ABSTRACT
The status of the Black Sea changed considerably and, given developments in the Caspian Basin. It has become a great geopolitical importance. Until the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the Black Sea was effectively a Soviet preserve. The end of the Cold War converted the Black Sea into an open system. The effect of this was seen with the inauguration of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation (BSEC) initiative put forward by Turkey in 1991. Turkey's security was enhanced, particularly with regard to the Turkish Straits. Relations have been strained by Russian perceptions of Turkey's political incursions into Central Asia and the Transcaucasus and by minority secessionist movements. Given its long-term membership of NATO, Turkey is also seen as a potential military threat, in collusion with the West. The geopolitical transformation of the Black Sea following the demise of the Soviet Union has resulted in several examples of co-operation but has also led to new sets of tensions.
