On December 1, 2017 the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Yerevan and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung co-hosted a round table еntitled ‘Security and Stability in the Black Sea Region – Challenges and Opportunities’ which took place at the Best Western Congress Hotel, Yerevan. The round table was moderated by Mr. David Shahnazaryan and was held under the motto of 10-th anniversary of Bulgaria’s EU membership and on the occasion of the upcoming Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2018.
The aim of the event was to provide a platform for a balanced discussion of the complex and challenging issues of the Black Sea regional security and stability from different perspectives while considering the interests and interdependent nature of relationships among regional states.
At the opening the participants were addressed by the Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan, H.E. Ms. Maria Pavlova, Ambassador of Bulgaria in Armenia, H.E. Mr. Matthias Kessler, Ambassador of Germany in Armenia and Mr. Felix Hett, director of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Regional Office for South Caucasus. The ambassadors congratulated the Armenian Government and the Armenian people for the historic signing of the CEPA agreement.
A diverse group of experts representing the academia and NGOs from Bulgaria, Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine, as well as regional organisations exchanged views in the two panels on the complex security situation in the Black Sea area and the challenges for the wider region. The event allowed different expert opinions to be voiced and perspectives to be explored, concerning the main challenges that the Black Sea wider region faces as one of the most dynamic and strategically important zones in Europe. It was stated that in challenging times for security it is important to deploy efforts aimed at keeping the channels of communication open, de-escalation and risk management.
Discussions were meant not only to outline the main issues stemming from different strategic, military and economic interests and priorities in the region, but to seek a constructive approach for reviving and boosting the regional cooperation through all possible means, including economic opportunities, internal reforms in the regional states and the regional economic cooperation. The participants highlighted that Armenia would hold the Chairmanship of The Black Sea Economic Cooperation in 2018 thus having the chance to contribute to reinvigorate the regional constructive projects.
