Globalaffairs

Issue 2/ April-May 2007
By Raul Sanchez

The geostrategic policy of the European Union is becoming aware of the important role of the Black Sea, in a context of extension of the organization. Although the UE lacks a policy for this region, the accumulated experiences due to programs developed - such as the Euro-Med, Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, also known as ‘Barcelona Process’ of regional cooperation across the Mediterranean Sea - help to promote new formulas of dialogue in regard to the Black Sea.

The awareness of the Twenty-seven and local actors of its importance has raised the necessity for a dialogue framework. Thus, the Stability Pact of the EU for South Eastern Europe has been signed. Moreover, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC PERMIS) is born, in which 11 coastal countries of Black Sea and neighboring states participate, as well as the Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and Partnership. This last one is a Romanian initiative to offer a right framework of meetings and dialogue in order to launch a process for thinking about the future and regional identity. In fact, the first meeting of the Forum was hold in June of 2006, in Bucharest.

Romania, after joining in the EU, has been practicing a pro-American policy, being distanced from a communist Left that plunged the country into chaos and misery, therefore there is a high percentage of Eurosceptic and people resistant to reforms in the population

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Issue 1/February-March 2007
By Fernando de Sisternes

Sarajevo, 2006 December the 13th. It is a cold December morning in Sarajevo and at the headquarters of the main gas distribution company of the country, its president and the local minister for energy affairs are meeting. Today they are hosting one of the numerous consulting teams that have streamed into Bosnia with the aim to contribute to the country´s situation restructuring after the war that, during the early nineties confronted Muslim-Bosnians (Bosniaks), Croatians and Serbs for the territorial control and defence of the resulting fragments from the disintegration of Yugoslavia.

Once introductions have taken place, the meeting turns to discuss the present situation of the gas sector in Bosnia. One of the experts asks the minister why companies with the intention to develop the national gas infrastructure, and who know its requirements, have not yet begun to work on these projects. The minister quickly answers, responding resolutely that there is not agreement between the two integrating parts of Bosnia (one region of Serb majority and another region of Croat and Muslim majority) since both regions’ demand is that the new expansions begin from their respective demarcation.

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Issue 1/February- March 2007
By Raúl Sánchez

In the secessionist territory of Transdniéster, east of Moldavia, the Soviet Union’s nostalgic can still breath While Rumania and Bulgaria has added the European Family, other countries, like the Ukraine and Moldavia, need to solve a conflict that would help them to adhere to the Twenty-seven: Transdniéster. This region, proclaimed independent de facto, represents an obstacle for both Soviet ex- nations against the traffic of arms.

“Europe still conserves a black hole and, therefore, it is necessary to put the average ones to eradicate it”, the President of the Ukraine expressed, Viktor Yushchenko, a year ago in reference to the right border of the Dniéster´s River. The “second Kaliningrad”, as they denominate it in Moldavian, is the point of discord between Russia and Europe.

“The independence of Kosovo could generate a chain reaction. Take care of in not opening the box of Pandora! The towns of other territories not recognized internationally could ask: Why can’t we? And unfortunately there are many”, said.

The Russian Minister of Defense, Serguei Ivanov, described “unremovable the principle as territorial integrity and emphasized that breaking it could ignite a series of separatist conflicts of unforeseeable consequences”, alluding to Transdniéster and Osetia of the south and Abjazia.

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