CONFERENCE ON GUAM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY KICKS OFF IN BAKU
A two-day conference “GUAM Development Strategy” commenced Friday in Baku to discuss the future of GUAM, globalization and GUAM`s development and financial aspects of cooperation within GUAM.
Discussions on the first day mainly revolved around strengthening market competition and development of the free economic trade.
Opening the conference, Valeri Chechelashvili, GUAM Secretary General, stressed GUAM takes serious steps towards European integration. He said, “our aim is to improve GUAM`s activity”. According to him, trade turnover among the GUAM countries has surged from 1.5 bln dollars to 3 bln with an aim to increase it up to USD 4 billion by the end of this year.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Araz Azimov said GUAM`s primary intent is to create free economic zone and center to fight organized crime. Moreover, the focus of discussion is also the establishment of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia transport corridor.
David Dondua, Head of the Political Department at the Foreign Ministry of Georgia, said GUAM countries have the same foreign policy and Euroatlantic integration priorities. He noted Georgia would take over GUAM chairmanship in July this year.
US ambassador Anne Derse said US would set aside USD 700 thousand on structural development of GUAM.
Discussions involved national coordinators of Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, representatives of partner countries and international organizations.
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