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On 5 February, Normans Penke, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Valdis Krastins, Chair of the Committee of Senior Officials of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), and Sandra Martinsone, Latvian delegate to the Committee, during a briefing on the work accomplished during the first half-year of Latvia's Presidency, pointed out that preparing recommendations for reform of the organisation is the Presidency's most vital yet one of the most complicated tasks.
The first draft of the reform plan will be presented at the fourth meeting of the CBSS Committee of Senior Officials, which is to take place on 19-21 February in Riga. Right now, at the conclusion of the first stage of drawing up recommendations, regional co-operation priorities have been re-defined. Through discussions, four key activity areas emerged: energy, education, environment and the economy. Consultations with other organisations in the region revealed that in future the CBSS is will be expected to assume/take on the role of co-operation co-ordinator. This is now being assessed.
During the next stage, institutional reform of the organisation needs to be considered, in order to enhance the formation and capacity of CBSS structures, and to adjust/adapt them to present-day needs and challenges. The Latvian Presidency considers/is of the view/is of the opinion that in future more ad hoc working groups need to be set up for the solution of specific issues. This will help to attract increased funding and more competent experts.
During the first half-year, several conferences took place, for example, a Wilton Park conference Energy Security in the European Union: the Eastern and Baltic Dimension, the annual conference of the Baltic Sea states Subregional Co-operation network (BSSSC) on Sustainable Energy Contribution to meet the threats of Climate Change, the closing conference of the EuroFaculty in Kaliningrad, the closing conference of the Baltic Euroregional Network (BEN) project, a conference on Equal Opportunities for All. The value of adult learning in promoting equality, a high level CBSS meeting on education and science Higher Education and Science for Sustainable Development and Competitiveness of the Baltic Sea Region, and other conferences, meetings and events directed to the implementation of Latvian Presidency priorities.
One of the more extensive ventures of Latvia's Presidency is the project Balticness, which includes an travelling exhibition of works by 40 young photographers, jazz concerts and round-table discussion on regional co-operation. So far, the project has already been to Tallinn, Helsinki, St. Petersburg and Stockholm, and by the end of the Presidency is expected to visit also Oslo, Reykjavik, Copenhagen, Berlin, Warsaw and Vilnius. Balticness will be concluded on 3-4 June in Riga, during the Summit of the CBSS Heads of Government.
Ministry officials whose work is related to the Latvian Presidency of the CBSS, representatives from member country embassies and co-operation partners were also informed about the practical aspects of the upcoming summit. This will be the most significant event of Latvia's presidency of the CBSS, and will gather together government leaders of 11 member countries for the adoption of decisions on the revitalisation of Baltic Sea state co-operation and reform of the CBSS. The aim of the reform is to enhance the efficiency of regional co-operation mechanisms, so as to achieve a more successful identification of common interests and problems of the countries and to find joint solutions for them.
The Latvian Presidency of the CBSS considers the region's competitiveness and sustainable development as the main goals of regional co-operation. This forms the foundation for the main three priorities of the CBSS Latvia Presidency: education, energy and civil security.
The meeting of government leaders will conclude Latvia's Presidency of the CBSS, which started on 1 July 2007 and will end 30 June 2008.
Work accomplished during 1st half-year of Latvia's Presidency in Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), and planned activities for 2nd half of term
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