Brussels, 11/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - EU foreign ministers are to meet in Kiev on 14 February with their opposite numbers from the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) member nations. Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner (external relations) will also attend the meeting. Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko will join the ministers for debates that are to focus on the political and economic situation of the Balkans (mainly Kosovo) and the South Caucasus. The Black Sea Energy project, launched by the Commission in April 2007 with a view to developing cooperation within the Black Sea region, will also be the focus of ministerial discussions. The Black Sea Energy initiative is conceived as a flexible framework to ensure better consistency and better coordination between activities. It is based on sectoral programmes and Community initiatives in fields such as the movement of persons and security, energy, transport, the environment, maritime policy, fisheries, trade, research, education, employment, science and technology.
Three European Union member states are also members of the BSEC. They are Greece, Bulgaria and Romania. The other BSEC members are Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova. While Turkey is applying for EU membership (membership talks have been underway since October 2005) and Albania has concluded a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, five BSEC members are currently covered by European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), these being Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The EU is soon expected to decide to open talks with a view to concluding a new strengthened partnership agreement with Russia, to replace the current partnership and cooperation agreement. (H.B.)