Gonul: 135 Million Tons Of Oil Were Transported Through Turkish Straits

BERLIN - Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul has said, ''135 million tons of oil were transported through Turkish Straits last year. This amount is expected to increase by nearly 50 percent in 2010.''
Speaking at a panel discussion on ''Security in Black Sea Region'' under the 21st International Workshop on Global Security Conference in German capital Berlin, Gonul highlighted important of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project, saying that the project would enable them to transport 50 million tons of oil annually.
Expressing Turkey's satisfaction with co-operation in efforts to provide peace and stability in the Black Sea region despite ongoing crises in Moldova, Georgia and Azerbaijan, Gonul said that trade in the region had accelerated, stability had been provided and relations between regional nations had been improved since 1992.
Stressing that Turkey attributed great importance to regional and international co-operation and solidarity, Gonul recalled that Turkey had been actively supporting the Balkan Stability Pact, Southeast European Defense Ministers' Initiative and the Black Sea Economic Co-operation (BSEC).
Noting that Turkey had further improved its bilateral relations with the regional countries after the Cold War era ended, Gonul said that 23 separate conventions and protocols were signed with the Black Sea littoral countries to this end.
Recalling that co-operation agreements were signed with Russia and Ukraine, Gonul noted, ''Turkey's bilateral relations with Bulgaria, Romania and Georgia have further improved following the Cold War era. Another significant security dimension of the Black Sea stems from its strategic position as a transit corridor for energy resources. Besides Russian oil, Caspian oil has also been transported through the Black Sea. Meanwhile, Turkey is seriously concerned over increasing vessel traffic in the Black Sea and in the Turkish Straits.''
Referring to political problems in the Black Sea region, Gonul said, ''Southern Caucasus has begun gaining more importance due to transportation of oil, natural gas and foodstuff. Any instability in the region would have negative impacts not only on the region, but on the whole Europe and Atlantic.''
Listing autonomous Republic of Adzharia and the Upper Karabakh disputes as the most important sources of instability in the region, Gonul called on the regional countries to exert more efforts to resolve these crises.
Gonul added, ''the Black Sea countries should also take some further steps in fight against international terrorism, organized crimes and weapons of mass destruction. I believe that improvement of bilateral relations in the region would make a valuable contribution to efforts to provide peace and stability in the region.''
Later, Gonul left Germany for Turkey.
(UK-AÖ) 10.05.2004