Türkiye, Bulgaria, Romania stress importance of Black Sea for int'l trade, supply of grain

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish, Bulgarian, and Romanian defense ministers on Wednesday reiterated the significance of the Black Sea for international trade and the supply of grain, fertilizers, and energy in a joint statement.

The statement came after the Türkiye-Bulgaria-Romania Meeting of Defense Ministers and Chiefs of General Staff held in Sofia.

Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov, and Romanian Defense Minister Stefan-Radu Oprea attended the meeting.

The ministers “strongly condemned” attacks against commercial vessels in the Black Sea.

“We wish to reaffirm the importance of freedom of navigation and maritime security. Disruptions to maritime traffic threaten global supply chains, food and energy security, particularly in vulnerable regions of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia,” the statement said.

“We call on all parties to refrain from any further actions that could endanger commercial vessels, maritime infrastructure and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.

"We deeply regret the loss of innocent seafarers who have lost their lives in these attacks. We emphasize our full solidarity with the states whose citizens and vessels have been affected by these attacks,” it added.

The statement urged all parties to obey international law, including the Montreux Convention and applicable international humanitarian law, in order to safeguard security in the Black Sea, preserve regional stability, and facilitate safe maritime activities.

The statement noted that Bulgaria, Romania, and Türkiye, as NATO allies, contribute to meeting the region’s security needs. It also expressed appreciation for NATO’s support in the areas of deterrence and defense.

The three countries agreed to take appropriate measures, in coordination with NATO where necessary, to increase information and intelligence sharing, strengthen maritime situational awareness, and improve early-warning capabilities in pursuit of these objectives.

The statement further noted that cooperation and coordination between the three countries’ armed forces would continue to be strengthened to support security and stability in the Black Sea.

It also stated that consultations, information exchanges and the identification of practical measures contributing to regional security and stability would be facilitated.

The next round of consultations is scheduled to take place in Ankara and Bucharest.