The Party of European Socialists (PES) held Friday a conference in Sofia during which the idea for the creation of a Black Sea Union was discussed.

The Deputy Chair of the PES Group in the European Parliament Hannes Swoboda pointed out the EU still did not have a clear vision for the Black Sea area, and explained the PES position was based on the integration of all countries in the region including Russia, Georgia, and Turkey.

The Austrian social democrat also said that the core of such a Black Sea Union could be ready by 2010 if it was actively promoted by the EU.

In his words, Bulgaria and Romania should be the main actors pushing the Black Sea cooperation forward, and that Moldova and the Ukraine should be incorporated first into the new union, adding later the Caucasus states and Turkey.

Swoboda was positive that such an initiative did not mean interference in Russia's policies.

Another Deputy Chair of the PES Group in the European Parliament, the Dutch politician Jan Marinus Wiersma explained Friday's forum in Sofia was only the first in a series of similar events aiming to boost the regional cooperation as well as to improve EU's relations with Russia and Turkey.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev also attended the PES conference but called for the incorporation of the Black Sea Union initiative into the existing structures. He was explicit the Black Sea should be used as a medium for enhancing the regional cooperation.

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