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Deputy Assistant Secretary of State: GUAM member states are taking ownership of the organization

02 July 2007 11:40 (UTC +04:00)

- A week ago during GUAM summit in Baku, you told that first the USA-GUAM forum took place. But there was no information about it prior to the meeting. Could you briefly tell us who participated in the meeting, what kind of questions was raised and when second meeting will occur?
- We do it twice a year and when I was in Kiev last year we had the U.S.-GUAM meeting a day before summit as we did it in Baku last week. We also had U.S.-GUAM meeting in New York last September around the UN General Assembly session. So we meet regularly and there is not a secret about them. The participants are the USA and I representative of U.S. in all three meeting which took place as well as the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Georgia, and the deputies of Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Moldova. We discussed the way we can work together. The USA has been supporter of GUAM since its inception and we continue to do whatever we can do. Although, I am please to say that while we remain strong supporter and in political and moral terms as well as providing some financial assistance, what is happening now is that GUAM member states are taking ownership of the organization. It is internationally recognized body now, and what we hoped is happened: GUAM is run by the member states.
- GUAM is comparatively young organization and what we hear that the organization is not mature enough, it does not have its ideology and the countries of GUAM not tied with each other based on the economic and political interests but tied against Russia. What is your comment on such statements, opinions?
- I think it is not fair to be honest. First of all we should be patience with GUAM and not expect that is going to take off immediately after its formation. GUAM is going to have secretariat in Kiev and we will have a General Secretary involved there. I think that all of that is positive and will make GUAM more concrete organization. It will help to build a law enforcement center, reach framework agreement on transportation and transit, and energy security issues. What brings these countries together is not a negative message but in fact a positive massage. These countries have a common interest and they still are dealing with transition from emerging, from independence. I think GUAM states can effectively work together in ways to develop their common interest and advance regional security and stability.
- In last GUAM summit Poland, Romania, Latvia and Lithuania were among guests. Some experts believe that soon GUAM may expand and new countries may enroll into the organization. What is position of the US in this issue and should GUAM expand only on West or there is some interest to GUAM on East too?
- In GUAM, we have small core group of states. But if other countries want to join GUAM it maintains â€œopen doorâ€ policy. I think that fact the Presidents of Poland, Lithuania, and Romania were present at GUAM summit last week is a positive signal. It means that countries which are members of EU and NATO, countries which a little be more entrenched in international organizations are able to provide important support, advice and assistance to GUAM as it matures and develops. The other think, which I would add that is noteworthy, that for a first time Japan had a meeting with GUAM members states in the deputy foreign minister level. That underscores that GUAM has international favor to it, that countries of Asia are paying attention to it now. Certainly, when you look at the USA, North America, Asia and Europe are trying to help GUAM and work with it. I think it is very positive.
- Except Ukraine, all other members of GUAM have their own frozen conflicts. GUAM members declare that all of them stand in a united position regarding the conflicts and present united approach. What else except raising the issue in UN, GUAM countries can do and how effective their steps are going to be for final settlement of the conflicts?
- Let keep in mind that Ukraine also is party to â€œ5+1â€ talk which did not take place in 2006 unfortunately dealing with Transdniestria. So Ukraine also has a vast interest in promoting solution to so called frozen conflicts. What we have supported certainly is that solution of those conflicts is to protect the sovereignty and independence of the states. We also want to make sure that the countries are not excluded from any processes underway which look for solutions. There are other countries are members of GUAM that have vast interest in a solution of those problems and we want to make sure that that GUAM does not put it in risk the processes which are underway to solve this things. /APA/