Excerpt from an Interview:
…Today we focus on economic issues. We have an agreement on Free Trade Area which came into force in 2006, today we are working to extend it to the GUAM space. Three GUAM Member States signed the Free Trade Agreement with the EU, Azerbaijan continues to negotiate with Brussels on this issue. Do not forget about the GUAM Transport Corridor the concept of which was approved in 2013…
Our transport corridor can help to connect Europe with the countries of Asia and the Persian Gulf, it is not only an economic benefit but also the political importance of the activities of our Organization. If we ensure the functioning of an attractive and secure GUAM Transport Corridor the international community will be interested in its development…
During our activity, we try to cover all important spheres of the economy – from the functioning of the transport corridor, tourism and agriculture to innovations and modern technologies. We consistently struggle with the illicit trafficking of drugs, weapons and human trafficking. The important area is cooperation in culture and youth. Next step of our activity is a transformation of relations with the EU, the Council of Europe and the OSCE.
We are talking not only about expanding the spheres of cooperation but also about strengthening coordination function of the GUAM Secretariat. Last year, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs initiated a process to determine the prospects for the development of the Organization based on Vision Paper prepared during the Georgian Chairmanship. I believe that this initiative will strengthen the integration processes within the GUAM, the role of the Organization in shaping the region as a peaceful space, stability and development, as well as will increase its authority and significance on the international arena. These issues will be discussed in October 2018 in Chișinău…
