MAE's Ciamba: Romania will support actions to improve BSEC efficiency, visibility

State Secretary for European Affairs with Romania's Foreign Ministry (MAE) George Ciamba on Tuesday welcomed the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation organisation (PA-BSEC) Asaf Hajiyev, pointing out that as BSEC chairman-in-office in the second half of 2015 Romania will support actions to increase the organisation's efficiency and visibility in the region and beyond, MAE reports.

MAE says the two officials exchanged opinions on how to consolidate the role of the PA-BSEC in the Black Sea cooperation process, including as far as the interaction between the assembly and the organisation is concerned.

"The state secretary commended the Parliamentary Assembly for its important part in Black Sea regional cooperation, pointing out that Romania, in its capacity as BSEC chairman-in-office in the second half of 2015 will support actions that increase the organisation's efficiency and visibility in the region and beyond," reads a press release issued by MAE.

At the same time, items on the agenda of the incoming plenary session of the BSEC General Assembly, scheduled for June 8-10 in Chisinau were discussed.

On February 26, 1993 in Istanbul, chairs of national parliaments from nine countries ? Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, the Russian Federation, Turkey and Ukraine ? passed a declaration concerning the establishment of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation organisation (PA-BSEC). Greece joined the PA-BSEC June 1995, followed by Bulgaria in 1997. In November 2004 Serbia and Montenegro followed suit.

The PA-BSEC is made up of 76 parliamentarians representing the 12 BSEC member states.

Chair of the PA-BSEC is currently the Parliament...