UNITED NATIONS -- Romania called on Saturday for the UN to keep the "protracted conflicts" plaguing the Black Sea region a high priority on the UN peace and security agenda.
The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Titus Corlatean made the statement when he was taking the floor at the current annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly, which entered its fifth day here Saturday.
"The world is made by regions and each and every region faces its own challenges," said Corlatean.
"Efforts to identify negotiated solutions to 'protracted conflicts' in the Black Sea Region should remain high on our agenda," he said, referring to the region surrounding the Black Sea which comprises a heterogeneous group of countries including Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.
"We consider that the actions of the UN in the field of peace and security could be enhanced through increased engagement with regional organizations," he said.
In some areas of the region, positive outcome has come, but the Romanian foreign minister stressed that more needs to be done with the UN system to foster peaceful communications.
According to Corlatean, the increased synergies between the UN system and regional organizations have obtained positive results in the last years, in promoting regional cooperation within the region.
He also noted that regional dialogue proved to be, time and time again, the most efficient tool to overcome the persistent differences of opinions among different countries.
