18 January 2011, 15:26
Within the official visit to the Republic of Turkey, V.Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, met Alexey Kudriavtsev, PABSEC Secretary General.
Ukraine has been chairing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation since November 2010, while V.Lytvyn is an incumbent PABSEC President.
A. Kudriavtsev informed V.Lytvyn about the current activity and plans of the organization.
The Parties discussed the suitable date to hold the 37th sitting of the PABSEC General Assembly. V.Lytvyn suggested holding the sitting on June 3 July 2, 2011.
The Parties also dwelled on the issue concerning election of a new PABSEC Secretary General, which is on the agenda of the coming Assembly sitting.
The Parties underscored the growing importance of PABSEC. V.Lytvyn declared, "The Assembly member states foster cooperation in the economic, security, transport, and environmental sectors."
It was stated that PABSEC had become an effective forum of inter-parliamentary dialogue, and a tool for coordinating the efforts between the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, regional governments, and parliaments.
Still, V.Lytvyn admitted that potential of the Assembly as BSEC parliamentary component has not been used to the full to support the initiatives and projects of the governments, public, business and academic communities of the Black Sea region countries.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the parliamentary delegation visited the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul. V.Lytvyn signed the book for the honourable guests. The Ukrainian delegation also visited Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul, and left for Kyiv.