Germany recognizes Black Sea significance for EU foreign policy

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated on Thursday, following talks with his Romanian counterpart Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu that, after Romania’s European Union accession, the EU neighbourhood policy must be modified in the sense of closer relations between the Union and the Black Sea zone.
„EU eastern border is to change and we must establish another rapport with Romania’s neighbours in the east, we must see how we can draw the Union closer to the Black Sea region”, said the German official. He added that he discussed with Minister Ungureanu about how the German EU Rotating Presidency is going to approach after January 1, 2007 the neighbourhood policy problems, as well as those linked to the energy security and the Constitutional Treaty.
At the same time, Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu underlined that the neighbourhood policy should be included among the German Presidency’s priorities, extended to a specific dimension dedicated to the Black Sea.
„A Black Sea dimension should be added to the neighbourhood policy meant to ensure a cooperation mechanism between the EU and the Black Sea states. The Black Sea is the only geographical region close to the EU that can be crossed by alternate supply channels of energy resources”, Chief of Romanian diplomacy pointed out. He added that, along with the development of interest in energy resources at the Black Sea, the European Union should also develop an involvement policy in this region’s security. He also noticed that the common foreign policy of the European Union for the Black Sea region must be both pragmatic and visionary.
As well, the two ministers appreciated that Romania and Germany share a common point of view as regards the debates linked to the NATO mission in Afghanistan on the occasion of the Alliance’s Summit to take place next week in Riga. Both countries have significant detachments of military in this country and wish to see other NATO member states assuming a role in the NATO mission in Afghanistan. ROMPRES