International conference on development in the BSEC Region

Public administration, reforming process, economic relations, democracy and civil society cooperation, conflict, issues of transit, transport links and energy security - these are the themes  of the international conference "Strategic Bridge East-West security for the development and integration of the BSEC" which opened today in Baku.  

The forum will be attended by representatives of 20 analytical centers  from 11 countries of the BSEC.

According to Elnur Aslanov,  the head of the information and political analysis  department of the presidential administration, the  Black Sea is a bridge between China and the West. Azerbaijan is one of the major states in the region, so without his knowledge, it would be impossible to implement an international project, said Aslanov. For the greater development of the region  it is necessary to resolve  existing conflicts.

"If Armenia does not return the occupied territories, Azerbaijan will liberate its territory  by measures permissible under international law," said Aslanov, adding that Azerbaijan's military budget exceeds the state budget of Armenia.

The head of the Centre for Strategic Studies, Farhad Mammadov, said that today 20% of the total turnover of Azerbaijan falls on the BSEC. In the next 10 years, Azerbaijan's non-oil trade area with the Black Sea countries will reach 10 billion dollars.

Oleg Frunze, the  Doctor of the Public Administration Academy under the President of Moldova, noted that pension and legal systems  remaining since Soviet-era do not allow the development of business. To resolve the many problems  it is necessary to build a new system of governance and institutional reforms.

Director of the International Black Sea Research Center, Zefi Dimadama (Hungary), spoke of democratic reforms  in  countries of the region,  on corruption and weakness of the  government agencies, and weak civilian government. According to her,  there is a regress since 2009 in the countries of this region. "We need to explain to the government the importance of civil society in the fight against corruption, educating the public and other problems," she said.

The forum will discuss the role of the media, the  development of the non-oil sector, the relationship between the Black and Caspian seas, the Black Sea policy of the USA and NATO security and the role of Azerbaijan in the energy security of the region. -03C04-