 |
|
|
|
||
|
||
|
|||
|
Participants of the roundtable in Odesa discussed security in the Black Sea Region
The event was organized by Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation within the framework of the Kyiv Security Forum with the support of Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation, a Project of the German Marshall Fund of the USA. During the discussion Dr. Dimitrios Triantaphyllou, Director of Center for International and European Studies, Kadir Has University advised to develop cooperation between the Black Sea region and the other regions. “Trans-regional cooperation is important. It is important to link regions (Mediterranean and Black Sea regions)” – he said. He also noted that the Black Sea region is not a high-priority region neither for the EU no for the US. “Actually it is for the other stakeholders like Russian Federation”, - said Dr. Triantaphyllou. He also stressed on the fact that there is ongoing process of marginalization of the region. Dr. Pal Dunay, Director of International Training Course in Security Policy, Geneva Center for Security Policy (Switzerland) speaking on the region in context of “Cold War” and modern international relations mentioned that the Black Sea region always was and is an interesting laboratory. “There are many challenges in the Black Sea region but very few of them can be regarded as antagonistic except some territorial disputes”- he said. According to his words energy security is a major source of the conflicts in the region. “Only limited trust to Russian Federation as a source of energy resources and to Ukraine as a transit country exists”,- mentioned Dr.Dunay. Mr. Julian Chifu, Director of Conflict Prevention and Early Warning Center (Romania) named 3 main threats to security of the Black Sea region. “3 challenges exist in Black Sea region: frozen conflicts, terrorism in wider Black Sea region and Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol”,- he said. H.E. Mr. Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos, Secretary General of the Permanent International Secretariat, BSEC noted that “we are now at the phase of putting the connecting points together in the Black Sea region”. He also warned about possible conflicts in Europe: “what happened in Northern Africa is possible to happen in the EU: Greece is going to explode, Spain is going to explode”. We would like to remind you that you can read analytical materials, developed exclusively for the roundtable at: Clashing Identities and Risks to European Stability: Black Sea Region Dimension
|
|||
| |
|||
|
|||
|
Open Ukraine Foundation in partnership with Razumkov Centre held a discussion on Ukrainian-Turkish relations in Istanbul
Center for International and European Studies at Kadir Has University became a Turkish partner for the organization of this event. The event was funded by the Black Sea Trust of Regional Cooperation – a Project of the GMF (USA). It was emphasized during the discussion that the leading countries of the world and Eurasia are getting increasingly interested in the Black Sea region in terms of energy security, conflict resolution, migration and other key policy areas. Participants from Ukraine and Turkey had a meaningful discussion and agreed that the Black Sea region, where both countries play an important role, needs to focus joint efforts on security and stability strengthening. Participants exchanged views on the status and prospects of cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey and how to uphold relations between the two countries to a new level. The issue of European integration of Ukraine and Turkey has also become an important subject of the discussion, since Ukraine intends to conclude negotiations with the EU on the Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, before the end of 2011. Ukrainian side stressed the importance of taking into account Turkey’s experience, a member of the EU Customs Union since 1996, and an Associate Member since 1964. Rector of Kadir Has University, Dr. Mustafa Aydin and Deputy Director General of the Razumkov Centre, Dr. Valeriy Chaliy expressed hope that the conference will be an important step for the development of partnership of the researchers and experts of the two countries, which will be an additional element of implementation of the official agreements and the perspective of cooperation between Turkey and Ukraine. Razumkov Centre presented position paprer: "The Ukrainian-Turkish relations: strengthening of security and stability in the Black Sea region" and called on Turkish partners to join the development of joint recommendations for the governments of two countries. Special summarized publication on the development of bilateral relations between Ukraine and Turkey in the context of enhancing the security and stability in the Black Sea region is planned to be produced as a result of the conference.
|
|||
| |
|||
|
Maria Matios: "In these performances, we affirm that human in a person is independent of ideology and time. Human in a person depends only on education, on God, on conscience"
The writer stated this on May 11th at a press conference, dedicated to performances of Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Academic Ukrainian Musical Drama Theatre named after Ivan Franko based on Maria Matios’ books "Sweet Darusya" and "Nation", which are being performed in Kyiv with the support of Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s Open Ukraine Foundation. According to the author’s words, "Sweet Darusya" and "Nation" – are about each of us, about a person "on the backdrop of history": “These books are about what can happen to each person, each of us". Arseniy Yatsenyuk, in his turn, noted the growth of importance of Maria Matios’ works in our time: "Because of what is currently happening in Ukraine, the relevance of your works is only increasing”. But this significance in his opinion is growing not due to the growth of intellectual level, but due to the recent events in Ukraine, for example - on the 9th of May. "The old scenario which was already dusty on the shelves of the KGB and NKVD of the USSR about splitting Ukraine - continues... A new form of pressure on personality continues... That's what you write about", - the founder of the Open Ukraine Foundation said. Mrs. Maria Matios thanked Arseniy Yatsenyuk for his support of her work. "I want to thank my fellow countryman Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who has kindly offered his financial support to these tours of Ivano-Frankivsk theater after having visited the performance “Nation” in January", - she said. Mrs. Maria Matios also reminded about cooperation with the Open Ukraine Foundation: "Here’s a book in front of me, "Sweet Darusya" in Polish. She was published with the support of the Open Ukraine Foundation. Interpreter’s work was financed by this Foundation”. We would like to remind that a performance based on the book “Nation”, the stage director – Rostyslav Derzhipilskiy, will take place in National Academic Drama Theatre named after I.Franko in Kyiv on Thursday, May 12th. Media contact: Ruslan Kyrylenko, t. 220 18 40, rk@openukraine.org.
|
|||