15th Summit Of Black Sea Economic Cooperation To Be Held In Istanbul On June 25th

ANKARA - Istanbul is set to host a summit of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) on its 15th anniversary with the participation of member countries' heads of state and government as well as representatives from observer countries.
The summit, which will be held under the banner, "Setting Sails for New Horizons," is believed to give BSEC a new direction and momentum under Turkey's rotating chairmanship.
The summit will gather 12 member countries and 13 observer countries in addition to representatives from international organizations such as the United Nations, European Union, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OECD, World Bank, World Trade Organization.
EU Commission Vice President Gunter Verheugen is also expected to attend the summit.
The summit will begin at Istanbul's Ciragan Palace and will be chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.
A final declaration will be released at the end of the summit which is expected to outline political directives that will shape the future of BSEC and constitute a milestone in its history.