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DE RUEHIT #2146 3450722
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P 110722Z DEC 06
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UNCLAS ISTANBUL 002146 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SENV KCRM EU TU SR
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER DRASKOVIC LAUNCHES SERBIAN BSEC 
CHAIRMANSHIP 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  On November 29, Serbian Foreign Minister 
Vuk Draskovic formally launched the six-month Serbian BSEC 
Chairmanship with a speech to BSEC representatives, observers 
and related bodies.  FM Draskovic's remarks were followed by 
brief comments by the BSEC Secretary-General and a short 
question period.  In a departure from the norm, the meeting 
lasted less than an hour and was conflict-free.  Most 
attendees - including FM Draskovic - also attended the 
opening event of the Papal visit to Istanbul at the 
Patriarchate later that afternoon, which almost certainly 
contributed to the speed and efficiency of the proceedings. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Draskovic began by noting the importance to the 
region of the NATO decision to admit Serbia, Montenegro and 
Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Partnership for Peace.  He 
emphasized that the decision will contribute to the stability 
and European perspective of the Western Balkans and 
South-Eastern Europe, a vital area for BSEC.  He explained 
that parliamentary elections would take place in Serbia on 
January 21 precluding BSEC meetings in December and January. 
He noted his expectation that a new government would take 
office by the end of January. 
 
¶3. (U) He described Serbian priorities for the next six 
months including an enhanced focus on the Danube and 
cooperation with international organizations.  Serbia hopes a 
renewed emphasis on meetings that include sectoral experts as 
well as business leaders and World Bank officials in addition 
to diplomats will help re-orient BSEC to focus on concrete 
areas of cooperation including crime, the economy, the 
environment and culture.  Serbia plans to build on the 
Russian Chairman's successful organization of meetings of 
Ministers of Transportation to broaden BSEC beyond its focus 
on international affairs and hopes to bring together the BSEC 
Ministers of Transportation, Communication and Culture to 
discuss projects relevant to their ministries with the goal 
of helping the people of the BSEC member states live better 
lives. 
 
¶4. (SBU) BSEC Secretary General Leonidas  Chrysanthopoulos 
also underscored the importance of the Riga decision for the 
stability of the European area.  He described two primary 
BSEC priorities:  transportation projects and BSEC-EU 
interaction.  Chrysanthopoulos expects BSEC Transportation 
Ministers to sign project documents for the Balck Sea Ring 
Highway and Waterways of the Sea projects in February or 
March following the completion of internal ratification 
procedures.  According to Chrysanthopoulos, every member 
state has initialed the proposals and most have completed 
internal procedures.  He expects that the ministers will 
convene an informal meeting as an adjunct to the signing 
ceremony at BSEC's headquarters in Istanbul. 
Chrysanthopoulos described progress on BSEC-EU interaction, 
noting that the upcoming troika meeting should address this 
issue.  He has met bilaterally with the Commission, Finland 
and Germany and hopes to be able to inaugurate an enhanced 
relationship with the EU at the Istanbul Summit in June 
¶2007.  BSEC currently has no mechanism to deal on an 
institutional basis with the EU; BSEC members must seek EU 
support on a bilateral basis.  The enhanced relationship 
would provide a mechanism to work directly with the 
Commission on BSEC initiatives. 
 
JONES