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We need a systemic model of southern geopolitical region for effective adaptation of Ukraine for the EU
Olexandr Shmorhun, leading researcher of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, senior researcher of the Institute for European Studies of the NAS of Ukraine  The southern vector issue is of current importance. The geopolitical idea of Crimea is viable only if Christian and Islamic values are synthesized and such model of regional self-identification created. The Crimea can become an ethnic testing ground tackling topical issues of civilization, world economy, and know-how for Russia and even for Europe.
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“The new vistas for the Black Sea”
Olexandr Sushko, director of the Center for peace, conversion, and foreign policy of Ukraine  Ukraine is interested in making the Black Sea the internal sea of both EU and NATO; however, this ambitious perspective will need domestic consolidation and consolidations of the Black Sea region, which is a competitive environment now with priorities of leadership, and not of common future projects and plans.
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“EU, Russia, and USA in the Black Sea: the clash of infrastructural interests”
Serhiy Datsiuk, Gardaryka Corp.  The “southern vector” is nothing but a remnant of a worthless policy of many vectors. Unfortunately, the false idea has eaten into the minds of our people; in fact, there is nothing but vagueness of Ukrainian foreign policy in all directions.
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The situation in the south will change cardinally in 2007
Tetiana Starodub, chief consultant of the Institute for international security under the CNSDU Romania strives to become the regional leader of Prychornomorya countries. No doubt, it will use its EU status to benefit from tackling certain issues, and Ukraine does count here.
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Black Sea Area Cooperation is #1 Priority for Kherson
Mykola Voronich, Chief of the Main Economy Office of Kherson Oblast State Administration The admission of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU as of Jan. 1, 2007, beginning of negotiations between the EU and Turkey in October 2005, and political changes in Ukraine and Georgia created a unique historical moment for renovated trans-border cooperation.
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“Experience of our neighbors on the way to Europe will allow avoiding many errors”
Andriy Tumannyk, First Vice-Chairman of Mykolayiv Oblast State Administration Ukraine and Bulgaria have common history and culture, big diasporas, and similar economic potential. With the admission of Bulgaria to the EU the Mykolayiv Oblast via its Bulgarian partners will gain access to the instruments and values of the EU.
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“The Crimea has been waiting for realization of the Black Sea strategy of Ukraine for a long time already”
Olexandr Formanchuk, political scientist, Chief of Information-Analytical Office of ARC  In fact, after the admission of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU our country will gain real possibilities to develop its eurointegration model.
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We will win, because EU standards is a must
Olexandr Feshchun, Chief of the Department of investment policy and entrepreneurship support, Sevastopol Municipality  We will have to render the same quality of tourist services and prices as in the south of Turkey or Bulgaria. Then from Sevastopol, the southernmost city of Ukraine, the high European standards will spread to other cities of Crimea and Ukraine.
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“Ukraine and European Union will strengthen both political and economic interrelation”
Svitlana Verba, Minister of Economy of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea  It is too early to talk about our admission to the EU; we still have a long way to travel before reaching the looming destination. However, we must understand our purpose. Therefore it is high time to implement European standards of living.
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Our MFA underestimates the southern vector of foreign policy of Ukraine
Natalia Mkhitarian, Candidate of Political Sciences, chief consultant of the Department of Near East and Asiatic-Pacific studies of the National Institute for Strategic Studies The EU becomes a political actor in the Black-Sea region which will help to stabilize the Black-Sea—Caspian-Sea region. Especially it touches mutual relations of Russia with the Southern Caucasus, Ukraine—Russia, and Ukraine—Russia—Turkey.
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Not the southern vector, but the new state strategy should be developed in Ukraine
Alexander Londaridze, Candidate of Economy, associate professor of the I. Dzhavakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Department of Economy and Business In counterbalance to the idea of the EU plus the USA, Ukraine together with Russia as a union could offer the modern world the brand new concept of state strategy: the triune system of Slavic civilization.
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The Black Sea is a passage to the world ocean and the world economy and to each one country. Therefore the sea powers use traffic by sea to expand their economic development.
Serhiy Hrynevetskiy, Deputy of the Odessa Oblast Rada, leader of Narodna Initsiatyva Group  The Prychornomorya is not only the crossing of transport communications, but also the crossing of civilizations. It is not the clash of civilizations, but dialog of civilizations we should aim at. The Prychornomorya territories have a lot of problems in common.
