Tweet
Cooperation between cities and regions, an alternative to conflict:
Round Table in Brussels
Strasbourg, 09.10.2008 - "We must counter ethnic divide and
confrontation with interaction and dialogue between communities,
transcending national borders - especially in the Black Sea basin, which
harbours four "frozen" conflicts but offers an enormous potential for
cooperation."
This was the key message of Yavuz Mildon, President of the Congress of
Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, in his speech
at the opening of the Round Table "The Black Sea between cooperation and
conflict", in Brussels on 8 October.
He expressed his conviction that transfrontier cooperation between
cities and regions in the Black Sea basin can serve as a sound
alternative to conflict between states, and regional autonomy, with
panoply of existing flexible models, as a counterbalance to separatism.
"Creating a network of communities with shared interest in addressing
common problems would certainly influence their choice between
cooperation and conflict, in a region which is at a crossroads of major
political and economic interests, energy routes, migratory flows and
cultural and commercial exchanges," President Mildon said.
He stressed that the Black Sea Euroregion, launched by the Congress on
26 September, will offer a platform for cooperation and a launching pad
for multilateral projects and initiatives between regions and
municipalities in the protection of the environment, coastal management,
migration, transport, sustainable tourism, cultural exchanges, and
others aspects of economic and social development. The new Euroregion is
open to local and regional authorities from Albania, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia,
Turkey and Ukraine.
The Round Table, moderated by Quentin Dickinson, journalist of Radio
France, was held on the occasion of the European Week of Regions and
Cities, organised by the Committee of the Regions of the European Union.
Among the participants were Asen Gagauzov, Minister of regional
development and public works of Bulgaria, Vasil Kuybida, Minister of
Regional development of Ukraine, Gheorghe Magheru, General Director of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Mamuka Jgenti Deputy
Permanent Representative of Georgia to the Council of Europe, Oriano
Otocan, Representativeof the President of the Adriatic Euroregion, Janos
Herman, Deputy political Director, External Relations DG, European
Commission (Belgium).
They exchanged opinions on what local and regional authorities can do to
tackle the present challenges of the Black Sea basin and what structures
are required to support their initiatives, and gave examples of good
practices and successful projects.
Addressing the Round Table as a guest speaker, Luc van den Brande,
President of the EU Committee of the Regions, underlined the need of
cooperation in regions faced with conflicts. "Institutions can help to
resolve conflicts but ultimately they do not secure our future and the
future of our children. In fact the future is very much in your hands,
the hands of the locally and regionally elected representatives who are
closest to the citizen. I am convinced that regional and local
authorities can and have to assume more responsibility in the field of
conflict prevention and the promotion of dialogue. Local and regional
politicians will be sucessful in preventing conflicts if they strengthen
their capacity to solve problems without being enslaved by any feeling
of revenge," he said.
Press contact: Dmitri Marchenkov, Communication Unit of the Congress,
[email protected] ; Mobile: +33 6 75 65 03 49
Press Release
Communication Unit of the Congress
of Local and Regional Authorities
Ref:706a08
Tel: : +33 3 90 21 49 36
Fax : +33 3 88 41 27 51
[email protected]
www.coe.int/congress
The Congress has two chambers, the Chamber of Local Authorities and the
Chamber of Regions.
It brings together 318 full and 318 substitute members representing
more than 200 000 European territorial communities.
President of the Congress : Yavuz Mildon (Turkey, EPP/CD), President of
the Chamber of Regions: Ludmila Sfirloaga (Romania, SOC),
President of the Chamber of Local Authorities : Ian Micallef (Malta,
EPP/CD).
Political Groups : Socialist Group (SOC), Group of the European People's
Party - Christian Democrats (EPP/CD),
Independent and Liberal Democrat Group (ILDG).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Round Table in Brussels
Strasbourg, 09.10.2008 - "We must counter ethnic divide and
confrontation with interaction and dialogue between communities,
transcending national borders - especially in the Black Sea basin, which
harbours four "frozen" conflicts but offers an enormous potential for
cooperation."
This was the key message of Yavuz Mildon, President of the Congress of
Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, in his speech
at the opening of the Round Table "The Black Sea between cooperation and
conflict", in Brussels on 8 October.
He expressed his conviction that transfrontier cooperation between
cities and regions in the Black Sea basin can serve as a sound
alternative to conflict between states, and regional autonomy, with
panoply of existing flexible models, as a counterbalance to separatism.
"Creating a network of communities with shared interest in addressing
common problems would certainly influence their choice between
cooperation and conflict, in a region which is at a crossroads of major
political and economic interests, energy routes, migratory flows and
cultural and commercial exchanges," President Mildon said.
He stressed that the Black Sea Euroregion, launched by the Congress on
26 September, will offer a platform for cooperation and a launching pad
for multilateral projects and initiatives between regions and
municipalities in the protection of the environment, coastal management,
migration, transport, sustainable tourism, cultural exchanges, and
others aspects of economic and social development. The new Euroregion is
open to local and regional authorities from Albania, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia,
Turkey and Ukraine.
The Round Table, moderated by Quentin Dickinson, journalist of Radio
France, was held on the occasion of the European Week of Regions and
Cities, organised by the Committee of the Regions of the European Union.
Among the participants were Asen Gagauzov, Minister of regional
development and public works of Bulgaria, Vasil Kuybida, Minister of
Regional development of Ukraine, Gheorghe Magheru, General Director of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Mamuka Jgenti Deputy
Permanent Representative of Georgia to the Council of Europe, Oriano
Otocan, Representativeof the President of the Adriatic Euroregion, Janos
Herman, Deputy political Director, External Relations DG, European
Commission (Belgium).
They exchanged opinions on what local and regional authorities can do to
tackle the present challenges of the Black Sea basin and what structures
are required to support their initiatives, and gave examples of good
practices and successful projects.
Addressing the Round Table as a guest speaker, Luc van den Brande,
President of the EU Committee of the Regions, underlined the need of
cooperation in regions faced with conflicts. "Institutions can help to
resolve conflicts but ultimately they do not secure our future and the
future of our children. In fact the future is very much in your hands,
the hands of the locally and regionally elected representatives who are
closest to the citizen. I am convinced that regional and local
authorities can and have to assume more responsibility in the field of
conflict prevention and the promotion of dialogue. Local and regional
politicians will be sucessful in preventing conflicts if they strengthen
their capacity to solve problems without being enslaved by any feeling
of revenge," he said.
Press contact: Dmitri Marchenkov, Communication Unit of the Congress,
[email protected] ; Mobile: +33 6 75 65 03 49
Press Release
Communication Unit of the Congress
of Local and Regional Authorities
Ref:706a08
Tel: : +33 3 90 21 49 36
Fax : +33 3 88 41 27 51
[email protected]
www.coe.int/congress
The Congress has two chambers, the Chamber of Local Authorities and the
Chamber of Regions.
It brings together 318 full and 318 substitute members representing
more than 200 000 European territorial communities.
President of the Congress : Yavuz Mildon (Turkey, EPP/CD), President of
the Chamber of Regions: Ludmila Sfirloaga (Romania, SOC),
President of the Chamber of Local Authorities : Ian Micallef (Malta,
EPP/CD).
Political Groups : Socialist Group (SOC), Group of the European People's
Party - Christian Democrats (EPP/CD),
Independent and Liberal Democrat Group (ILDG).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress