Central European leaders mull ways to guarantee energy stability

The heads of state from 18 central and south-eastern European countries discussed ways to guarantee long-term energy stability Saturday at a summit in Macedonia.

Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski was quoted by reports from the Macedonian capital of Skopje as saying that almost all countries worldwide are already faced with the energy problem, which could worsen in the future.

"Therefore it is imperative to find new solutions that would guarantee long-term energy stability and economic development," Crvenkovski said at the two-day summit in Ohrid, a lakeside resort in southern Macedonia.

Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov said that nuclear energy represents a serious alternative for Europe. Two of generators in Bulgaria's nuclear plant had been shut down before the country joined the European Union (EU) on Jan. 1, 2007.

"Bulgaria is part of the Balkans and aspires towards providing electricity not only for itself, but also for neighboring countries," he added.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said that Turkey is becoming an important energy "corridor" that transfers natural gas and oil from the Middle East and the Caucasus to Europe.

"Turkey's energy security strategy now overlaps with the EU's desire to diversify its own energy supplies, and this will bring new opportunities for cooperation between us," Gul said.

Turkey has been trying to become an EU member for years. Gul, who was a special guest at the summit, said his country's membership in the EU would "help transform the EU into a global player."

The summit is scheduled to end later Saturday.