The prosperity and future of the Balkans is being discussed at the
summit on South-East European cooperation in Istanbul, TRT reports.
Besides Turkey, participants in the summit are Albania,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Greece,
Croatia, Moldova and Montenegro. This year Slovenia will join the
summit as the 12th member. Turkey will hand over the chairmanship to
Montenegro.
The summit is expected to consider regional issues, including the
Israeli attack on the convoy with humanitarian cargo heading to Gaza
and terrorism. Within the framework of the summit, with the assistance
of the Council of Europe and UNESCO, the 8th conference ‘Cultural
corridors in South-East Europe’ will be organized. The conference will
take place today under the chairmanship of Turkish president Abdullah
Gul.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu made a speech promoting
cooperation in the region.
President Gul held bilateral negotiations before the summit. He met
the President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov, member of the Presidium of
Bosnia and Herzegovina Harris Silaydjich, President of Montenegro
Filip Vujanovic, European Commissioner for Enlargement and
Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule and the head of UNESCO Irina Bokova.
