BSEC REQUEST FOR OBSERVER VIEWS ON COOPERATION

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000128

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECIN ETRD PO PREL TU
SUBJECT: BSEC REQUEST FOR OBSERVER VIEWS ON COOPERATION

REF: A. CHISINAU 84


B. 05 ANKARA 6066


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 3.


2. (SBU) Further to the BSEC Secretariat's late December
request to observers to forward their views on how they
envision cooperating with BSEC and its project development
fund in future (copy faxed to EUR/SE),on February 1 BSEC
forwarded Poland's response (the first it has received).


2. (SBU) Begin text:

Poland wishes to continue its participation in the activities
of BSEC as an observer country in the organization. We see
the increasing importance of cooperation within the framework
of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.
Poland also regards the cooperation within the Black Sea as
paramount (with its huge potential and inestimable
geostrategic role) both in the regional, European, as well as
in the global contexts. Being conscious of the importance of
regional cooperation and seeing in this cooperation a very
important stabilising, security ensuring mechanism Poland
wishes to be part of it not only in the Central European area
but also -- to the extent possible-- in the wider European
area, including the Black Sea basin. Poland being an active
member of the Visegrad group, the Council of the Baltic Sea
States, the Central European Initiative, the Regional
Partnership as well as a country involved in the BSEC,
Northern Dimension, Artic Council and Barents Sea Council
cooperation platforms has collected significant experience
and know-how in regional cooperation. We have had the
opportunity and honour to chair in the past 3 years the work
in the CEI, CBSS, and the Council of Europe. We therefore
believe our input to the cooperation in the BSEC can be
substantial and above all useful. We are thus open to share
not only our own experience from the socio-economic
transformation period but also our pratical "acquis" stemming
from presiding these regional groupings.

Poland is interested in closely following BSEC initiatives,
assisting the implementation of BSEC priorities and
contributing to concrete activities in the areas of i.a.: SME
development and trade, transport and energy infrastructure
development, promotion of
tourism, cooperation in the areas of culture, education and
science, transfrontier (cross-border) cooperation know-how
sharing. We are also envisaging the possibility of making
use of the development assistance to the benefit of the BSEC
member states.

End text.


3. (SBU) Action request: Consulate seconds Chisinau's request
for guidance on U.S. plans for cooperation with BSEC and its
project development fund in order to respond to BSEC's
inquiry.
JONES