Experts on security, participants in the international conference Strengthen of Security by Cooperation in the Black Sea Region occurred in Bucharest between January 29 and February 1, 2006 established the Working Group for the Enlarged Black Sea Region. The new structure will act within the PfP Consortium of Academies of Defence and Institutes for Studies of Security.

The Working Group will gather twice per year, once in Romania and once in one of the countries neighboring the Black Sea for the work on the projects required by the governmental authorities and international organisms. Its main aim is the increase of cooperation on multiple planes in the enlarged Black Sea region and increase of continental and global relations.

The Working Group secretary will be ensured by the Institute for Political Studies of Defence and Military History, Romania and the presidency will be ensured by Major General (retired) Mihail Ionescu, director of the Instutute and Jeffrey Simon, National University of Defence, USA.

The conference approached among other issues the maritime cooperation, security of borders, states of emergency, combat against terrorism, energetic security and projects for a non military culture of security, a regional architecture for exchange of information and test of military capability of the Black Sea states.

60 military and civil personalities from 12 states, representatives of prestigious institutions of education and research, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and international, regional and national organisms with responsibility in this area of activity participated in the conference organized by the Institute for Political Studies of Defence and Military History in cooperation with the Institute for National Strategic Studies from the National University of Defence (Washington DC) with George C. Marshall European Center for Studies of Security (Garmisch, Germany) and Manfred Woerner Euro-Atlantic Association, Romania.

MoND Press Office