GUAM LEADERS HOLD PLENARY MEETING
Guam leaders held a plenary meeting in Batumi, Georgia, on Tuesday.
Along with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili, Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko and Moldavian Internal Minister Valentin Mejinschi, participants in the meeting also included several guests of honor such as Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, Polish leader Lech Kaczynski, and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs David Merkel.
Mikheil Saakashvili made opening remarks at the meeting.
Afterwards, the Azerbaijani leader took the floor, expressing gratitude to Georgia for the well-organized forum.
He spoke of GUAM`s activities during Azerbaijan`s chairmanship, which, Ilham Aliyev said, was marked by the enhancement of regional energy, transport and security cooperation.
Speaking of his country`s conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh, President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude to GUAM members states for supporting the “Resolution on the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan” at the UN General Assembly`s 62nd session.
The Azerbaijani leader said conflicts faced by GUAM states must be solved in accordance with international legal norms and the principle of territorial integrity of countries.
The President also touched upon democratic processes underway in his country.
Afterwards, the chairmanship of GUAM was formally handed over to Georgia.
Mikheil Saakashvili praised Azerbaijan`s work during its presidency of the organization, and described the country as a reliable partner.
Viktor Yuschenko said he joins his Azerbaijani counterpart in supporting the territorial integrity of GUAM member states.
Moldavian Internal Minister Valentin Mejinschi, Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, and Polish leader Lech Kaczynski also addressed the meeting which ended with the signing of joint documents.
Following the meeting, the GUAM leaders gave a joint press conference.
Later in the day, Mikheil Saakashvili hosted an official reception in honor of the GUAM Heads of State.
They also watched a concert.
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