Xenophon Paper 2 pdf - ICBSS

y the Hellenic Republic was presented at the informal meeting of the BSEC Committee
of Senior Officials at Sinaia, Romania, on 3 February 2006.
The parallel efforts by the BSEC side led mainly by Greece (as the only EU member state
of the BSEC at that time) and by the EU institutions led to the release of the Communication
by the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on ‘Black Sea Synergy
– A New Regional Cooperation Initiative’ 26 and the successful application of the
Commission to an observer status with the Organisation (June 2007).
What to expect next
Broader geopolitical developments (e.g. the evolution of the Russian foreign policy in
its ‘near abroad’ and beyond, energy security, war against terrorism, etc.) along with
the state of affairs in the ‘frozen conflicts’ will undoubtedly determine the framework
within which the Black Sea policy of Greece is to be shaped. Some key factors however
which are more particular to the Black Sea case and need to be considered when
thinking ahead on Greece’s Black Sea policy are summarised hereafter.
Deepening of economic relations with the northern neighbours. Greece’s policy towards
the Black Sea has developed primarily as part of its foreign economic relations. Evidence
to that can be seen in the section dealing with the BSEC within the Greek Ministry of
Foreign Affairs being under the Economic Diplomacy division. The economic rationale
of Greece’s engagement with the region is to be strengthened along with the further
deepening of economic relations between Greece and its northern neighbours as
witnessed by an increase in trade and investments flows. The more interdependent
Greek economic interests and the Black Sea business climate become, the more active
Greek policy towards the Black Sea is to become.
The EU factor in the evolution of the Russian and the Turkish Black Sea policy. The
evolution of the Russian-EU affairs are fundamental for the future of the Black Sea region.
As the core of the Black Sea area constitutes the ‘near abroad’ for Russia and the ‘new
neighbourhood’ for the EU, any policy targeting the area has to acknowledge the
dynamics of the interface of the relevant policies of these two dominant actors. The
Black Sea is to constitute a bridge zone where multilateralism will flourish once the
interests of the local states, the EU and Russia are all accommodated or it is to become
a difficult area to operate in if those interests were to clash.
26 Commission of the European Communities (2007), Black Sea Synergy – A New Regional Cooperation Initiative,
[COM(2007) 160 final], Brussels, 11 April.
27 For the elements that make the BSEC a credible partner see Manoli, Panagiota (2006), Reflecting on the
BSEC: Achievements, Limitations and the Way Forward, Policy Brief, no. 1, ICBSS, Athens, June. Available on
http://www.icbss.org.
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