The 23rd Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) Member States winded up on Friday at the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki with a Joint Declaration on strengthening efforts to address climate change at a regional and international level.

Representatives of a total of 12 countries of the area who took part in the one-day event signed an agreement which will be submitted to the coming UN negotiations on climate change in Cancun, Mexico, in December, pledging a promising start in the Black Sea region.

Stressing that climate change is an international challenge which requires international solutions and represents an opportunity to turn to green economy, BSEC member states promised to step up regional cooperation to attract investments on environmentally friendly economy projects.

Participating countries also pledged to make every possible contribution to protect the environment on international level.

"The Declaration of Thessaloniki" as Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas referred to the agreement on Friday, talking about a positive outcome of deliberations, is regarded as the culminating point of the Greek chairmanship of BSEC during the second half of 2010.

Under the motto "Black Sea turns Green" Greece promoted green economy as the best way to face the challenge of climate change.

Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi, whose country takes over the BSEC presidency on Jan. 1, promised that Romania will continue efforts to boost green development.

On the sidelines of the BSEC meeting, Droutsas also expressed the interest of Athens to host another meeting in 2014, when Greece will hold the rotating EU Presidency, on the European prospects of Western Balkans countries.