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Valeri Chechelashvili: I regard Baku summit as a turning point in the development of GUAM

19 October 2007 12:35 (UTC +04:00)

Valeri Chechelashvili was born in Georgia in 1961. He graduated from international affairs faculty of Kyiv State University. He has been engaged in diplomatic activity since 1987. He had been Georgian ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Russian Federation, Switzerland, Ukraine and Moldova, Georgian permanent representative to UN, Secretary General of Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, Georgiaâ€™s Finance Minister and First Deputy Foreign Minister. Chechelashvili has been GUAM secretary general since 2007. He speaks Russian, English fluently and knows colloquial Ukrainian and Turkish. He is candidate of economic science, has three children.

- What events are planned for the 10th anniversary of GUAM?
- There is no need to hold special events on the 10th anniversary of GUAM, after the energy summit, which was held in Vilnius on October 10, with presence of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, Polish President Lech KaczyÅ„ski and US deputy energy secretary. But businessmenâ€™s forum of GUAM members will be held in Baku and exhibition of artists of GUAM members will be held in Kyiv. Arrangements for these events will possibly be over late in October, or early in November.
- What is the reason of delay in establishing GUAM peacekeeping contingent?
- We are working on it. No doubt, peacekeeping forces will operate in line with the international law norms. As you know, GUAM is first of all an economic organization and establishing peacekeeping forces is not its main goal. The goal is to increase attention of OSCE and UN to the conflicts in these countries and use potential of international community, when necessary. These forces, with the help of influential organizations, will be used for only peaceful purposes. But all this requires time.
- How will GUAM-US, GUAM-Lithuania, GUAM-Poland meetings influence on the development of the organization?
- Issues on combating international terrorism and organized crimes are important in GUAM-US talks, prospects of Odessa-Brodi-Gdanskâ€“Plotsk oil pipeline and tourism in the relations between Poland and Lithuania, and new technologies, energy saving at the meetings with Japanese representatives. I always say that GUAM is an open organization, we have positive attitude towards new partners and such meetings serve improvement of our organization.
- What can you say about possibility of Polandâ€™s admission to the organization and expansion of the organization in general?
- It is not important whether Poland is the member of GUAM or not. The main is that Poland is interested to participate closely in East-West economic programs. Poland is our close partner among European Union member-states today and it can become full member of GUAM in future. This can expand borders of free economic zone which is important for GUAM. According to indicators of 2006, trade turnover comprised $2 billion among GUAM countries, this figure comprised over 3 billion this year. Georgia has economic relations with Azerbaijan and Ukraine after Turkey. I regard that becoming member of our organization can only give positive prospects to a state which is faithful to democratic values.
- Is instability in Georgia and Ukraine lately influences negatively on the activity of GUAM?
- I do not regard that there is instability in Ukraine and Georgia. These countries are developing democratically, world community know it. There are different approaches to the same problem in these countries and naturally it sometimes causes forecasts. All political forces admitted the results of last elections in Ukraine and the country proved that it is faithful to democratic values.
- In what stage is the formation of office and structure of GUAM?
- Formation of Kyiv office of GUAM is about to finish. Ukrainian Supreme Rada and Moldavian Parliament have not yet ratified the documents adopted in the framework of GUAM. We believe that Parliament will confirm coalition documents about secretariat and finance and GUAM statute. According to the article 19 of the statute covering secretariat, the adopted documents come into force from the day of ratification.
- GUAM member-states staying in CIS is formal, isnâ€™t it? Georgian President signed no document in the last summit of CIS.
- Every GUAM member solves whether to stay in CIS and international organizations or not itself. We regard that CIS resources were not used till the end.
- Will measures be taken and documents prepared on â€œfrozen conflictsâ€ in GUAM?
- We allot special place to meetings on internal conflicts. Issue regarding 4 internal military conflicts in GUAM states was taken to the agenda of UN on our efforts. We are eager to unite and strengthen our efforts. We always focus issue on military conflicts and have to take a lot of measures from this point of view.
- How do you assess results of the last summit of GUAM held in Baku?
- I regard Baku summit turning point in the development of GUAM. Interstates integration, important and concrete fields of economics, law-enforcement, activities in cultural, humanitarian, educational and other fields, relations with new partners have been intensified. For example: 5% of trade turnover of Ukraine is the share of GUAM countries. According to our accounts, interstate trade turnover will comprise $10 billion in the nearest future. I repeat that Baku summit was turning point in our activity. As to your nation, Azerbaijanis are peaceful and industrious. Convey my best regards to your compatriots. /APA/