for developing transport infrastructure in the region, including the resumption of passenger- and cargo-ferry services between Black Sea ports.

The BSEC includes the six countries on the Black Sea -- Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine -- plus neighboring Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Greece, Moldova, and Serbia.

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Black Sea Summit Sees Some Signs Of Reconciliation