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problem we usually side important decisions made
with the European Union. by the heads of States and
However, this does not governments, and the
mean that it's always the foreign ministers. Here in
case; each one has its own Geneva, we have to do our
position and rhythm for own homework and chip in
approaching the EU or to the overall effort.
NATO.
Q: So what is your
Q:. What would you like homework in Geneva?
to achieve during this
jubilee year, while AZERBAIJAN: We have a
Azerbaijan is holding lot of international organiza-
the presidency? tions here in Geneva. For
each of our countries we
AZERBAIJAN: First, let have certain priorities in our
me point out that it's both an work. For missions as small
honour and a challenge for as ours, it is difficult to
Azerbaijan to hold the presi- expect to be able to cover all
dency of GUAM. It's a very the areas with equal effi-
important period of history. ciency. For Azerbaijan, for
It was only in 2006 that example, all issues related to
GUAM has been officially human rights are very
transformed into a full- important, we have been
fledged international organi- elected as one of the first
zation, and has taken the members of the newly-
His Excellency Mr. Yevhen Bersheda,
name of Organization for created Geneva-based
Ambassador of Ukraine Democracy and Economic Human Rights Council and
Development. First of all, we closely cooperate with
ted to NATO. troops from the four coun-
the paramount task before the Office of the Un High
tries in order to be able to
the Azerbaijani presidency Commissioner on Human
GEORGIA: As for assist international organiza-
is to foster all pillars of this Rights. Equally important
Georgia, within the frame- tions -- the United Nations,
newly created international and closely related to this is
work of cooperation in the also NATO -- in the deploy-
organization and to promote the humanitarian dimension
military sphere as well as ment of military forces have
and further strengthen its of Geneva work, because as
Georgia's integration into been subject of discussions
role and place in the interna- a result of the ongoing
the NATO, we consider that within GUAM at the level
tional arena. The Baku conflict with neighbouring
GUAM has a potential to of our defense establish-
Summit of GUAM that took Armenia almost twenty
contribute to the peace- ments. These discussions
place in June 2007 has iden- percent of our international-
keeping forces and civil still continue since the issue
tified a set of strategic goals ly recognised territory
police component in the is not an easy one. But this
and objectives for our coun- remain under Armenian
peacekeeping and humanita- goes to show that co-opera-
tries to jointly achieve, foreign occupation and
rian assistance related tion among GUAM States
namely the tasks before close to one million of
operations carried out under indeed is multidimensional.
GUAM and its future direc- Azerbaijanis have been
the auspices of the United We have mentioned econo-
tion. Holding the presiden- uprooted from their homes
Nations, OSCE and other mic and political co-opera-
cy, we are first among and continue to remain
relevant international orga- tion, but there is also milita-
nizations. At the same time, ry, parliamentary, scientific, equals, so basically in ful- internally displaced in their
filling our duties we will be own land. So, daily work
Georgia welcomes the great cultural dimensions to it.
acting in close interaction with the Office of the United
interest taken by the
and consultation with our Nations High Commis-
European Union in the UKRAINE: I would like to
partners in the organization sioner for Refugees,
solution of the frozen say clearly that GUAM is
on the basis consensual International Organization
conflicts and hopefully, we not actually affiliated to
decision-making. We do for Migration, International
would witness fruitful NATO or to the European
have a solid roadmap to fol- Committee of Red Cross,
cooperation between EU Union or to any other orga-
low and its implementation etc., are very important for
and GUAM in the sphere. nization. It's completely
will require a lot of joint us. Then you have, of
independent. You might
effort and commitment. Our course, WTO which is a
AZERBAIJAN: The ideas have noticed that, either here
task will be to co-ordinate completely different
to form a peace-keeping in Geneva or in New York,
the activities of all four domain, and there we are an
battalion consisting of when the international orga-
countries, to implement acceeding country. As to
nizations discuss a certain
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