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GUAM: a success story in regional collaboration

An interview with their Excellencies Mr. Elchin Amirbayov of
Azerbaijan, Mr. Teimuraz Bakradze of Georgia, Mrs. Tatiana Lapicus of
Moldova, and Mr. Yevhen Bersheda of Ukraine

GUAM Jubilee Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, October 2007

It is not every day that we Q: GUAM was set up the Strasbourg Declaration - strategic alliance, which was
have the chance of mee- ten years ago. What - in the framework of the aimed at overcoming com-
ting four heads of mis- were the reasons for its Council of Europe. This step mon risks, challenges and
in creation?
sions proved to be very far- threats, as well as strengthe-
together
Geneva, but we managed sighted because it was ning the independence and
to do this in order to talk (In this year of celebrations, determined by challenges, sovereignty of these States
about a regional success Azerbaijan is holding the similarities, constraints and
story. GUAM _'the presidency. So we start with problems that our States A M B A S S A 1) 0 R
Organization for Demo- that country.) were facing. What brought B E R S H E D A
cracy and Economic this group together was the U K R A I N F
Development -- is
AM B A SS AD OR search for common answers I recall well the situation
celebrating its tenth AM 1 R A\OV and the resolution of when we started to discuss
anniversary of success- (AZE RBAIJAN): different issues we were co-operation among our
ful collaboration. The
The Organization for facing and still face. The four countries. I think it's
four heads of missions
Democracy and Economic most complicated of these important to note that we
responded positively to
Development -- GUAM, as challenges was, of course, have common interests in
our request, and the
interview was carried out it is officially called -- is an related to unresolved creating a transportation
infrastructure, and especial-
territorial
in a very good atmo- international, regional orga- protracted
sphere - displaying the nization. It consists of four conflicts that affected three ly in the energy sector. It
"bon entente" and giving member states -- Ukraine, of the four States, in the was a question of creating
and
us a concrete answer as Moldova, Georgia and territories of Azerbaijan, Eurasian
to why it's a success Azerbaijan. It was initially Georgia and Moldova. Transcaucasian transporta-
established as a group of GUAM is set to foster a tion corridors. I believe that
these four states in 1997 -- political, economic and all our countries were united
1842007 Diva

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