Türkiye takes over presidency of Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Türkiye on Thursday took over the presidency of Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC).

Turkish parliament speaker Mustafa Sentop arrived in Serbia's capital Belgrade to attend the 60th General Assembly of the cooperation to take over the term.

Sentop said that it is necessary to cooperate internationally and regionally based on multilateralism of issues that countries cannot overcome alone or bilaterally.

"First of all, this organization, which we have implemented as a peace project, has not made any significant progress in contributing to regional peace despite the past 30 years... The efforts made under the PABSEC prevented the strained relations between the countries from becoming more complex," said Sentop.

Sentop said that it is essential for the member countries to evaluate the developments around them from a comprehensive perspective and to produce rational and permanent solutions.

"Global-scale issues such as terrorism, extremism, immigration, economic turmoil are issues that concern all countries. Now we see much more clearly that the world is going through a much more difficult period today, and this difficult period brings with it the need for an important transformation at both the global and regional levels.

Emphasizing that Türkiye has built its foreign policy on a peaceful, humanitarian and entrepreneurial basis with this understanding, Şentop said "We stand by the right and the just in every issue, we say right to right, wrong to wrong, and we say our word clearly. We stand for negotiation, peace and stability. In a geography surrounded by conflict and instability, we are trying to create a zone of peace and prosperity around us."

Sentop called the members to increase the international visibility of the PABSEC and to make the organization more efficient and productive should be sought.

The assembly was chaired by the president of the National Assembly of Serbia, Vladimir Orlic.

Orlic, in his closing remarks, said that Türkiye will make a significant contribution to PABSEC.

"I am confident that, as always, Türkiye will certainly make an incredible contribution to the PABSEC during its term presidency," said Orlic.
Sentop during his visit met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic.

Established in the late 1980s as a result of political transformations the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) aims for the nations of the Black Sea Region to re-emerge on the world scene.

Headquartered in Istanbul, the group has 13 members; Türkiye, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine, North Macedonia.

The group's aim is to have good neighborliness, enhance mutual respect and confidence, dialogue and cooperation among the member states acting in a spirit of friendship.

He will meet separately with Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and the Speaker of the National Assembly Vladimir Orlic and will attend the 60th General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, where the term presidency will be transferred to Türkiye.