US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1120

UNCLAS ANKARA 001120 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY HOSTS POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS ON 
BLACKSEAFOR 
 
1. MFA hosted political consultations among Black Sea Force 
(BLACKSEAFOR) participants in Ankara on January 19.  The 
joint press communique (para 2 below) explains that the group 
decided to focus BLACKSEAFOR activities on fighting 
terrorism.  They also discussed the need to protect the Black 
Sea from organized crime, illegal trafficking and WMD 
proliferation, and decided to examine increasing the 
frequency of BLACKSEAFOR activations from one to two per 
year.  We received a copy of the communique on the margins of 
the February 18 Joint Staff Talks. 
 
 
2. Begin Text of Press Communique: 
 
 
Representatives of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of 
participating States to the BLACKSEAFOR Agreement (Bulgaria, 
Georgia, Romania, Russian Federation, Turkey and Ukraine) met 
in Ankara on 19 January 2004 for political consultations upon 
the invitation extended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of 
the Republic of Turkey under Article VI of the BLACKSEAFOR 
Agreement.  The Commander of BLACKSEAFOR was also present at 
the meeting. 
 
 
The representatives exchanged views on the newly emerging 
security environment in and around the Black Sea Region. 
 
 
In this context, they underlined the strategically important 
location of the Black Sea in terms of political, economic and 
security circumstances in Europe and its wider environs. 
 
 
The representatives reaffirmed their common understanding 
that security in the Black Sea constitutes primordial 
importance for the littoral states and that therefore they 
should take primary responsibility for the maintenance of 
peace and stability in the area through the engagement of 
their common assets and capabilities.  They underlined the 
fact that BLACKSEAFOR is an already available instrument, 
which can be used for the achievement of this objective 
through various means compatible with the overall aims of the 
BLACKSEAFOR Agreement. 
 
 
The representatives shared the assessment that the Black Sea 
area should be protected against threats and challenges such 
as terrorism, organized crime, illegal trafficking and 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.  In this 
context, they emphasized the need to fight against terrorism 
within the framework of the BLACKSEAFOR Agreement. 
 
 
The representatives reiterated their resolve to further 
intensify cooperation in the areas specified in the 
BLACKSEAFOR Agreement. 
 
 
The representatives emphasized the importance of the full and 
effective implementation of the document on "Confidence and 
Security Building Measures in the Naval Field in the Black 
Sea" as a substantial contribution to the consolidation and 
enhancement of peace and stability in the area. 
 
 
The representatives agreed on the need to further examine the 
frequency of the activation of BLACKSEAFOR on the basis of 
two or more activations per year with a view to enhancing 
interoperability within the Force. 
 
 
The representatives exchanged views on cooperation in 
information sharing, employment of 
command/control/communications capabilities, training 
opportunities through exercises and other tasks that may be 
contemplated in the future for enhanced cooperation among the 
participating States to the BLACKSEAFOR Agreement. 
 
 
The representatives underlined that the activities of 
BLACKSEAFOR are undertaken in full transparency.  They agreed 
to seek achieving synergy with other international security 
institutions and regional initiatives, as appropriate. 
 
 
Political consultations will continue in the future.  While 
keeping the option of an earlier meeting open, the 
representatives welcomed the kind offer of Ukraine to host 
the next consultations meeting at the end of 2004 or the 
beginning of next year. 
 
 
End text. 
EDELMAN