The European Commission is going to exert efforts for expansion of cooperation between the states of the Black Sea region, exactly with Russia, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine. The European Commission plans to gather representatives of these states to discuss regional projects, says the statement issued Wednesday by the Commission. "The region represents a rapidly developing market with a big potential for further development and appears as an important center of energy and transport flows," the statement says. The European Commission doesn't suppose financial assistance but intends to support regional initiatives via furnishing practical information on the cooperation projects.

According to the Commission, joint projects on border protection, transport and energy sectors could promote economic development as well as strengthening of trust and alleviation of tension in the region.

EU Commissioner for enlargement and ENP Benita Ferrero-Waldner voiced hope that a tighter cooperation between the states will create a favorable climate for resolution of conflicts available in the region, specifically the conflicts in South Ossetia, Abkhazia and also in Nagorno Karabakh, Russian media reports.