Athens , 19 April 2007
Following the conclusion of the 16th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of BSEC countries in Belgrade, Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. E. Stylianidis made the following statement:
“The Greek proposals adopted through the Komotini declaration under Greece’s Chairmanship are now put under way with the Serbian Chairmanship. These proposals include the construction of a ring-road with the name “The Road of the Argonauts”, which was a Greek proposal, beginning at Alexandroupoli, passing through Turkey with the new bridge over the river Evros, skirting the Black Sea and returning to Alexandroupoli, as well as our proposal for sea corridors, i.e., connections between the ports of the Black Sea and the ports of the Aegean Sea.
These are the first two practical proposals, whose implementation is being put under way. The interest shown by international financial organisations for funding these projects proves Greece right; our country has not only spearheaded efforts to develop relations between the EU and the BSEC – as many Ministers said today – but it is also leading efforts to promote practical proposals for opening the Black Sea countries’ markets, which is particularly important for our country, as it will be the second most significant opening following our successful opening to the Balkans in the previous years."