The Black Sea Economic Forum 2010 has got underway in Yalta, Crimea (south of Ukraine) on Friday bringing together more than 250 officials, businessmen and experts from Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In his opening speech Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Tykhonov said the Black Sea region having unique economic, geopolitical and human capabilities in the future can become "crucial in the relationship between Europe, the Middle East and Asia".

Assessing the prospects of the Black Sea region as a whole and comparing them with opportunities of Ukraine and the Crimea, Tykhonov said the Crimea for Ukraine is a strategically important region.

"With the most efficient use of natural, cultural, historical, industrial and human potential of the Crimea it can become an excellent example of the implementation of the new economic policy and the center of attraction of investments," he stressed.

Making the Crimea one of the three leaders in the Black Sea region on economic development and living standards is a goal set by Vasyl Dzharty, chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

The Forum's agenda will address a number of crucial topics, such as the economic and political potential of the Black Sea region, as well as opportunities for cooperation in key sectors and projects - from transport infrastructure, energy, tourism, recreation and agriculture to protection of the Black Sea's natural resources.

As UKRINFORM reported, Ukraine proposed that the European Union supplemented the Eastern Partnership program with a project on the development of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. EU Ambassador to Ukraine Jose Manuel Pinto Teixeira said the EU intends to implement Tourism Development Program in the Crimea.

Earlier, First Deputy Prime Minister Andriy Kliuyev said that the government was developing a bill on conferring the status of a territory of priority development on the Crimea. According to him, the government currently prepares a state program of socio-economic development of the Crimea and the authorities will do everything possible to increase the investment attractiveness of the peninsula.

The Black Sea Economic Forum is a high-level continuous platform for dialogue among leading government and business stakeholders of the Black Sea region organized under the auspices of President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych by the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. The Forum contributes to investment attractiveness, economic growth and competitiveness of the Black Sea region overall and Crimea in particular.