Black sea encircling highway has to pass through the territory of BSEC Member states

PanARMENIAN.Net - Black sea encircling highway has to pass through the territory of BSEC Member states, ARF Dashnaktsutyun Counselor on Economic Issues, MP Ara Nranyan told a PanARMENIANNet reporter. He reminded that in May 2009 BSEC Transportation Ministers had a meeting which resulted in passage of declaration on construction of highway, encircling Black sea, to connect key highways of Black sea region. "We insisted that the highway should pass through all the states in the region," he said.



According to Ara Nranyan, BSEC Parliamentary Assembly's Armenian Delegation representative, BSEC is already implementing the project.



Nranyan also emphasized that at the meeting of BSEC Transportation Ministers a declaration stipulating for visa regime facilitation for professional drivers was passed. "Though the issue was solved on organizational level, there're still some implementation-related issues in several states, " Nranyan noted.



Thus, according to Nranyan, if earlier BSEC put the first priority on energetic issues, at present transportation issue is considered more vital, despite the fact Armenia's borders with Turkey are closed. According to Nranyan, countries that close their borders hamper the development of the whole Black sea region.



Half a year ago, at the meeting dedicated to BSEC15th anniversary, Armenia introduced an issue on the necessity to open the borders in the statement describing BSEC's achievements and problems.





"Turkey had to acknowledge that closing of borders hampers the development of the whole Black sea region," the MP noted.





Armenia assumed responsibilities of BCES Chairman in November of 2008 and has been fulfilling them till April 30, 2009.





On May 12 Yerevan hosted the 15th meeting of BCES Road Transport Associations Union, to find solution to transportation issues. Representatives of Armenia, Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Turkey, Moldova, Albania, Romania and Georgia participated in the meeting.



BSEC was founded in 1992. Currently there are 12 BSEC Member states: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Moldavia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. Austria, Byelorussia, Croatia, Czechia, Egypt, France, Italy, Poland, Slovakia and USA are BSEC observers.