Black Sea/Caspian Sea Maritime Conference on Non-Proliferation
27-29 September 2004
Kyiv, Ukraine

The United States Coast Guard and the State Border Service of Ukraine will co-host the first ever Caspian Sea and Black Sea Maritime Conference on Nonproliferation from 27-29 September 2004. The conference will be held in Kyiv, Ukraine, and attended by 10 countries in the region. The central theme of the conference is: "Preventing the Spread of WMD and Other Illicit Trafficking by Sea." The conference will focus on the three core areas of identifying threats, effective operational Planning and Execution, and regional cooperation. The Unites States and Government of Ukraine look upon this conference as an opportunity to share knowledge and experiences, and to progress towards our common goal of secure maritime borders.

The conference’s sessions will be held in the Ukrainsky Dim at 2, vul. Khreshchatyk on September 28 and 29. U.S. Ambassador John Herbst will deliver opening remarks on September 28 at 9 a.m. Vice Admiral Terry M. Cross, Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, and Colonel-General Mykola Lytvyn, Head of the State Border Service of Ukraine, will also give opening presentations. The opening session on September 28 is open to the press to cover.

The concluding press-conference will be held on September 29 at 5:00 p.m. in the Ukrainsky Dim. Journalists who wish to cover the opening presentations, the press conference, or both should contact the Public Relations Department of Ukraine’s State Border Service at 212-8788 in order to be accredited.