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“There are no dominant leaders in the Black-Sea region yet”
Hryhoriy Perepelytsia, Director of the Institute of Foreign Policy of the Diplomatic academy under MFA of Ukraine  The Black Sea is a passage to the world ocean and the world economy and to each one country. Therefore the sea powers use traffic by sea to expand their economic development.
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“No matter what Ukraine is doing about the southern vector, this vector is taking care about Ukraine”
Serhiy Pozniy, coordinator of the Institute for independent strategic studies  If Ukraine had a geostrategy, the lack of the southern constituent would have meant the treading a tightrope. Actually, the situation is much worse: Ukraine has no strategy at all.
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Ukraine has but one project to realize: Odesa—Brody—Gdansk
Jerzy Kozakiewicz, Former Ambassador of Poland in Ukraine  In order to conduct its own policy, Ukraine has to intensify its possibilities as a power transporter. For this purpose it would suffice to finalize the project Odesa—Brody—Gdansk. It would cardinally change the scene in the Black-Sea Basin.
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The Stability of the Black-Sea Region Should Be the Priority of the EU Policy
Andrzej Ananicz, Former Ambassador of Poland to Turkey  Europe faces quite a problem now: both China and India take interest in the Central Asian gas, which makes European countries to step up their efforts. To this end they need to intensify stabilization in the Caucasus. The investments will flow in the moment we tackle the problem of guarantees.
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Optimistic forecasts are no go
Zurab Marshaniya, Consul General of Georgia in Ukraine Until now the EU prefers bilateral format in relations with the Black-Sea countries; conflicting with its own terms, it actually ignores the multilateral format. Therefore the short-term optimistic prognosis is no go.
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“The Black-Sea region has no strategic constituents in its geopolitical combinations”
Olexiy Kolomiets, President of the Center for European and Transatlantic Studies The regional policy of the EU, admission of Romania and Bulgaria, and potential admission of Croatia and other Western Balkan countries indeed will open new possibilities for the southern and southwest oblasts of Ukraine. However, these regions are unlikely to influence the strategic relation of Ukraine and European Union.
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“The Black Sea is a reserve region”
Tanteli Kh. Ratuvukheri, Political Scientist  The most important thing is that the Black Sea connects Ukraine to the oceans; accordingly, Ukrainian ports are in correlation not so much with Europe, as with the Asiatic shipbuilding companies and shipping routes.
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Ukraine must protect its interests in the south
Igor Kornilov, Head of the Department of the National Institute for International Security  Different humanitarian projects may well bear brand new economic possibilities. The OBSEC can create the round about Black-Sea transportation circle and various power projects. Everybody can benefit by the tourist sphere, which does not depend on the whims of policy.
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Downgrading may harm Ukraine as a transit state
Volodymyr Makogon, Director of Donetsk Branch of the National institute for strategic studies  Ukraine should adhere to state neutrality and policy of non-discriminatory integration
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U.S.A. for Black-Sea Leadership of Ukraine
Serhiy Konopliov, Director of the Harvard Black-Sea Security Program  Now the West and Russia conduct the democratic cold war with the Black Sea as its epicenter. One can see how the U.S.A. export its influence to this region, and Russia, which is now financially stronger and better supported by Europe, strives to regain control over the FSU countries.
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The Black Sea region is a field for geopolitical games
Yevhen Zherebetsky, expert of the National institute for international security  The GUAM, as well as other regional projects, was intended to promote the Black-Sea potential. But it can be viable only if there is a south-to-north flow of commodities and energy carriers between the Black-Caspian-sea region and Baltic-Sea region.
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«Ukraine can be a leader in the Black-Sea region»
Serhiy Maksymenko, Director of the Institute for regional and eurointegration studies “EuroRegio Ukraine”  Our movement toward Europe under central government control may soon slow down, while the boundary and interregional collaboration of Ukraine with the EU will go up.
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“Ukrainian presence in the South of Ukraine is not felt”
Igor Losev, Candidate of Philosophy, Associate Professor of the National University „Kyiv Mohyla Academy”  Once Mykhailo Hrushevsky put to paper the Black Sea Doctrine on political and economical importance for Ukraine of moving southward. Do you remember the origins of Kyivan Rus? It developed along the north-south way “from Varangians to Greeks”.
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Rigidity of public policy
Yaroslav Matiychyk, expert of the Team for strategic and security studies (Kyiv), researcher of the Institute for national security studies of CNSD  Everybody knows about the prospects and expedience of southward activity of Ukraine. It is a kind of “maturity test” for Ukraine aspiring to regional leadership.
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