Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced on Wednesday that his country has reached an agreement with Turkey and Romania to form a naval coordination mechanism regarding recent drone attacks in the Black Sea, which aims to enhance regional security and stability.
Anadolu Agency reported that this came during a press conference following a trilateral meeting of the defense ministers and chiefs of staff of the three countries in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, attended by his Turkish counterpart Yasar Guler and Romanian counterpart Stefan Radu Obreja.
Coordination and Consultation Mechanism
The agency quoted Stoyanov as saying that "the three countries have reached an agreement to establish a trilateral coordination mechanism in the Black Sea," clarifying that "through this mechanism, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey will hold regular consultations, exchange information with each other, and identify concrete steps to be taken to enhance regional security and stability."
The Bulgarian Defense Minister pointed out that the three countries "adopted a joint statement condemning in the strongest terms the attacks targeting civilian maritime navigation in the Black Sea," noting that "these events lead to a serious escalation of tensions and create serious risks to the safety of maritime navigation."
Calls for Immediate Cessation
Stoyanov noted that he discussed with his counterparts the holding of upcoming meetings in the Romanian capital Bucharest and the Turkish capital Ankara to continue trilateral cooperation regarding the Black Sea, emphasizing that "the three Black Sea littoral states and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) bear a shared responsibility to ensure the safety of maritime transport."
Stoyanov also affirmed that "the three countries call for an immediate cessation of attacks that endanger the safety of commercial ships, maritime infrastructure, and maritime activities."
For his part, Romanian Defense Minister Stefan Radu Obreja affirmed that "his country also condemns in the strongest terms attacks against commercial ships, including the drone attack that occurred on Wednesday off the coast of Bulgaria in the Black Sea," noting that "Romania, a Black Sea littoral state, has also been affected by drone attacks against commercial ships."
He stated that Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania have enhanced their cooperation in the field of Black Sea security through the meeting.
Commitment to the Montreux Convention
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler had previously affirmed from Sofia earlier today that his country's commitment to the provisions of the Montreux Convention since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war has contributed to preventing its spread to wider areas and limiting its repercussions in the Black Sea.
The Black Sea has become one of the most dangerous maritime routes for international trade, with the escalation of attacks related to the Russian-Ukrainian war and the widening scope of targeting commercial ships, which threatens grain and energy flows and raises shipping and insurance costs.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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